Gift Cards Suck as presents!!!

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 11:16 AM

Why do people insist on giving gift cards as presents for Christmas, birthdays, etc? I have a stack of Best Buy ones sitting in front of me that total hundreds of $$$, and there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!! To make matters worse, you can't just go into the store and cash out these cards (isn't that illegal?), you have to actually buy something with them. So simple logic dictates that you buy something and then return it, right? Answer - no! They will put it back on a gift card for you. How can they take your money, and then not give it back if you try and return the product? The logic escapes me unless it is purely for scam purposes.

So inevitably, my pile of gift cards will continue to pile up. Someone out there must have decided I like Best Buy or something, but I have no idea where they got that idea. For electronics, rarely do I want something that they might have - for stereos or TV, Definitive Audio is where I buy all my gear from, so why can't I get a gift card from here? SOftware is about all I would buy from them and they don't have a large selection in that area either.

Another complaint - Best Buy doesn't even sell full products for their larger ticket items either. What do i mean by that? Well, they have the same model # on the outside, but if you look at the SKU number on their TV's for example, and then go to any other store, the SKU number won't match the SKU number found at each and every one of their competitors. Turns out, this is a price point thing to make sure they keep the lowest cost - so something is hacked out of your nice brand new TV to keep the cost down! Had this happen to a friend of mine on his Mitsubishi TV. Best Buy had the same model, but the SKU was different, so upon further research, some of the TV's features were cut out to keep the cost down. Nice. THis is called buying on a price point - they are dictating to the manufacturer that they will pay a certain amount for a product, and that they plan to sell for a certain price. The manufacturer responds by making their model TV or whatever fit that bill - hence you get a crippled product.

So what do you say to the gift givers? Do I flat out say - stop buying me gift cards? I don't want them to waste their money is that problem. I am torn on this subject because you don't want to appear ungrateful, but still - they are probably wasting their money and time to get me these things. That is the big problem. I could sell them at a disount online, but that would take more time and effort than it is worth.

So I guess I will hang on to my gift cards and use them on the pathetic selection of games that come available in the best buy PC software aisle. Hopefully I manage to spend them faster than they collect. I am not banking on that idea though since I am failing so far.

Sorry for the rant - but had to get that off my chest.

-S

STEED · 03-08-07, 11:39 AM

Feel better now?

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEED

Feel better now?

After looking at the stack again - not really.

STEED · 03-08-07, 11:50 AM

Time for a good strong cup of coffee I think. :hmm:

Gizzmoe · 03-08-07, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!!

Because you already have everything or what? Why not buy a Geforce 8800, or a few DVD box sets, a Blu Ray writer, a color laser printer, a 500GB drive for backups, a digital camera, a household appliance, ...???

Man, I wish I had your problems...

bradclark1 · 03-08-07, 12:09 PM

I wouldn't do this for everyone Subman but if you send those gift certificates to me I'll spend them for you.

August · 03-08-07, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizzmoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!!

Because you already have everything or what? Why not buy a Geforce 8800, or a few DVD box sets, a Blu Ray writer, a color laser printer, a 500GB drive for backups, a digital camera, a household appliance, ...???

Man, I wish I had your problems...

Yeah dig that.

Subman you ever thought of using those cards to buy stuff you could give to others as presents?

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEED

Time for a good strong cup of coffee I think. :hmm:

Got organic Black Chai tea rolling (http://www.amazon.com/Tazo-Chai-Tea-...dp/B0000WEV2G), with raw sugar (http://www.sugarintheraw.com/) and a bit of organic soy milk (http://www.silksoymilk.com/Products/...ated.aspx#AL5). Sounds weird, but it tastes really good!

-S

ReallyDedPoet · 03-08-07, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizzmoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!!

Because you already have everything or what? Why not buy a Geforce 8800, or a few DVD box sets, a Blu Ray writer, a color laser printer, a 500GB drive for backups, a digital camera, a household appliance, ...???

Man, I wish I had your problems...

Yeah dig that.

Subman you ever thought of using those cards to buy stuff you could give to others as presents?

Or give them to charity to auction off

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizzmoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!!

Because you already have everything or what? Why not buy a Geforce 8800, or a few DVD box sets, a Blu Ray writer, a color laser printer, a 500GB drive for backups, a digital camera, a household appliance, ...???

Man, I wish I had your problems...

Because I basically have everything you describe except the Blue-Ray writer, but I think I will be going HD-DVD since I am not a fan of Sony products and I think Blue-Ray will be going the way of Betamax. I am waiting to find a high quality writer - maybe a Plextor or something, but of course Best Buy won't carry decent product, so that idea is out. I have the digital cam I want. I just bought another Seagate 500 GB for my Kurobox. I don't want DVD box sets - I prefer to just rent them. I have a ton of DVD's that I frankly watched once or twice and don't watch anymore - I'm in the mood to give away a lot of them since they take up space, let alone add to them!!!

