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lumpkin

lumpkin

Ideal_Rock
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May 24, 2005
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I was browsing around the internet for gift ideas and came across an article that said gift cards are lame gifts. Also that billions of dollars worth of gift certificates and cards go unused.

That boggles me. I just got an Arch card for my birthday and my sister-in-law and I giggled about enjoying the free Monday vanilla lattes. Guess what I''m going to be using my Arch card for? Last year I got a Starbuck''s card from a co-worker and I LOVED it! Who doesn''t love a treat from Starbucks? I have friends/relatives who love to craft and are always shopping at Michael''s. If I were to go and try to buy FOR them, I''m sure I would not get the right thing and they''d have to either return it or be stuck with it. Also, last year we gave our boss a gift certificate to her favorite clothing store and she went shopping and got new clothes. If someone gave me a gift card to Best Buy I''d be in heaven! Or how about a gift card to the local movie theater?

So am I weird? Does anyone else like gift cards? Thoughts?
 
Lumpkin,
I am laughing because I probably am the weird one. I get the gift cards and they pile up. I gave a Starbucks away to a friend since I hardly ever go there. I have a B&N, a Pottery Barn, Target, and Costco gift cards I still haven't used. I found a Old Navy one recently in the kitchen drawer. I should put them in my wallet so I don't forget to use them. I give gift cards also. One of my friends has a business card holder to store her giftcards and she was showing me her collection so I guess I am not the only one who lets them pile up. hehee I heard also if you don't use some of them w/in a year you start to lose money on the card. I better use mine since they are going to be a year soon!
 
I have read articles that say if you have to get a gift card, then you should spend more time with the recipient so that you know what they want instead of getting a generic card. To that I have to say WHATEVER!!! The gift cards are ALL going to my family, because they live across the country and I can't spend enough time with them to know exactly what they want! I at least get the cards for stores that they like, but why buy a sweater or something at Anne Taylor for my mom to return when she can just go pick out EXACTLY what she wants? I'm a big fan of gift cards versus picking some random thing you think someone might like.

In California, GCs can't expire (which is the way it SHOULD be) so I can carry 'em as long as I like.
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I love cards to Starbucks, Williams-Sonoma, etc. Way fun to shop with someone else's money!!!
 
i LOVE getting gift cards just because i LOVE to shop. i''m in grad school and have no job, so the only time i get to shop is for groceries and for other people at christmastime. i love being able to pick things out that i normally would only be able to wish i could get.

i guess if it was to a place that i didn''t particularly like then i''d be ''meh'' about it, but most of the time i am thrilled at the idea of going out and buying something that i want. that, and the well intentioned people in my life usually are a bit clueless about the things i would really enjoy getting as gifts!
 
Skippy, I guess it is important to figure out if people will actually use the card before getting them one. And apparently you are not alone because BILLIONS (eek!) of dollars worth of cards and gift certificates go totally unused.
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Imagine if all that money went to help needy people or for R&D on green fuels? It really is amazing.
 
FG & Mimsy, I''m so glad I''m not the only one who loves gift cards. I really am thrilled to get them.

Hey, Skippy, I''ll bet one gift card you wouldn''t forget about would be one from a diamond vendor!!! Hey, I would REALLY be thrilled to get one of those!!!
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HI:

Oh I luv ''em too.....I tend to let them pile up and use them for a planned expenditure; for example by BD is next week and since it is near to XMas I ask for GC''s (if my family is stumped for ideas) from Holt Renfrew and then use them during the after XMas sales on designer bags/clothes/shoes...they come in very handy. The EB Games GC''s for my son are used in my household on a regular basis and are great!

cheers--Sharon
 
The idea of giving gift cards can be good or bad, depending upon how well you know the person and how much thought you put into it.

One relative gave me a gift card for a movie theater chain that's located 1 1/4 hours away from me! It was disapointing that the person didn't even look to see if there was a theater nearby me. That gift card ended up being sold on eBay. Someone bought it for only $5.00 less than the card's value and after eBay fees, I made $40.

The only gift cards I love are for places that can be personally enjoyed. A card to Nordstrom or Sephora would be great. It's a nice excuse to buy something I would love rather than think of the family. With Target ones, I have to be sure to use it more practically.
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Oh, one thing I think is fun is giving both a gift and a gift card. Last year, I gave a book and a small Starbucks gift card to a relative. She was thrilled that my Dh & I put thought into a book she would enjoy, plus she got the extra bonus of a coffee on the house. Best of both worlds!
 
Oh, yikes, MC! What a shame about the movie theater gift certificate. At least you got something out of it and it wasn''t a total waste. I would never have thought to sell it on Ebay. Hey, Skippy, now you know what to do will all dem cards, LOL!

