Are gift cards the most useless thing ever

[JayJay]

I don't like receiving gift cards. Usually they are to stores I don't have a desire to visit.

 

[longskate88]

Originally Posted by Bradford

My understanding was that the amount of the gift cards counted as a liability on their books, so even though they have the cash, they can't count it as an asset.

That's why they push so hard for you to use them right after Christmas or whenever.

Yep, gift cards are like baseball tickets, they are unearned revenue (a liability) until the game is played or you go and buy something with the card.

 

[suited]

Originally Posted by dusty

I agree, but you are neglecting that gift cards can be used to ensure that a person spends their gift money on something 'fun' instead of on bills or whatever.
What if that person really needs to use the money for bills? If I received a best by gift card, I would use it, but I'd have to use it on something I don't really want. If there's something I really need from best buy that is $25 or $50, I'll go buy it. I highly doubt there are pools of people out there dying to have this $30 item from Home Depot or Best Buy, and are waiting for their Bday or Christmas until they get a gift card. It's kind of making the assumption that people want something at best buy, but can't afford to buy it themselves. If this was the case, they could use the $50 in cash much more than the gift card.

 

[marin]

Originally Posted by teddieriley

But watch out for Visa or AmEx "gift" cards. These damn things come with some sort of "handling" fee which is "waived" from anywhere from 6 mos. to one year. If you hang on to the gift card beyond that, fees start accruing and credited against the account, which gets around the no expiration in California. I thought I had a $25 Visa gift card. It went down to a $6 gift card since I had it for 1.5 years. so use those quickly.

Very annoying -- I've always thought that this is a major deterrent to increased use of prepaid cards.

One disadvantage of these cards for me is the ongoing need to check whether I have one I can use

 

[Vito]

Got no problem with gift cards, no problem at all. Give 'em to me and I'll make sure that they're well-spent.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Vito

Got no problem with gift cards, no problem at all. Give 'em to me and I'll make sure that they're well-spent.
I'm not a fan of them.

 

[flipstar]

I try to hint at people who are horrible at picking out gifts for me to get me gift cards...

 

[dinted voice]

I tend to be picky (as I am sure most people here are) and gift cards to places I like are much better than som ****** gift I will simply return or never ever use. If only Jason offered gift cards to TaT it would be the best Christmas or Birthday gift ever!

 

[backboard60]

I HATE gift cards