Gift Card Buying Club

So there's oodles of people on your holiday shopping list, and you don't know what to buy them. For many frustrated shoppers, the answer to this dilemma is simple: buy a gift card at a major chain and let the recipient purchase what he or she likes. Stores have made this easy by replacing the traditional paper gift certificate with a convenient and colorful plastic card, which can be personalized with the recipient's name or even a photo. But are gift cards tacky, and have they replaced the joy of giving and receiving actual gift-wrapped presents?

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of holiday gift cards.

ADVANTAGES

You don't have to worry about purchasing something the recipient doesn't like, and they won't have to spend time returning an unwanted gift.
They're very easy to ship, which is great if you need to send things to lots of people. The money you save on postage can be spent on more gift certificates.
They're ecofriendly. Think of all the wrapping paper, bows, tape, boxes, and other materials that you won't have to use to wrap and send presents.
Gift cards may not be as personal as a wrapped-up present, but you can buy gift cards that are personalized with a message or a photo. And if you choose a gift card to a shop or restaurant you know the recipient likes, this shows the same kind of thought as any other kind of present.
If you don't know someone very well, like your new sister-in-law or your mail carrier, a gift certificate is a great generic present.
A gift card to a national store means it will be easy for most people to spend it-- and they'll be able to shop online.
Many people love to shop, and a gift card is the gift of shopping. And if you give someone a gift card for the holidays, they'll be able to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales and buy the things that Santa forgot to bring!
If you celebrate Christmas, gift cards make great stocking stuffers. They fit right in and are fun to pull out.
If you celebrate Hanukkah, it's hard to find eight little gifts to hand out for each of the nights. A small gift certificate is a great choice. You can be creative and hand out a gift card to a different store every night, or give someone eight small gift cards to the same store so they can make a major purchase.

DISADVANTAGES

The recipient knows how much you spent. There's no way around this, and to many people, revealing this information just seems tacky.
It's less personal. A carefully chosen present shows that you care about someone and have thought about what they might like.
No pretty paper and bows. Sure, you can put a gift certificate in a pretty bag or wrap it up, but it's just not the same.
People lose and forget about gift certificates. That's why stores absolutely love to sell them-- because a significant percentage of the gift certificates will go unused! If your recipient is someone who's forgetful, this may not be the best present.
Gift cards discourage people from shopping at local stores and encourage them to shop at large corporations. Yes, you can buy gift certificates to local shops, but most people buy them at the chains, especially if the gift is for someone who lives in another geographical location.
Not everybody likes to shop. That gift card means another trip to the store, and for those who hate shopping, that's a burden.
It's possible that the store might not be a convenient place for the recipient to shop, especially if they live in a rural area. Sure, they can probably use it online, but not everyone knows how to do this.

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ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

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