Yes, I agree that a Target gift card is not nearly as fun as a more personal one. And you DO have to know if it''s a store/shop/location that the recipient will really enjoy. I certainly love a good excuse to buy something for myself!
 
Date: 11/20/2007 3:06:02 PM
Author: lumpkin
Oh, yikes, MC! What a shame about the movie theater gift certificate. At least you got something out of it and it wasn't a total waste. I would never have thought to sell it on Ebay. Hey, Skippy, now you know what to do will all dem cards, LOL!
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This is silly, but I've sold a number of them because nearly ALWAYS someone bids the card up to the card value and I'd rather have the $ than be sutck with a GC to a resturant we'd never eat at! We usually get one or two a year we wouldn't ever use.

Oh, and YES Skippy list those on eBay. Putting them up for sale is VERY easy. You can only list a certain number per week though. I accidently listed too many and someone actually had the nerve to REPORT me!
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Date: 11/20/2007 2:59:58 PM
Author: lumpkin
FG & Mimsy, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who loves gift cards. I really am thrilled to get them.

Hey, Skippy, I'll bet one gift card you wouldn't forget about would be one from a diamond vendor!!! Hey, I would REALLY be thrilled to get one of those!!!
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Totally!
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hehee I love the idea of gift cards and think it is so thoughtful and kind of family to give them to me but sometimes I walk in a store and walk out not buying anything. I wish we were like CA where GC did't lose money. Can you regift gift cards to someone who would like that particular store or is that tacky? I haven't done it but just curious.
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MC, okay sounds good! Thanks!
 
Date: 11/20/2007 3:14:30 PM
Author: Skippy123
Totally!
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hehee I love the idea of gift cards and think it is so thoughtful and kind of family to give them to me but sometimes I walk in a store and walk out not buying anything. I wish we were like CA where GC did''t lose money. Can you regift gift cards to someone who would like that particular store or is that tacky? I haven''t done it but just curious.
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MC, okay sounds good!
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Yep, you don''t even have to write up a description like regular auctions. It''s a breeze. I send them out using bubble mailers so nobody can feel what''s inside the envelope AND those can go into the regular mail. No waiting in lines at the P.O.
 
Gosh I love giftcards.

I do have one that is going on three years old & it is a Steinmart GC. Other than that I always use them.
 
I love gift cards! I''m always excited to use them, and I usually use them right away. FI''s parents just sent us one for Halloween though, to a restruant, and I realized I threw it out with the envelope! I was kicking myself for a week...until I read DKS''s post, and then I got some perspective!
 
I luv gift cards/certificates. I would rather receive or give a gift card than be rather disappointed at the gift I received or giving a gift that I think would be useless for that person.
 
I can not and will never understand people who don''t use their gift cards. Use them or give them away! When I have a giftcard I have to go spend it RIGHT. NOW. There is no stacking of cards, no saving of cards, no giving away of cards. They are GONE BABY GONE and julianna enjoys white mocha chais and new clothes and iPod accessories and shoes and delicious food. Gracious me, it''s free money! I LOVE FREE MONEY!
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I like any gift I get, because I think it''s sweet that people think of me. If I recieve a card to a store I don''t shop at I give it to someone who does (my sister loves when I get Starbucks gift cards).

There are a certain percentage of cards, a fairly high percentage, that go unused, so stores love selling them.
 
I love gift cards, too! I rarely give them as gifts myself, but that''s just because I really enjoy finding special gifts for loved ones.

The best thing about gift cards is that they often "force" me to experience something new. I get a lot of gift cards and certificates from students to restaurants and salons in the suburbs where I teach. I didn''t really know the area, but now I do!

I heard about a great bridal shower idea--it was sa gift card shower, and all of the guests were asked to give a gift card for a unique restaurant to the couple. The idea is that the couple would have all of these gift cards that they could use as newlyweds, thus ensuring that they would get out and have several date nights early on in their marriage. I thought it was a great idea, especially for a couple moving to a new area.

I do admit that I used to give away all of my Starbucks gift cards until I discovered their caramel apple spice creation--hot apple cider, my favorite!
 
The only gift cards I really like receiving are from Angus and Robertson (bookstore). I am a huge bookworm and I hate borrowing from the library because I want to read brand new shiny books, not old ones with cracked spines and folded pages. My family know straight away that when it comes to getting me presents, I would be happiest with a book voucher!

I recently used a gift card for a dvd/music chain store. In Australia, we don''t have $0.01 pieces. So if we buy something, it gets round up or down to the nearest 5 cent ($0.93 becomes $0.95 and $0.92 becomes $0.90) if paying in cash. Credit card purchases are the exact amount ($0.93 means $0.93 on the credit card). The gift card was for $100 and I bought a dvd for $29.98. They gave me a gift card replacement for $70.00 and I made a scene and demanded one for $70.02. This was not me being cheap, but it was the principle. If they did this to every gift card holder, then they will be making quite a lot of money from this practice.
 
