I am not a big fan of gift cards. They work exactly like cash, except you can only use them at one specific store. A $20 bill (in the form of a card) that can only be used in a single store is inferior to a $20 bill that can be used in all stores.
Obviously the gift card is much preferable to nothing. But I don't see the point in restricting the recipient of my gift to a single store when I can just as easily remove the restriction. (In fact, it's easier to give cash. I have to go out of my way to create the restriction)
Some would argue that there is a social stigma attached to giving cash, and a gift card would avoid that stigma. For me personally:
1) I don't see anything wrong with cash as a gift. So for me, there is no social stigma.
2) Even if I did see cash as a "bad" gift, I think of gift cards as restrictive cash, so I would see a gift card in the same harsh light as cash. (Actually a worse light due to the restrictions)
The only person for whom a gift card would be an acceptable gift is the person who believes that a gift card has some value beyond the cash it represents. I can think of two (related) statements in this regard: "It's the thought that counts." and "I spent time shopping for it, so it has more heart than cash would"
"It's the thought that counts" - Gift cards do not require a lot of thought. And the amount of thought is the same for gift cards and cash.
"I spent time shopping for it" - Gift cards do not take much time to purchase. Most stores have them readily available at the register. And anyway, I want it to be easier for people to give me gifts, not harder. All things other things being equal, I would prefer the gift that took you the least amount of time to buy, not the most.
Gift cards are an artificial cash created by the store to ensure that the cash will be spent at that store. And some cards even have expiration dates to bring you in faster. But despite the marketing efforts to the contrary, gift cards are inferior to cash in all respects.
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3 comments:
I definitely see your points. Except:
1. If you have some people to shop for, like co-workers, you may not know them well enough to buy them presents. To me, giving them cash seems inappropriate - especially if they are in a higher or lower position than yourself.
2. I have asked for an iTunes GC for 3 years running and will be disappointed if I don't get one. I prefer to buy music there on credit with a GC rather than put in my cc info and be charged $.99 per song I download. Plus, it is a good way for me to monitor how much I spend on iTunes. Complete exception to the rule you probably didn't think of.
Gift cards say "I know you well enough to know where you like to shop, but not well enough to pick something out for you and know you'll like it."
I like what Adam said, and I agree with him.
Before this year, I was completely on your side. Now, however, gift cards are my favorite thing.
For example, being the cheap mother fucker that I am, I have been meaning to purchase a new flat-screen HD TV for our place. Except I've been putting it off because, well, I'm too cheap. Having a gift card towards Best Buy helps me cut the cost of the television and helps make the purchase easier. It pushes me. If you give me just cash, however, I will probably put it towards something else, like lame savings and stupid stuff like that.
And to Adams last paragraph, I would much rather my mom or another relative give me a gift card to a clothing place I like rather than try to pick something out. Again, it's the "I know you would shop here, and I want to get you something nice from here, but I'm just unsure what," gift.
All that being said, I am not going to get you a gift card for Chrismtas because you hate them.
I'm going to get you multiple gift cards instead =).
I think we're just going to disagree on this one. I can't really comment about buying songs from iTunes with a gift card, but I'm guessing that I would still prefer cash.
And I will happily accept any gift cards that you or anyone else wants to give me. I don't hate gift cards, I just think that cash is better.
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