The Pros and Cons of Giving Gift Cards

The Pros and Cons of Giving Gift Cards

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If you’re looking for a good gift for a friend, a colleague, or a family member that is hard to buy for, a gift card can be a great option. But what if a tangible gift is better? This is an ongoing debate that intensifies when the holiday season is coming. If you’re like many people and you have a challenging list of friends and relatives to buy for, this is an important question.

For everyone looking for a gift, consider the pros and cons of gift cards.

gift cards

Benefits Of Gift Cards

  • They Are Easy

A gift card is very convenient, especially for people you don’t know well, like teachers or co-workers. You can save lots of guesswork by getting a gift card.

  • They Can Save Money

Many companies are pushing their gift cards, so they can offer discounts when you’re redeeming them. For example, big retail chains can give you a nice discount on your order if you show your gift card with a minimum set value.

  • They Are In Demand

Most gift cards don’t expire and they are very flexible, so many people don’t mind getting a gift card. Moreover, they can be re-gifted. If receiving a gift card is disappointing, at least you can re-gift it or use to buy a gift for someone else.

  • Lots Of Options To Choose From

Gift cards are waiting for you in many stores, including online or convenience stores. They can be used like cash to purchase anything but they look more attractive. You could be giving the gift of diapers for a baby or gas for a vehicle in a form of a gift card.

If you’re unmotivated to shop for gifts, there are e-gift cards that you can purchase online and send from your house. The element of surprise is overrated, right? And it’s a win-win!

Well, not always.

Disadvantages Of Gift Cards

You can’t use a gift card to buy from just any retailer, so you need to know where the recipient likes to shop. If not, you can give a gift card that will be forgotten and not redeemed.

Gift cards are easy to lose and even easier to misplace or forget to redeem. That’s not a problem for you as a gift giver, unless you think about money wasted. In this case, you gift money to a retailer and not to an actual receiver.

There are also gift cards that have fees, restrictions, or expiration dates, so keep in mind that you should notify a receiver about it.

As always, The Choice Is Yours

Gift cards can be a perfect gift-giving option for a person who loves shopping for himself, is hard to buy for, or lives far away. However, they also can be annoying, and there can be fees associated with use. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide whether buying a gift card is right for you.