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 Gift Card Home | Restaurants And Entertainment Gift Cards | Gift Cards For Him |Gift Cards For Her | Shopping Gift Cards | Gift Cards For Travel And Fun |

The Lure of Debit Gift Cards      


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Gift cards are the top choice for American consumers in 2004 and for the first time, gift cards will replace apparel as gift purchases.

Why are so many people choosing debit gift cards? 

Convenience. Debit gift cards are easy to buy and easy to give as gifts.

Gift cards alleviate the stress of trying to figure out what to buy or what to give as gifts for loved ones. Also, for the receiver, gift cards are perfect because they  are relieved of the pressure of having to return a gift because an item was not to their liking.

Not to mention the added bonus that gift cards allow the recipient to purchase what they want when they need it!

Retail businesses benefit from gift cards as well because with the proliferation of debit gift cards, retailers won’t have to deal with quite as many returns from customers unhappy with gift purchases that were made for them. An additional benefit to retail businesses is that with the use of gift cards, retailers don’t have to issue a new certificate for the balance when only part of the amount is spent, as is the case with store-branded gift certificates.

 

 

 

 GiftCards.com - Always The Right Gift®

 

 

 

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Debit Gift Cards Explained

Like debit cards, debit gift cards can be used to withdraw money from an ATM or to make a purchase at a store.

Moreover, like the prepaid debit cards mentioned here, all-purpose debit gift cards aren't tied to a person's bank account and they're preloaded with a specific amount of money.

Some can be reloaded when the initial amount runs out. There are many types of excellent gift cards available on the market being offered by a variety of companies. Some debit gift cards include: Visa Gift Card including: MasterCard GiftCards, MasterCard Consumer GiftCard and Prepaid GiftCard.

 

Store-Specific Gift Cards

  A.J. Wright Gift Card

  Adidas.com e-Gift Card

  AMC Theatres Gift Card

  Armani Exchange Gift Card

  ATandT PrePaid Gift Card

  Barnes and Noble e-Gift Card

  Banana Republic Gift Card

  babystyle e-Gift Card

  babyGap Gift Card

  Bath and Body Works Gift Card

  Bed Bath and Beyond Gift Card

  Best Western Gift Card

  Black Angus Steakhouse Gift Card

  Blockbuster Gift Card

  Bloomingdales Gift Card

  Borders Books Gift Card

  Dominos Pizza Gift Card

  Dinner and a Movie Gift Card Bundle

 

 

 GiftCards.com - Always The Right Gift®

 

Generally speaking, gift cards are of two types: gift cards that are specific to a certain store and all-purpose gift cards. Gift cards that are specific to a certain store, obviously, have to be used to buy merchandise from that specific store or through the store's web site. However, not all can be used for online shopping, so be sure to read the terms or inquire about using your gift card via the store’s website interface first.

The All- Purpose Types

On the other hand, an all-purpose debit gift card from Visa, MasterCard or American Express may be used worldwide where these cards are accepted. The key advantage is the flexibility you have in using them. These all-purpose gift cards can be used for online shopping or for making purchases in your local shops.

However, depending on how you look at things, this advantage could also be the disadvantage because all of this convenience comes at a price in the fees that goes along with these all-purpose gift cards.

I’ve done my best to research the best gift cards for you here, but it is best to make sure  for yourself so that you are aware of all costs involved before signing up for any gift card.

My suggestion is that if you know a person's likes, a store-specific gift card is better because these gift cards are less likely to charge high fees. 

If, on the other hand, you want to send a gift card to someone in another state or country, then the all-purpose debit gift card would be better because it may be cheaper than trying to send money via bank wire and Western Union.  

One example of good all-purpose debit gift cards are the MasterCard GiftCards. Here you will find all kinds of debit gift cards including the personal GiftCard, an ideal gift card that you can give as a gift to anyone on any occasion. This type of gift card saves you the time of spending hours shopping around for the right gift for someone. It also allows the receiver to choose what they want when they want it. 

There's also the Business GiftCard which is a debit gift card award for employee recognition and rewards. These are ideal for employment anniversaries or sales, etc.

Gift Card Fees

Whenever you give or receive a gift card, you should always try to check the terms of the card for monthly maintenance fees. Some charge a monthly maintenance fee if you still have a balance on your card after a period of time. It is, of course, best to know what this period of time is before those charges go into effect.

If you’ve lost your gift card, many programs will send you a replacement card with your remaining balance on it. However in most cases, there is a fee for this replacement. Fees can range anywhere from $5 to $10.

Additionally, many charge a fee for withdrawals. These fees can range anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00. Some may even charge more if the withdrawal take place outside of the country that the gift card was issued in.

Lost Or Stolen Gift Cards

I hope that this never happens to you, but if your gift card is ever lost or stolen it is best to know your rights before things like this do occur. This is why I stress the point of making sure that you read the terms of each card before signing up. Also, the safety advice that I gave you in the section called Debit Card Education still holds true and useful for gift cards as well and will help you if you are ever in the unfortunate position of having your gift card lost or stolen. Some of those safety tips included the following:

 

  1. Report lost or stolen cards immediately to your issuer. 

  2. Keep your receipts in a safe place for purchases that you made with your gift card in the event you need to return or exchange merchandise

  3. Know how much you have in your account so that you can know if unauthorized debits are made. 

  4. Write your gift card details down in a safe place – include the number, expiration date, and any other important information. Then, if your card is lost or stolen you will have all the information you need to report to your card issuer. Do not keep this information in your wallet.

 

Despite following the best safety precautions, some companies’ policy in regard to lost or stolen gift cards are very strict – particularly store specific cards who will not replace your card if you have lost it, while others can be very lenient and will issue you a new card as long as you have proof of your most recent purchase. 

 

Cashing Out Your Gift Cards

Many store-specific gift cards aren't redeemable for cash. And in this case it makes more sense to get the value out of the card by shopping with it. Many of the all-purpose ones such as the ones branded by Visa, American Express and MasterCards can be used for withdrawals and in some cases will send you a check for your remaining balance however, like everything else there is a fee for this as well.

 

 GiftCards.com - Always The Right Gift®

 

Other Important Gift Card Isssues

Many general-purpose debit cards allow you to check your balance online and by calling a toll-free number.

Often store-specific gift cards will allow to check your balance online, or right in the store itself, while in some cases they will provide you with a toll-free number for this purpose.

It's also a good idea to keep track of your balance on your own.

As always, keep your receipts for purchases made with your gift card in a safe place. That way you'll know specifically how much value is left on your card.

Your receipts will also come in helpful if your card is lost or stolen and it helps you to keep track of the value left on your card if in the event there is no toll-free number to check or if you are ever overseas with your card. Additionally, with some gift-card programs, you have to supply your most recent receipt before a replacement card will be sent to you.

Always be aware of the expiration date of your gift card. With some gift cards once you’ve passed the card’s expiration period, they are no longer useable. Other gift cards will make allowance for this situation.

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Gift Card Home | Restaurants And Entertainment Gift Cards | Gift Cards For Him |Gift Cards For Her | Shopping Gift Cards | Gift Cards For Travel And Fun |

 

For more gift ideas, check out My Money Clips

 

 

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