Love to give and receive gift cards!

Last year I made some fun gift baskets for my hubby''s sibling''s families. I got some Blockbuster gift cards, bought the movie popcorn buckets that Blockbuster sells and added loads of other fun candy. I tossed in the gift card and wrapped it in clear celophane with a big red bow. I had fun putting them together and they were all set for family movie night.

For other friends/family we give either American Express or Visa gift cards if we are not exactly sure where they like to shop.
 
I don''t give GC''s a lot, but I do like receiving them as long as they are from places I frequent. However, if I receive a GC from a place I don''t usually shop, I can almost always think of a recipient who would enjoy it...a couple of times I''ve received a GC to a store I don''t shop at and then saved it and given it to someone who does shop there for their b-day. (Other than GC''s, I swear I do not re-gift--honest!)
 
I love gift cards both to give as gifts and receive. I do pay attention and make sure it''s something the person I''m giving the GC to will actually use. I''d rather give someone something they will use than to spend money on something they will never use or throw away. My favorite cards to receive are for clothes or book stores.
 
I love getting them...its like being a kid in a candy store!! But the bad thing is that I sometimes use them to buy gifts for other people...so I dont really spend them on myself...I should though!!!
 
i don''t give these nor do i enjoy receiving them. if you choose to not select a gift i feel cash is the appropriate way to gift. to my knowledge there is no incentive to invest in a gift card. is there more value than the cash you pay for it? if you simply give the cash the person may choose to spend it anywhere they choose. there is no time limit on using it and if you choose to put it away someplace (like a bank) it will make you more cash not loose its value.

i see the store as the only winner in choosing gift cards. i personally feel a little creepy using these. it is kind of like buying those charity coupons. i never end up using them as it always seems to me like they don''t really give the same service as when you are paying cash. i know this is probably in my head but i prefer cash over cards of any kind.
 
Crown, I definitely used to feel that way about gift certificates. I''d always get one to some age inappropriate store or one time I got them for theater tickets (not movie, live). We don''t enjoy that at all but we went anyway. I guess it was good because it got us to do something different. I do know what you mean and depending on your gift giving "culture" from family, it can be a sort of lame cop out.
 
I''d never turn my nose up at a GC. I love the fact that I get to choose!
 
DH talked about this last night. He has friends that we seem to just exchange gift cards with every year, and last year we decided to purchase them real gifts because it was getting ridiculous. It started to feel like we might as well just go buy ourselves something rather than exchange gifts because we just kept handing little envelopes to each other for the same amount of cash. Does that make sense?

Otherwise my answer still stands.
 
Date: 11/20/2007 3:00:05 PM
Author: canuk-gal
HI:

Oh I luv ''em too.....I tend to let them pile up and use them for a planned expenditure; for example by BD is next week and since it is near to XMas I ask for GC''s (if my family is stumped for ideas) from Holt Renfrew and then use them during the after XMas sales on designer bags/clothes/shoes...they come in very handy. The EB Games GC''s for my son are used in my household on a regular basis and are great!

cheers--Sharon
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That''s a great idea. After Christmas sales!!! Oh, my, you''d get so much more than before hand. The EB Games would be great for my kids, too.

We have a standing rule that gently used is fab. My son just got a game cube, which is obsolete and no longer made, but he loves the games that came out several years ago. For his birthday all of us in the family went to Game Stop and got gently used accessories and games, plus of course the game cube itself was gently used. He couldn''t be more thrilled, and buying the newest gaming systems is outrageously expensive, IMHO.
 
Date: 11/21/2007 9:32:34 AM
Author: KimberlyH
DH talked about this last night. He has friends that we seem to just exchange gift cards with every year, and last year we decided to purchase them real gifts because it was getting ridiculous. It started to feel like we might as well just go buy ourselves something rather than exchange gifts because we just kept handing little envelopes to each other for the same amount of cash. Does that make sense?

Otherwise my answer still stands.
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It makes perfect sense to me. It''s like, why even exchange gifts because you are basically kind of exchanging money, and then there''s the pressure to be sure not to spend less than your friends because everyone knows exactly how much money was spent. It''s definitely not so great after this amount of time doing it, either.

I still think in many circumstances that giving a gift card is better than guessing what someone will like. I''d even rather get a gift card I will never use than a gift I can''t use or don''t want. Gift cards take up a lot less space and can be easily regifted or sold on Ebay. That''s a classic idea -- I learn so much here!!!
 
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