I originally published this post in August 2010, but with Christmas (yes – I call it CHRISTMAS, not “the holidays”) just around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to once again mull over The Case of the Great Gift Card Giver.
To some, gift cards are not gifts. I’ll never forget this article I came across on MSN Money a few years back, where the author bashed those who dared to dole out plastic presents:
“A gift, ideally, says, ‘I thought about you. I considered your likes and dislikes, your needs and wants, your dreams and desires, and found you this token of my esteem that I hope will delight you.’
A gift card says, ‘There! Checked you off my list.'”
She even went on to quote the esteemed Judith Martin (aka Miss Manners), stating that gift cards are “a pathetic compromise that is convenient to people who do not trust their judgment about selecting the right present for those whose tastes they ought to know.”
I couldn’t disagree more.
Unless you’re 14 years old and know the absolute contents of your best friend’s locker, bedroom and closet, chances are it may be tricky to find the perfect gift. Sure, I know that my brother likes to draw, but if you’ve ever ventured into DeSerres, you’ll know that their “Fine Arts” section is four aisles across and boasts over 460 drawing tools alone.
Gift card, please.
Yes, gift cards are convenient. And they (inconveniently) let the recipient know exactly how much you spent on them. But to me, gift cards do convey a special thoughtfulness; as in, “I thought you’d like to pick out something you actually want. You’re welcome.”
Also, isn’t the new trend of gift receipts just an unwanted step in the gift-giving dance?
1. Jack wants to buy Jill a gift.
2. Jack isn’t sure Jill will like the gift, so he asks for a gift receipt with his purchase. This enclosure will allow Jill to exchange the gift, or – wait for it – BE ISSUED A GIFT CARD to be used at a later date.
I like gift cards. I prefer to give them as gifts 9 times out of 10 (except for little ones – shopping for toys and cute clothing is half the fun!). Perhaps my favourite quote on the subject is from Evelyn Harper of Two and a Half Men, when reproved by Allan for writing her grandson a cheque for his birthday gift, replied:
“You told me he likes Transformers. This cheque transforms into anything he wants.”
This season, I’m all about the 3 C’s: cash, cheques and cards of the gifting variety. And have you ever considered purchasing gift cards for yourself? There are several ways that you can be card smart and save $$$:
1. Check your local Kijiji or Craigslist. Many recipients of gift cards are looking to unload them, offering savings to you (amount varies by seller). Most will agree to conduct the transaction in front of the store, allowing you to confirm the gift card amount before buying. An easier option is to simply take a cell phone with you and call the number on the back of most gift cards – you’ll be able to retrieve the current value in under a minute. However, if the seller gives you the tracking number before hand, be sure to confirm once again immediately prior to purchase (you can’t be sure they didn’t go on a shopping spree in the meantime).
2. Canadians can visit sites like cardSwap.ca, an online gift card exchange. All gift cards are verified with the issuing merchant before they are listed on cardSwap, and there are no extra costs for buyers. The seller is required to ship your card within three (3) days of purchase, and if you do not receive your card after 14 days of purchase your money will be refunded in full. The gift card value is guaranteed by cardSwap for 21 days after the transaction takes place, allowing you peace of mind.
3. Check daily deals websites. While not actually gift cards – they’re coupons – you can still save a substantial amount at places that you frequent for goodies. Two words: GAP GROUPON. However, there are more restrictions tied to these coupons (such as redemption clauses and expiration dates), but most deal seekers are happy to oblige to save 50% or more.
Speaking of expiration dates: As of October 1, 2007, Ontario prohibited adding expiry dates to gift cards in Ontario. Check your local regulations to see if a similar law is in place.
4. Trade in rewards points for gift cards. A few nights ago, I was lamenting to my husband the lack of selection with RBC Rewards. Truth is, the selection is formidable – they just didn’t have anything I was interested in at the moment. Then I noticed that you can redeem 30,000 points for a $250 gift card at a plethora of merchants including Sears, HBC, Future Shop, Starbucks, RONA and more. I’ll lament no more.
Nice to know: As of 2009, 92% of all major retailers in Canada offer gift cards. Happy shopping!
I love gift cards. I love giving them and I love receiving them.
Yay westottawamommy! Team GC!
