Gift Card Blog - ScripSmart

32 Days of Gold Gift Cards From ScripSmart

Today is Black Friday, a day which has come to signal the first day of the holiday shoping season. Millions of Americans are out hunting for the perfect gift and this year many while choose to purchase gift cards.

According to the National Retail Federation, 80% of consumers would buy at least one gift card this holiday season. The study also suggested 6 out of 10 consumers said they would like to receive a gift card and a total of $28.79 billion will be spent on gift cards during the 2012 holiday shopping season.

Simply put, gift cards are extremely popular with both givers and receivers. However, not all gift cards are created equal. The good news is there are plenty of excellent gift cards available and we'd like to recognize those who are at the forefront of offering the most consumer friendly gift card programs. 

Starting today and leading up to Christmas Eve, we're going to specially acknowledging one gold rated gift card each day. We'll publish a list of the thirty-two gold gift cards, announce via twitter and display each day's featured gift card on our homepage.

We're doing this because each year we see a slew of press pieces on why gift cards are bad and how they should be avoided. While there are plenty of gift cards with low ratings on ScripSmart, not all gift cards are bad and many of those articles are misleading. The truth is, many gift card issuers do an excellent job of exceeding legal minims  and offering product features the law does not require.

So, if your in the market for a gift card this holiday season, take a look at the ratings on ScripSmart and support those who are leading the way and have been awarded a gold badge from our algorithm. Believe me, it's not easy to archive and these guys deserve to be recognized for taking the effort to offer a best of breed product.

Great Gift Card Ideas For Father's Day

Fathers Day is coming on Sunday June 17th, 2012. Instead of going with a tie consider a gift card for dad this year. We've sliced up the variety of Dad's out there and offer some great gift card ideas for each one.

The Hunter-Fisher - For Dads who loves fishing, hunting and the outdoors consider a gift card to Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's. Both are top rated gift cards on ScripSmart and offer an amazing selection of outdoor equipment.

The Griller - Can't seem to get Dad away from the grill? Why not give him some quality meats to barbecue this summer. A Gift Card to Omaha Steaks will give him a world of quality meat at his finger tips.

The Techie - He's always on with his iPhone or laptop, carries a supply of random cables in the closet and never misses a beat when there is a new way to wirelessly do something in the house. If this describes your dad, you can't go wrong with a gift card to Amazon.com or iTunes.

The Fixer-upper - Is your Dad always working on the next home improvement project around the house? From patching to painting and even knocking down walls he'll appreciate a gift card to Lowe's, the Home Depot or True Value. 

The Naturist - Quite different from the Hunter-Fisher, the naturist likes to hike, camp, backpack and observe nature. National parks are his sanctuary and he'll drive 6 hours to walk around in the desert. If this describes your Dad, consider a gift card to REI, the North Face and even Amazon.com.

The Stylist - He shops for clothing on a regular bases, wouldn't be caught dead in sweatpants and enjoys watching Fashion Star on NBC. If this is your dad, consider a e-gift card to Zappos.com or The Gap. Both are rated well by ScripSmart and will offer him a wonderful selection of stylish merchandise. The Gap gift card is also redeemable at any of the other Gap Brands (Banana Republic, Old Navy).

The Athlete - If he's a gym rat, loves running or plays softball in a league, he'll appreciate a e-gift card to a Foot Locker, Zappos or Dick's Sporting Goods. With the gear he can get with your gift card it might help push him to the next level.

If your still looking for ideas, take a look at ScripSmart full list of Father's Day gift cards.

5 Great Mother's Day Gift Cards Ideas

I love the idea of honoring the mothers in our lives. It's not an easy roles at times, so it's important to give her something special on Mother's Day. While many will go with flowers or a dinner out, a gift card is also a great option. Below are 5 Great Mother's Day Gift Card Ideas and each gift card has a green or gold rating on ScripSmart so you can be sure they are consumer friendly.

    The Gap Gift Card - Redeemable at any of the Gap brands, it also has a gold rating on ScripSmart for consumer friendliness: meaning it's top notch. Use it online or in-store. Also, they have an option email delivery with the Gap eGift Card.

     Amazon Gift Card - With such a large selection of products, it's tough to go wrong with the Amazon.com. Other than the fact she will need an internet connection, this is a safe bet. Need it in a hurry? Check out the Amazon eGift Card which can be delivered via email or facebook.

