One way or another, it's 2009 and I still have money on the gift card. Circuit City's liquidation sale is far from impressive nor cheap--at least not now. I used my money to buy a printer/scanner/copier and a stock of ink cartridges. This turned out to be a very thoughtful gift and purchase that will enhance my school and professional work. Gift cards are a great gift idea: it's discreet, as opposed to being tacky and giving cash; obligates the giftee to spend at a store; easy to ship and transport; and it's easy to wrap a gift card.
Unlike my Circuit City gift card that had a shelf life of 8 years, gift cards are made of plastic and aren't re-used or recycled. Much like water bottles and plastic bags, gift cards are starting to be scrutinized by treehuggers everywhere. It is more environmentally responsible than buying and wrapping a gag gift, but gift cards create an extraneous step in the gifting process that ends with another piece of unbiodegradable waste per gift. With more scrutiny, perhaps for Christmas 2009 a brand will have a potato-based gift card. That would be impressive.
I agree with the extraneous step viewpoint. So many resources (not just material, but time, effort, planning, memory) are expended when, really, they are becoming just as impersonal as cash.
ReplyDeleteWhat bothers me most? A general Visa giftcard I got this year. It has $.63 left on it, no seller would ever charge that amount, and after 6 months the balances starts to decrease. You're welcome, Visa.
In an old accounting class I learned that giftcards are counted as liabilities on accounting books, making them impossible to expire. I wonder if it's worth the fight?
Oh well, here's to potato giftcards (or at least most e-giftcards)!