Love/Hate gift cards

[Charade]

I agree.

I've always used the gift cards I've received, but there's usually a small balance left, or I spend more than the amount of the gift card. I appreciate the thought though.

I remember that there was a news story about what a boom gift cards are for companies. Something like 8 billion dollars worth of gift cards are never redeemed. That's amazing to me. I think of them as cash for a specific store/mall, or restaurant and plan ahead to spend it, so that they are used.

We just used a Blockbuster GC the other day that was about 2 years old. It still had it's full value. I got a Visa GC last Christmas and it had a $2 a month surcharge (after the first month)!!! WTH? Surcharge for what?

 

[barkley]

i hate it when the kids get them-i end up having to take them shopping at a place they don't nesc. want something specific at. i finaly got my mom to stop sending them (i understand she can't get out and shop and these are easy for her friends or a family member to pick up for her) and instead send me cash which i use to purchase something i know the kids want (and my kids are still at the age that they enjoy opening an actual gift vs. a card).

as for receiving them-i guess it's o.k. if it's a place i like or is at least convenient. we got a couple a few years ago and with one there was no store anywhere in my state (the local place had shut down several months earlier) so i ordered on line but at least half of the value got eaten up on postage another was for a restaurant that was not local-and even if it was, the value was realy only enough to cover 2 people at lunch. so unless dh and i were going to either put out more money to take the kids, out of town, on a weekend-or-put out more money to hire a babysitter so we could go, out of town-it was'nt a very feasable gift for us (i think dh managed to use half the value once when he was out of state and there happened to be one of these restaurants near the hotel he was at-the remainder of the value was lost).

i have to say that hands down, the best gift card i ever received was for my then local outlet mall. i held onto it until they were having sidewalk sale and bought several things i needed.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

We just used a Blockbuster GC the other day that was about 2 years old. It still had it's full value. I got a Visa GC last Christmas and it had a $2 a month surcharge (after the first month)!!! WTH? Surcharge for what?

The surcharde issue is big. I believe a few states have enacted laws that it is illegal to have an expiration date, and also to have a "dormant" surcharge.

The gift card is such a winner the the store/restaurant. They get the cash upfront, and get to keep it because cards aren't used, they expire, or they charge you a fee. It's surprising to me that more consumers aren't upset by these rules.

 

[Mkrop]

The surcharde issue is big. I believe a few states have enacted laws that it is illegal to have an expiration date, and also to have a "dormant" surcharge.

The gift card is such a winner the the store/restaurant. They get the cash upfront, and get to keep it because cards aren't used, they expire, or they charge you a fee. It's surprising to me that more consumers aren't upset by these rules.

I refuse to buy the ones with the surcharge.

But given I was berated by one of the preschool moms bc I wouldnt buy them for the group gift after I heard about the fees and other problems the Visa gift cards have, she is now doing the group gift, oh well.

 

[burberryplaid]

I love them because I am forced to buy those things I've been wanting, but didn't want to splurge on. I specifically ask for gift cards from my favorite places so I never get them from places I wouldn't use them at.

 

[Faerie]

I love gift cards. I'm a scrapbooker so DBF always gives me a Michael's or AC Moore gift card. I love that I can go in and get the small stuff I've had my eye on but won't buy for myself (like the Tim Hotlz Alcohol Inks)

 

[Cindy B]

Its great if you know what the person wants, but my DMIL gave me bath and body works for the last several years for christmas and they were always things I couldn't use. She gave me scents I didn't like or items I never used so I would just end up giving them away to different charities. I would rather have the gift cards to get something I would use. For some reason at 48, she thought I would enjoy the American Girl line of items ( I gave those to DD or the Carmel Corn things which went to charity)

I don't mind gift cards when they are for places we have locally, but several times we have been given cards to places we don't have and then I have to drive a distance to use the cards. I doesn't make much sense to drive 90 minutes to use a $20 gift card.

I think more can be used on-line, but I know when they first came out the kids would get them and we couldn't use them on-line and then we would have to look for the store to use them at.

You know that Bath and Body Works accepts returns of any kind w/o a receipt? You could have exchanged it at any time.