Best Tips for buying and using gift cards will be described in this article. Many millions of Americans will once again purchase, give, and use gift cards throughout the holiday season. It is such a practical and simple method to choose the perfect gift. Not to mention that delegating the actual purchase decision to a third party benefits the gift receiver, who gets to select a present they truly desire.
Gift cards are popular among retailers as well, not least since many of the monies on them are never spent by the cardholders. The fact that gift cards and prepaid cards in general are the fastest-growing form of non-cash payment in the United States is therefore not surprising. Despite how much they are cherished, gift cards are not without risk. No one is even remotely as cautious with gift cards as they are with, say, their credit cards since buyers typically perceive them as nothing more than a convenient method to cross items off their shopping lists quickly and painlessly.
However, it seems to me that you have an obligation to make sure that you are receiving a good value for your money, and these 10 recommendations will assist you in doing that, both to yourself and the person for whom you are buying the card.
Top 10 Tips for Buying and Using Gift Cards In 2022
Top 10 Tips for Buying and Using Gift Cards are explained here.
1. Buy from trustworthy sources
Avoid buying gift cards from merchants like online auction sites because they can be selling you fake or cards that were obtained illegally.
2. Understand the terms and conditions
Find out if there is a charge for the card, as well as any shipping and handling charges if you order it over the phone or online.
Purchase something else if you don’t like what you see.
3. Check if any fees will be deducted from the card after you buy it.
Ideally, that wouldn’t occur.
4. Ensure that the card is valid
Verify that none of the safety stickers have been taken off.
Check to see whether the PIN hasn’t been revealed by scratching off the codes on the card’s back.
Inform the merchant of any cards that have been tampered with.
5. Give the recipient the original receipt
If the card is a gift, make sure the sales receipt is included so the receiver can show the card was purchased in the event it is lost or stolen. Also check Benefits of Trading Rust Skins
6. Consider the retailer’s financial situation
More particularly:
- You might not be getting the full value of a gift card if you purchase it from a retailer that is closing down or declaring bankruptcy.
- However, a business might accept gift cards even while bankruptcy proceedings are ongoing, or it might start doing so later.
- There might not be another location nearby if the firm is closing a store close to you.
7. Check the expiration date
Gift cards must, by law, be valid for at least five years after being purchased or five years from the last time money was added to them.
The funds may be moved without charge to a new card with an earlier expiration date.
8. Ask for an expired card to be replaced
Contact the issuer if your card has expired or if fees have been deducted.
They might consent to swap out the card or refund the fees.
9. Use your card early
Use your card as soon as possible; else, you risk losing it or forgetting about it.
10. Report lost or stolen cards
How reports of lost or stolen cards are handled is entirely up to the issuers. Others will replace your card, usually for a cost, while some will do nothing.
Calling the issuer immediately and reporting the occurrence is the only method to learn how it will be handled.
The Takeaway
Gift cards come in two varieties: retail and bank gift cards. The latter bear the logo of a bank card network (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, etc.) and are accepted wherever this network’s other cards are accepted, as opposed to the former, which can only be used at the merchants that sell them and whose brand logo they display. Also check How to Crop a Screenshot on Mac
You would be far better off buying a bank gift card due to the flexibility it provides, all other things being equal.