Gift cards are a favorite among customers throughout the world because they have a number of advantages over actual money. In addition to being a very convenient way to get a hold of items or services you need, gift cards actually provide the all-important impression that you’re not actually spending any money. This is a psychological quirk that gift cards take great advantage of, but there’s plenty more that makes them useful, interesting and an overall pretty cool thing. Here are some ways to get the most out of your gift card:
- Keep it fun
- Going with an e-gift card? Share a “heads up”
- Have a gift card? Don’t buy something just because you have it
- Pair your card with a coupon
- Know your gift cards
Keep It Fun
On one hand, gift cards allow people to buy whatever they want and that makes them pretty awesome. One the other hand, they can often come off as a thoughtless gift unless you don’t let people know that you care. Two specific ways of avoiding this include either incorporating a note telling the recipient why you wanted them to have such a gift, or getting creative with the presentation. If you intended the card for them for a specific reason, help them connect the dots at least. Thinking of gifting your child’s teacher with a $10 Starbucks gift card? Present it by wrapping it in a coffee mug.
Going With An E-Gift Card? Share A “Heads Up”
Electronic gift cards have been around for years and are super practical and usable. The thing is, recipients don’t seem to always realize what they are; people will often receive them and won’t even take a closer look. A lot of times they’ll just assume it’s spam. A convenient way to prevent this from happening is to say beforehand, “Hey, I’m looking to get this for you on your birthday and I’ll be sending it, so keep an eye out for it.” You might even want to follow up with a note to confirm it actually arrived and was for the correct amount.
Have A Gift Card? Don’t Buy Something Just Because You Have It
While you want to use a gift card quickly in order to get what you want, don’t be hasty and buy something just for the sake of buying. The smarter choice is to wait for something that you actually really need or want. Alternatively, you can also use the card to buy a gift for someone else or simply re-gift it.
Pair Your Card With A Coupon
If you’ve ever tried to combine coupons, you’ve probably seen that retailers often don’t allow you to do this. But if you really want to leverage your buying power, you can combine coupons with gift cards. You’re allowed to take advantage of having both free money and the option to use a coupon. Try going online and searching the retailer’s site for either coupon codes or coupons. If it doesn’t specifically say “online only,” the retailer will have to honour it in the store.
Know Your Gift Cards
There are basically two flavours gift cards come in: the first is a closed loop – these cards are specific to one retailer or retailer group. The second are general or open loop gift cards and these are network-branded cards that can be used anywhere. Closed loop cards usually include no fees and a you’ll pay $50 for a $50 gift card, but these can be inconvenient if the retailer doesn’t have locations nearby or an online shopping site. Open-loop gift cards typically carry major card network imprints such as American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa. These can typically be used almost anywhere that accepts that brand, but a downside is you’ll usually pay an activation fee when you buy the card.
Thinking About Creating A Custom Gift Card For An Occasion? Go With Quickcards
Gift Cards can be hugely fun and very useful at the same time, but they kind of have their limits when you’re dealing with ones created by other businesses and individuals. Instead, why not think about coming up with your own design? If this sounds like a good idea, definitely get in touch with Quickcards. Quickcards is a company that specializes in manufacturing all kinds of cards, including gift cards, photo cards, business cards, ID badges and the like. They are THE perfect choice for custom gift cards, so get in touch with them today and let your creativity run wild.
