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The Library => Haley Center Basement => Topic started by: Kaos on December 22, 2014, 11:28:35 PM

Title: Gift cards suck
Post by: Kaos on December 22, 2014, 11:28:35 PM
When I don't know what to get somebody I sometimes get gift cards.  No more. 

I was told tonight by a store clerk that her store loved it when people bought them because it was "free money."  She said that since nobody ever hit the amount of the card exactly, one of two things happened.

1) People spent more than the value of the card.  Extra money for the store.
2) People just left the remainder on there unspent.  Even more free money. 

Think about this.  Target sells more gift cards than anybody else.  Just for figuring's sake let's say they sell 100 million cards a year. (They sell way more than that).  Then let's say that just 50% of the people don't use the whole amount on the card.  And let's say they leave an average of just 50 cents on each card.  That's $25 million Target made for doing absolutely nothing.  The actual numbers are substantially higher. 

According to the little research I just did, the average household has about $300 in unused gift cards sitting around at any time.  There's at least that much here at my house.  My girls still have gift cards from last Christmas in their purses. 

More than 60% of users spend more than the card with 75% of those more than doubling the value of the card.  Can vouch for that too.  Take a $50 card in, spend $130.  Happens time after time. 

Estimates are that there is somewhere between 30 and 45 BILLION in unused gift cards sitting out there. 

I'm not doing that any more. 
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: bgreene on December 22, 2014, 11:34:41 PM
When I don't know what to get somebody I sometimes get gift cards.  No more. 

I was told tonight by a store clerk that her store loved it when people bought them because it was "free money."  She said that since nobody ever hit the amount of the card exactly, one of two things happened.

1) People spent more than the value of the card.  Extra money for the store.
2) People just left the remainder on there unspent.  Even more free money. 

Think about this.  Target sells more gift cards than anybody else.  Just for figuring's sake let's say they sell 100 million cards a year. (They sell way more than that).  Then let's say that just 50% of the people don't use the whole amount on the card.  And let's say they leave an average of just 50 cents on each card.  That's $25 million Target made for doing absolutely nothing.  The actual numbers are substantially higher. 

According to the little research I just did, the average household has about $300 in unused gift cards sitting around at any time.  There's at least that much here at my house.  My girls still have gift cards from last Christmas in their purses. 

More than 60% of users spend more than the card with 75% of those more than doubling the value of the card.  Can vouch for that too.  Take a $50 card in, spend $130.  Happens time after time. 

Estimates are that there is somewhere between 30 and 45 BILLION in unused gift cards sitting out there. 

I'm not doing that any more.

Way to take a stand
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Saniflush on December 23, 2014, 07:08:20 AM
I get where you are coming from and agree however I don't leave gift cards unspent.  Those fuckers get gone like shit through a goose.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Kaos on December 23, 2014, 07:57:35 AM
I get where you are coming from and agree however I don't leave gift cards unspent.  Those fuckers get gone like shit through a goose.

So you spend only exactly the amount of the card?  Never go over or under?
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Saniflush on December 23, 2014, 08:11:50 AM
So you spend only exactly the amount of the card?  Never go over or under?

Nah I go over.  Never leave anything on the card.  Way I see it is as long as I don't leave anything on the card then they are not getting over.  They run a business and one that I would buy items from anyway so in my book having an overage is not a problem. Leaving a couple of bucks on there however is free money for them.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Snaggletiger on December 23, 2014, 09:22:13 AM
I got a $100 gift  card to Academy this weekend.  I'll go in there and get $120.00 worth of merchandise and walk out of there thinking "look at all this shit I got for $20.00"
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Token on December 23, 2014, 09:24:50 AM
I used my gift card the other night.  Went over.  Bought 2 appetizers, 2 meals and 3 pitchers of beer.  Only cost me $11 after gift card.  Best damn Christmas present I've got so far.   
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Snaggletiger on December 23, 2014, 09:35:32 AM
I used my gift card the other night.  Went over.  Bought 2 appetizers, 2 meals and 3 pitchers of beer.  Only cost me $11 after gift card.  Best damn Christmas present I've got so far.


This.  And gift cards are the easiest gift to buy...and wrap.  Here, go get some stuff you want.  I'm done guessing what you like.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Godfather on December 23, 2014, 09:37:55 AM
I will happily take any gift cards you no longer want Kaos.  Also where are my points?
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Snaggletiger on December 23, 2014, 09:42:20 AM
I will happily take any gift cards you no longer want Kaos.  Also where are my points?

