A recent blog entry by my friend Dave got me to thinking about gift cards and gift certificates. It used to be that gift certificates were the next-to-last possible gift, behind giving someone cash – for any occasion, really.
Which makes me wonder why gift cards came into fruition. How many people did the stores think they’d fool? “Oh, look! It’s a credit ca… er, wait, no, it’s a gift card?” When I first saw one at Kohl’s, I thought it was a little goofy. But now they’re everywhere.
They’re nice, mainly because they’re smaller than gift certificates. I don’t enjoy the fact that if you get a gift card for a store you dislike, though, there’s nothing you can do… you’re forced to spend it there. Thus, if someone isn’t aware of the stores you will or won’t patronize it can get sticky.
What do you think? Gift cards – good or bad? The Daily Ping covers today’s burning issue! -pm
Posted in Everyday Life