    Spa Finder eGift Card - paying for a spa treatment is a excellent mother's day gift. If you're considering this route, go with the SpaFinder eGift Card. I've seen many spas go out of business and leave gift card holders with nothing. This gift card can be redeemed at thousands of independent locations so you'll be sure to avoid giving a gift card which could become worthless. Also, take a look at the Spa Week Gift Card for the same reasons.

     Zappos Gift Card - a website every mom will love; Zappos has a tremendous selection of shoes, clothing, handbags and housewares. The companies service level unparalleled so you just might introduce mom to her new place to shop. Email delivery is also an options with the Zappos eGift Card.

    Fandango eGift Card - if your mom loves the movies, what better option than the Fangango eGift Card? It's accepted at most theaters including AMC, Carmike, Century, Cinemark, Edwards, Regal and United Artists. Also, it's redeemable online so she won't have to wait in line to buy her tickets.

Happy Mohter's Day!

Valentine's Day Gift Cards Popular With Men

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has competed a survey which produced some interesting results when it comes to Valentine's Day: gift cards are rather popular among men.

Given six options, 46% of men liked the idea of a gift card best. Granted a few of the other five options were not things you'd figure men would like (flowers, jewelry, cologne). Regardless, 46% is higher than I expected, even for men.

The NRA also produced the following chart. As you can see, gift card are not nearly as popular with the ladies, however, 13% still liked the notion of a gift card over other traditional options.

So, if you're thinking about a gift card for the man in your life, take a look at ScripSmart's list of gift cards for men and gift cards for Valentine's Day to get some ideas. If you're in a pinch for time, you can narrow the results by card type to show only egift card which are delivered via email and depending on the gift card, can be delivered within hours.

Next year, I'd like to see the NRA include a dinner date as one of the options, because I think most people are keen on having a nice meal with their significant other and among the options, a gift card comes closest.

For more details on the survey, head over to the National Restaurant Associations press release.

10 Great Gift Cards For Valentine's Day

Believe it or not, Valentine's Day 2012 is just around the corner. Last year, I wrote a piece on whether or not gift cards are a good match for Valentine's Day. In short, if you're shopping for that one special person in your life (spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend), it's probably not a good idea.

However, Valentine's Day has a broader meaning.  From buying a gift for a parent, siblings, or other family members, I've seen people use it as an opportunity to express their love to those closest to them. If you'd like to buy for someone under these circumstances, a Valentines Day gift card can be a nice treat and a great way to express your appreciation and love for others.

10 Great Valentines Gift Cards

Cinemark Gift Card

I was recently at the movies after a long hiatus and was instantly reminded of the joy in getting away from it all for a couple of hours.

Great for: Movie buffs, those who need to get away, students 

iTunes eGift Card

Between the App Store, iTunes and iBooks, this gift card is redeemable for tons of great content. The eGift Card version is conveniently delivered via email.

Great for: iPhone, iPad and iPod owners.

Zappos Gift Card

Shoes, apparel and great service make Zappos.com a gift card just about anyone will enjoy receiving. 

Great for: Daughters, Sons, Students, Moms and even Dads.

Tiffany & Co. Gift Card

When it comes to jewelry, Tiffany has a great brand. Just be sure to consider the price point of a items your recipient will likely buy. While you can go as low as $50 it's likely only going to be helping in the $250+ range.

Great for: A person you want to spoil.

Whole Foods Gift Card

With so much yummy stuff at Whole Foods Market, this gift card is great at any price point.

Great for: A budget starting at $20, anyone.

Magazines.com eGift Card

People love to read and a magazine subscription is a great gift because it will be delivered more than just once. I like the idea of the Magazine.com eGift Card because it allows the recipient to choose the magazine they like.

Great for: Parents, Siblings, Grandparents

Sephora Gift Card

Gift cards are great for people who love cosmetics, makeup and skin care. I wouldn't dare try to pick out another person's makeup because there are so many shades, colors and brands to choose among. 

Great for: Sisters, Daughters

Omaha Steaks eGift Card

Mmmmm, steak. And they sell some of the best out there. Good news is it's all delivered via mail, so no need to worry if there is a location near by.

Great for: Men, Cooks and anyone who loves great meat.

Southwest Airlines Gift Card

I love this gift card for a person who you'd like to have come visit you more often. What better way to say I love you and want to see you more, here is a flight on me.

Great for: Grandparents, Parents, Grandchildren, etc.