I HEART gift cards! I think it's very thoughtful and useful! :)
Hey Lena,Just wanted to let you guys know…although technically there isn't an expiry date on gift cards you've purchased, if you're redeeming points from say Aeroplan and programs like that, there's usually a 1yr expiry from the date you redeemed. I worked at a call centre which handled loads of rewards programs, and their thinking is that since you didn't pay for the gift card, it doesn't fall under the no-expiry-date law. So you might wanna double check the expiry part for the one you want :)Other than that, I love gc's…love giving them n rec'ing them :D
@ashi – great tip! It's definitely a good idea to check for expiry dates on products when redeeming points.
Fantastic tips Lena! Great info and BTW I love gift cards, giving and receiving them! Who doesn't enjoy a gift that allows you to buy anything you truly want!
Exactly Kath! BTW, I’m responding to your comment only 15 months late!
I have a love hate relationship with gift cards cause they sit there in your wallet and scream "use me"! I'd rather get cash any day!
Ah yes, but chances are you’d spend the cash on something much less fabulous :)
Love to give them, love to get them! Unless the person buying the gift knows my taste, I’d rather the gift card or cash. And especially for teenagers – I never know what to get them!
I am definitely with you Crystal!
I LOVE GIFT CARDS!!!! And I love cardswap.ca!!! I bought a giftcard for my parents last year from cardswap.ca for The Keg. I got a $100 giftcard for $90. This FORCED my parents to go out to dinner at their favourite restaurant, which was awesome because they NEVER do things for themselves.
And speaking of expiry…I didn’t know until 2007 that people actually had a problem with the expiry dates! I always use my giftcards as soon as I receive them, so when I spoke to people whose response to the new law was, “Thank God there are no more expiry dates…I’ve had cards expire on me!” My response was then, “WHAAAT? How on earth do you just hang onto a giftcard without spending it?????” Oh well, I guess that’s just me. If someone is telling me to go shopping, you need not ask me twice ;)
” If someone is telling me to go shopping, you need not ask me twice ;)” – LOL, girl, we are kindred spirits! And I love that you’ve used cardswap.ca!
Gift cards are great for me as I’m very picky and always end up changing things LOL! I have very specific tastes and hate clutter – so I don’t like keeping things that I won’t use. Nothing says I love you like a Sephora giftcard – so much to choose from!
Ooh, don’t you LOVE getting Sephora gift cards from your husband? One year hubby let me go mad at L’Occitane – it was like, the best birthday ever.
I love gift cards too, mainly because I’m a very picky person and only a handful of people “can” shop for me, lol :(
Same! I don’t even trust my husband.
I can understand the writer’s point of view, slightly. Last year, my husband gave his brother-in-law a $50 gift card to a store, and lo and behold, his brother-in-law gave him the exact same amount on a gift card to the exact same store. It was a good chuckle for us all, but it really was silly.
I like receiving gift cards, but I often receive gift cards to store that I don’t normally/don’t care to shop at. I give those to people who I know do shop in those stores.
That’s too bad, Monica. I should really add that gift cards are awesome – but only if you are absolutely sure the person loves the store and shops there frequently. Otherwise, the become just another thoughtless gift.
I love gift cards. A Starbucks gift card makes me more excited than anything else!! And I love to be able to shop for the clothes that I like. And they’re great for more than gifts! To help with Christmas shopping costs, buy gift cards throughout the year at a store you normally shop at, and at Christmas use them instead of cash or debit. Much easier on the wallet!
I LOVE your tip Shauna! It makes so much sense, and, when the holiday come around, you don’t feel the pinch!
I like gift cards, but if my husband gave me one I’d probably not be impressed. Lucky for me has great taste in clothes.
Um, yeah – I totally should have written that husbands were not included in the gift card lovefest ;)
I love giving and receiving gift cards. I am lost when it comes to giving gifts especially to teenagers and young people. Instead of thinking about their likes and dislikes, I would rather give them a gift card. It makes life easy for me and they can go and buy whatever suits their fancy and what they really need which in turn makes them happy…….
I think gift cards for teenagers is a splendid idea!
I just saw a Groupon for Old Navy, have to say I was pretty surprised! Definitely a good deal if you’ll be shopping there anyway. I’m not too offended by gift cards as a gift, I hope I get a few to IKEA this year!
Good luck with those IKEA gift cards! I could definitely do damage there too :)