Society & Culture What's the point of giving a gift card to a particular store as opposed to giving money and a card?

[Geelong_Sicko]

I've never gotten this concept. I always give money and a card at Christmas for those I'm at a loss as to what to buy for. But I always get vouchers to particular stores (like JB HiFi) in return.

Why is this?

This 50 dollar gift voucher is good at JB HiFi. That's it.

This 50 dollar note is a voucher too, yet it's good absolutely EVERYWHERE - the stores are only limited by your imagination. It can be even used down the pub!

Why are gift cards portrayed as being 'more' thoughtful when given as gifts when they lock you into 'less' overall choice?

I'll never give a gift card. Sorry, but that's just how it is.

Do any of you lot fawn over gift cards at Christmas?

 

[edgie]

I'm a money hoarder, give me cash and I'll save it or spend it on everyday shit so I don't have to go to the bank, withdraw money, or use my keycard.

A gift card actually allows me to purchase something recreational that I might enjoy, the point of a gift.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

I'm a money hoarder, give me cash and I'll save it or spend it on everyday shit so I don't have to go to the bank, withdraw money, or use my keycard.

A gift card actually allows me to purchase something recreational that I might enjoy, the point of a gift.

Heh. I suppose the concept is just totally lost on me.

 

[edgie]

Heh. I suppose the concept is just totally lost on me.

Nah it makes sense and you're not the only one, just giving my 2 cents how I feel receiving one.

 

[Boss351]

I guess some people aren't responsible and if given cash blow it, vouchers you are restricted to the one store so the rellie knows it usually wont get squandered.

Can't say I'm overly joyed with receiving a gift certificate , not big on being restricted , funny edgie says he hoards money, the few times I've got given a voucher I hoarded them to wait to use them as a bigger budget purchase and the vendor either went broke I or ended up giving them away for nothing

 

[ash_1050]

It's good for being passive aggressive. Here's a $500 Bunnings gift card, perhaps you could use it to buy a lawn mower to mow the god damn grass like I've been asking you to.

 

[Jaeger]

I guess it's to look like more thought and effort has gone into the gift.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I hate giving vouchers and cash

 

[T2B_]

Not a huge fan either but oddly members of my family actually suggest gift cards for certain places if I ask for ideas. So I guess there are actually people who don't mind them

 

[Brad Goodman]

If I receive a cash gift it ends up going into savings, at least with a gift card I'm forced to buy something I might not otherwise get.

 

[Shell]

I hate giving vouchers and cash

Yeah me too probably but sometimes you just have NFI what else to get.

 

[IschenkoUBeauty]

The 'win a date with IUB' usually works well when I give gifts.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Usually my parents send gift cards. This year they are just transferring money. I'm fine with either.

 

[t_94]

Find the whole gifts thing over the age of 18 extremely awkward. It's never something good and they could have just saved themselves the money. Then you have to fake that it's something you really wanted.

 

[SugarShane]

Mitch Hedberg had a joke on that very subject.

"People give me gift certificates as gifts. I think a gift certificate is a bad gift. What's a gift certificate? You take money that was good everywhere and you ruin it. Just give me the twenty, that was a universal gift certificate."

 

[Shell]

I've heard Coles/Myer cards charge a % on top of the gift card? That true?

 

[Illinois Nazi]

I give them because I get heaps from Chrisco so it's like being able to give a gift I didn't even have to pay for!

 

[Quivorir]

I sell mine to my mum for face value...

 

[Adzam]

What's even more pointless is you can also get Visa cards with credit on them. You can use them anywhere in pretty sure.

 

[kickazz]

I think a gift voucher for something the person otherwise wouldn't get themselves makes a good gift without the risk of getting something they completley don't want.

Example if they don't get out much then a restaurant voucher or an adventure type voucher can be good.

Just giving cash kind of just tops up a number in an account and could be forgotten. The gift card gives you some scope to select a type of gift.

So the more generic the store, the more I tend to agree with OP.

 

[Quivorir]

Gift cards also expire. So not only are they telling me where to spend my money, they are also giving me a time frame.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Definitely be aware of expiry dates. Some are less than 6mths.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Good point. They are easy to forget. I only spent some from last Christmas a month ago.

 

[Plugger35]

Someone gave me a Greater Union gift card last Christmas.

I forgot all about it until a few months ago but then when I tried to use it at the cinema they said it had already been used.

I hadn't used it so either the person that gave it to me had already used it or someone else found it and used it.

That's the other problem with gift cards you forget that you have them or lose them, you're less likely to forget or lose cash.

 

[Hawthorn United]

That's probably marketing as well. Get your or someone elses money upfront before any actual service has been exchanged.

The risk sits entirely with the owner of the gift card. They've done well to have giftcards become acceptable items.

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