With the holidays approaching a lot of people are starting to think about budgets, what to get, who to buy for, etc. A great answer is always, gift cards. But there are some things to think about before buying a gift card online.
1. Consider the site when you are buying a gift card online. Is it a trusted site? Search for info about the site online. A quick search for the site through a search engine will bring up customer reviews, customer complaints against a company, blog reviews, etc. Also ask around. If you’re not sure about a site ask friends on your social media sites if they’ve used it or had any experiences with it. In the US and Canada you can look it up on sites like the Better Business Burea (BBB.org) and in Australia the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
2. There are sites that allow you to buy a gift card for less than the face value. It’s usually not much less but if every dollar counts for your budget you can give them a chance. These sites work by people selling their unwanted gift cards to these sites. Often times their happy to because maybe they won a gift card for a store that’s not near them, maybe they were gifted a card for a store they’ll never shop in. They’re happy to get cash, even if it’s less than the face value. Then you can snap it up for a few dollars less than the actual value while still giving the full value to your recipient. Again, you’ll want to research your site before you buy.
3. Who are you giving the gift card to? I’m not judging but you probably don’t want to get grandma a Hot Topic gift card. You teen son most likely wants a Best Buy gift card not a Bed Bath and Beyond gift card. If you’re not sure about what your recipient would like, globally accepted gift cards like a prepaid VISA gift card for example, might just be the ticket. Other retailers that have a wider appeal would be Walmart, Target, McDonald’s, etc.
4. Want it to be more personal? Sites like Gift Card Planet offer gift cards that can be customized with a company logo, a picture of the grandkids, or even themed stock pictures. This could be a great idea for a business wanting to reward it’s loyal customers, sending a gift overseas to a loved one, and so many more ideas
***This post was brought to you by Gift Card Planet***