Sir, we have your refund coming. And you can pick up your TV at the warehouse between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: WiregrassTiger on December 23, 2014, 09:54:25 AM
Well, now I have to go back to the drawing board for Kaos' gift.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: dallaswareagle on December 23, 2014, 10:19:24 AM
For the ungrateful nieces and nephews I have to deal with I simply pick up gift cards to stores I know they like but don't put a freaking dime on it but write $25.00 or $50.00 on the back. They don't get around to using them for 6 months and I never see them anyway so I am pretty sure they just throw them away when they don't work. 
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Saniflush on December 23, 2014, 10:33:25 AM
For the ungrateful nieces and nephews I have to deal with I simply pick up gift cards to stores I know they like but don't put a freaking dime on it but write $25.00 or $50.00 on the back. They don't get around to using them for 6 months and I never see them anyway so I am pretty sure they just throw them away when they don't work.

I like to make a donation in their name...

(http://reganwolfrom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/seinfeld_human_fund_blue_shirt.jpg)
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Token on December 23, 2014, 10:46:41 AM
I like to make a donation in their name...

(http://reganwolfrom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/seinfeld_human_fund_blue_shirt.jpg)

Wait.  You get a choice?  They take that shit from me every week before I even get to see my money.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Godfather on December 23, 2014, 10:53:50 AM
I like to make a donation in their name...

(http://reganwolfrom.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/seinfeld_human_fund_blue_shirt.jpg)
Today is Festivus!


I got a lot of problems with you people!
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: dallaswareagle on December 23, 2014, 11:06:51 AM
time for feats of strength.


(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u1/miked0003/SetSize200200-Strength1_zps778989c9.jpg) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/miked0003/media/SetSize200200-Strength1_zps778989c9.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Ogre on December 23, 2014, 12:57:28 PM
I prefer to give cash and tell them it's the gift card to everywhere. 

My grandfather used to always complain about the concept of giving gift cards.  He would always say that giving gift cards is telling the person that they're too stupid to know where to shop.  That may be true in some cases. 
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: chinook on December 23, 2014, 01:42:04 PM
Gift cards fit just fine in our normal, lazy ass society. 

or...fit the ungrateful bitches that can't except a gift for what it is, look unhappy and return it.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Godfather on December 23, 2014, 03:38:47 PM
I prefer to give cash and tell them it's the gift card to everywhere. 

My grandfather used to always complain about the concept of giving gift cards.  He would always say that giving gift cards is telling the person that they're too stupid to know where to shop.  That may be true in some cases.
It's funny cause your wife likes it when I give her the gift of my penis.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Ogre on December 23, 2014, 03:46:33 PM
It's funny cause your wife likes it when I give her the gift of my penis.

She's a big fan of Mike & Ike's so that makes sense.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Buzz Killington on December 23, 2014, 04:02:21 PM
I have this idea for a software program.  It takes the money leftover from these gift cards and deposits it into an account that I specify.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: WiregrassTiger on December 23, 2014, 04:12:06 PM
I have this idea for a software program.  It takes the money leftover from these gift cards and deposits it into an account that I specify.
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Buzz Killington on December 23, 2014, 04:34:19 PM
What would you do if you had a million dollars?

Two chicks at once
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: jmar on December 23, 2014, 05:18:36 PM
The USPS has a shitload of gift cards that are unclaimed from misaddressed envelopes as well as cards that fall out of envelopes. There was a news report from the Thanksgiving holidays showing a huge table at a regional mail hub with gift cards piled up in heaps.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: dallaswareagle on December 23, 2014, 05:20:04 PM
Two chicks at once


I'm telling Mrs. Dallas.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: ssgaufan on December 23, 2014, 06:39:39 PM

I'm telling Mrs. Dallas.

To see if she has a friend on stand by?
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: dallaswareagle on December 24, 2014, 10:16:53 AM
To see if she has a friend on stand by?


for 500,00, sure.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: GH2001 on December 24, 2014, 10:38:36 AM
What would you do if you had a million dollars?

Well, I'd buy you a fur coat....but not a real fur coat, that's cruel.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: Ranger12 on December 28, 2014, 03:50:17 PM
I am like Ogre and give cash, that way they can shop wherever they want too. I do get an iTunes gift card for my son and one of my nephews, as they ask for those and I know every penny gets spent.

On a different note, I asked a friend of mine that is the store manager at Wal-Mart about a post I saw circulating that many of returns at Wal-Mart are from the various toys and clothes drives (Toys for Tots, Salvation Army Angel Tree, etc). He said it was unfortunately true. Too many of these parents are already worthless and they bring their kids' stuff back to the store to get the cash back on a store gift card so they can spend it on themselves. He just hopes that in most cases, the parents had a minute sense of decency and let the kids never see the gifts before they were ripped from their hands.

We have always did the Angel Tree for as long as I can remember, but now this worries me. I know that I am doing it for the right reason, and what the parents do after that is on them. Yet, there is that part of me that feels like now I might be getting scammed and supporting some worthless PoS.
Title: Re: Gift cards suck
Post by: The Six on December 30, 2014, 08:52:58 AM
(http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/56537669.jpg)