Millions of individuals will again use gift cards over Christmas to purchase, give, and receive gifts. Gift buying issues may be solved in minutes thanks to this service. Not to mention that the present receiver benefits from outsourcing the purchasing choice since they get to choose something they genuinely want. Retailers like gift cards because cardholders seldom spend the total value of their purchases. Gift cards such as Buying Starbucks Gift Cards are popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re risk-free. Gift cards aren’t treated with the same level of caution as credit cards since buyers tend to see them as nothing more than a fast and straightforward means to finish their shopping lists. If you think you owe it to yourself and the person you’re purchasing a gift for, make sure you receive the most value for your money by following these suggestions.
Buying and Using Gift Cards: Advice and Guidance
- Make purchases from reputable suppliers. Do not purchase gift cards from vendors like those found on online auction sites since they may be counterfeit or otherwise tainted.
- Recognize the conditions of the agreement. Whether you purchase the card over the phone or online, find out if there is a price for shipping and handling. If you’re not happy with what you see, don’t purchase it.
- Make sure there are no additional costs once you purchase the card. That’s something we’d want to avoid.
- Make sure that the credit card is current. Make sure that no stickers have been removed from the surface of the device. Check the back of the card to make sure the PIN hasn’t been scratched out. If you believe your card isn’t compromised, contact the retailer immediately.
- You should hand along the original receipt to the beneficiary. Keep a copy of the sales receipt if you are giving a gift card in case it is lost or stolen, and you need to confirm that the card was purchased.
Observe how the retailer’s finances are doing. As a point of reference:
- A card purchased from an out-of-business or insolvent merchant may not be worth as much as first assumed. However, a business may accept its gift cards now or later, even if the bankruptcy proceedings are underway.
- Take a look at the expiry date. By law, gift cards must be valid for at least five years after purchase or five years from the date on which any extra funds were added to the card, whichever is later. There is no charge if the card’s expiry date shows sooner than expected.
- Request a new card if your old one has expired. Contact the card issuer if your card has expired or fees are missing from the balance. They may agree to provide a new card or refund any costs you’ve already paid.
- Report lost or stolen credit cards to the credit card company. The card issuers can handle complaints of lost or stolen cards in any way they see fit. Some will not do anything, while others will replace your card, generally at a cost, if you request. You may find out how they will address the problem by contacting the issuer directly.
Conclusion
Retail gift cards like Buying Starbucks Gift Cards and bank gift cards are the two sorts of gift cards available. While the former can only be applicable to the merchants that sell them and whose brand logo they show, the latter has the logo of a bank card network (such as MasterCard or Visa) and may be used everywhere the other cards of this network are accepted. If everything else is equal, a bank gift card is a better option than a credit card because of its flexibility.