Basically, I've been to the store 3 times since Christmas and walked out empty handed time and time again. That is the reason I wrote what I write above.

-S

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizzmoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!!

Because you already have everything or what? Why not buy a Geforce 8800, or a few DVD box sets, a Blu Ray writer, a color laser printer, a 500GB drive for backups, a digital camera, a household appliance, ...???

Man, I wish I had your problems...

Yeah dig that.

Subman you ever thought of using those cards to buy stuff you could give to others as presents?

This is a great idea! Actually, you may have just hit the nail on the head!

-S

Gizzmoe · 03-08-07, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Basically, I've been to the store 3 times since Christmas and walked out empty handed time and time again. That is the reason I wrote what I write above.

Poor little bunny...

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizzmoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Basically, I've been to the store 3 times since Christmas and walked out empty handed time and time again. That is the reason I wrote what I write above.

Poor little bunny...

Hey! I wasted my time to go over there!

That is probably why it irks me that i have these things in the first place - I've gone in there 3 times and it has been a waste of time.

GSpector · 03-08-07, 02:14 PM

Hello SUBMAN1,

If I am not mistaken, I do believe those gift cards do expire.

If those do, then you can really complain about them taking your money.

One thing you might want to ask Best Buy is if you can consolidate them all into one card.:hmm: This would be good to do if any are due to expire.

SUBMAN1 · 03-08-07, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSpector

Hello SUBMAN1,

If I am not mistaken, I do believe those gift cards do expire.

If those do, then you can really complain about them taking your money.

One thing you might want to ask Best Buy is if you can consolidate them all into one card.:hmm: This would be good to do if any are due to expire.

They don't say anything on the card about expiring. Hmm - maybe I should go buy something and then return it? That might be the best plan.

-S

03-08-07, 11:16 AM	#1
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Gift Cards Suck as presents!!! Why do people insist on giving gift cards as presents for Christmas, birthdays, etc? I have a stack of Best Buy ones sitting in front of me that total hundreds of $$$, and there is not a damn thing in that entire store I want!!! To make matters worse, you can't just go into the store and cash out these cards (isn't that illegal?), you have to actually buy something with them. So simple logic dictates that you buy something and then return it, right? Answer - no! They will put it back on a gift card for you. How can they take your money, and then not give it back if you try and return the product? The logic escapes me unless it is purely for scam purposes. So inevitably, my pile of gift cards will continue to pile up. Someone out there must have decided I like Best Buy or something, but I have no idea where they got that idea. For electronics, rarely do I want something that they might have - for stereos or TV, Definitive Audio is where I buy all my gear from, so why can't I get a gift card from here? SOftware is about all I would buy from them and they don't have a large selection in that area either. Another complaint - Best Buy doesn't even sell full products for their larger ticket items either. What do i mean by that? Well, they have the same model # on the outside, but if you look at the SKU number on their TV's for example, and then go to any other store, the SKU number won't match the SKU number found at each and every one of their competitors. Turns out, this is a price point thing to make sure they keep the lowest cost - so something is hacked out of your nice brand new TV to keep the cost down! Had this happen to a friend of mine on his Mitsubishi TV. Best Buy had the same model, but the SKU was different, so upon further research, some of the TV's features were cut out to keep the cost down. Nice. THis is called buying on a price point - they are dictating to the manufacturer that they will pay a certain amount for a product, and that they plan to sell for a certain price. The manufacturer responds by making their model TV or whatever fit that bill - hence you get a crippled product. So what do you say to the gift givers? Do I flat out say - stop buying me gift cards? I don't want them to waste their money is that problem. I am torn on this subject because you don't want to appear ungrateful, but still - they are probably wasting their money and time to get me these things. That is the big problem. I could sell them at a disount online, but that would take more time and effort than it is worth. So I guess I will hang on to my gift cards and use them on the pathetic selection of games that come available in the best buy PC software aisle. Hopefully I manage to spend them faster than they collect. I am not banking on that idea though since I am failing so far. Sorry for the rant - but had to get that off my chest. -S __________________

03-08-07, 11:39 AM	#2
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	Feel better now? __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

03-08-07, 11:50 AM	#4
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	Time for a good strong cup of coffee I think. :hmm: __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

03-08-07, 02:14 PM	#14
GSpector Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 676 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Hello SUBMAN1, If I am not mistaken, I do believe those gift cards do expire. If those do, then you can really complain about them taking your money. One thing you might want to ask Best Buy is if you can consolidate them all into one card.:hmm: This would be good to do if any are due to expire. __________________ Specter

03-08-07, 12:09 PM	#6
bradclark1 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut, USA. Posts: 2,794 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I wouldn't do this for everyone Subman but if you send those gift certificates to me I'll spend them for you.