Some online card issuers let you track the card's balance on their websites-a nice feature.Ĭover any fees, if possible, in advance. In our survey, Americans quibbled about paying activation fees. About 18 percent of Americans said they had trouble determining the remaining value on the card after they started using it-one reason that so many cards may go unused. So if you buy a store card, make sure that the store has a location near the recipient's home, and find out whether it can also be used online.Īnd check whether the recipient can track the balance on the card. Make sure the card is easy to use. About 16 percent of Americans said they were unable to use the gift card due to their location. Bodge said to keep your gift cards in your wallet or purse so that if you happen to be in the right store and see something you want, you'll have quick and easy access to them. Almost $1 billion in gift card value wasn't spent in 2015, according to the latest data from the market research firm CEB, now part of Gartner. Tell the recipient to use the gift card quickly. "The biggest mistake gift card recipients make is to put their cards in a drawer and forget about them," said Trae Bodge, who runs the shopping-advice website True Trae. She said you can either give a gift card for a particular store, such as Target, Ann Taylor, or Apple, or you can give a general purpose gift card, such as one from American Express or Visa.Īccording to the Consumer Reports survey, 60 percent of Americans preferred general purpose cards, which can be used almost anywhere. Keep in mind, though, that not all gift cards are alike, said Shelley Hunter, a gift card expert with. A student at a nearby community college and a mom, Hebein had bought a number of gift cards already-a spa gift card for her mother-in-law, and gift cards to stores such as Target and Starbucks for her children's teachers. "It makes for a great gift because the recipient can get exactly what she wants and go shopping after the holiday rush," said Courtney Jespersen, a consumer savings expert at financial website NerdWallet.ĭawn Hebein of Hanover Park, Ill., said she enjoys both giving and receiving gift cards. Though some admitted they would prefer something else-perhaps a nicely wrapped item bought in a store-more than half of Americans said they strongly or somewhat like receiving a gift card. adults, 49 percent of Americans had received a gift card within the past 12 months. According to a 2018 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 1,004 U.S. Turns out that giving a gift card can be a great choice. As the holiday season shifts into high gear, many last-minute shoppers face the great Christmas conundrum: Is a gift card an okay gift to give, or is it viewed as too impersonal, proof of my lack of imagination and effort?
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