Amazon.com eGift Card

If you're still looking at this list and in the market for a gift card, go with a gift card for Amazon.com. With so much selection and free delivery via email, it's easy and sure to be used.

Great for: Anyone.

Buy A Home Depot Gift Card, Donate 5% To Veterans

The Home Depot has teamed up with The Mission Continues to launch a "Celebration of Service" fund-raising campaign. There are several ways to participate, one of which is buying a Home Depot Gift Card.

If you buy a "Celebration of Service Themed" gift card from now until Veterans Day, November 11, 2011, The Home Depot will donate 5% of the face value to help complete 200 service projects in 60 days which are aimed specifically at improving homes, facilities and community centers where veterans live and receive services.

This is a rather clever gift card promotion and just another way gift cards are being used for more than just gift giving. Cheers to The Home Depot for coming up with a great way to promote their gift card while giving back to the country.

The Best Of Both Worlds

Just to clarify: the great thing about this promotion is you get the full value of the gift card and the great feeling a donation is being made on your behalf. For example, when you buy a $200 Celebration of Service themed Home Depot Gift Card, you'll still get the $200 gift card and the home depot will donate $10.

Full details of the promotion can be found here on the The Home Depot Foundations website.

Gift Cards For Good Attendance Offered By Las Vegas School

After truancy rates fell below state standards, The Delta Academy in Las Vegas is trying something new to get students to come class with $10 in gift cards each week. School administrators see it as a positive solution to a serious problem where punitive measures failed in the past.

It's important to note: this incentive program is more than just consistent attendance; students will also be monitored on grades and their behavior before receiving a $10 gift card to the retailer of their choice each week such as a Best Buy Gift Card.

Gift Card Controversy

The Delta Academy has set aside a $90,000 budget for incentive programs. Naturally, that's tax payer money and the program is causing quite a stir in Las Vegas. While this might seem like bribery, I empathize with The Delta Academy. It's a charter school responsible for teaching kids who were placed at the school from other schools in Clark County School District after of poor grades, behavior problems and other challenges.

I'm interested to see how this one turns out. It's my understanding positive reinforcement is more effective than negative reinforcement. I wish the The Delta Academy the best of luck in improving student interaction and producing better members of the community.

Here's the full story from Fox 5 Las Vegas reporter Stefanie Jay:

 

Why Keeping Your Gift Card In A Mobile App Is A Smart Idea

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Jonathan's Starbucks Gift Card. In short, it was a gift card people were sharing; strangers would both add and reduce value in a pay-it-forward social experiment. The experiment brought up several questions, most about human nature; however, for me, it raised the question: are mobile gift card apps safe for consumers?

The Future Of Gift Cards Is Mobile

There is no doubt the future of mobile payments is bright and gift cards will be a big part of the action. The Starbucks Gift Card App has been tremendously successful with consumers and for good reason: they are easy to use, automatically keep the balance and best of all you'll always have the gift card in your pocket. However, the Jonathan's Card Experiment demonstrated one important vulnerability of mobile gift card apps which create bar codes to be scanned at the checkout counter.

Easy To Duplicate, Hard To Identify

The Jonathan's Card experiment worked because people could use an image of the Starbucks Mobile App which included the bar code of the gift card and use it for payment. This image is displayed on the right and if displayed on an iPhone, it looks just like the real application. This makes it difficult for the checkout clerk to determine what they are scanning is a duplicate or the original.

Creating this is image is very easy, just take a screen shot of the iPhone with the original mobile app. It's possible a smart phone could end up in the wrong hands, the card duplicated and the owner might never know.

Less, Not More Risk

It begs the question: if you add your gift card to a mobile app  which produces a bar code image of the gift card, are you increasing the risk of losing the value of your gift card to fraudulent use?

In short, the answer is no. After all, a person must still access the application on your mobile phone, take the image and send out the image to others. I don't see this as any more of a possibility than having a wallet lost or stolen. Furthermore, the Starbucks Mobile App has the option of being locked with a password and most smart phones can also be locked with a password. I can't say the same for a wallet.

If you own a gift card and there is a mobile app for it, I think it's a smart decision to use it. Just be sure to dispose of or hold the original plastic gift card in a safe place.

The Mobile Apps Version Of Scratch Off Security

When scoring gift cards, our algorithm likes to see a scratch off security code on the back of plastic gift cards. Its' a great way to prevent fraud. Perhaps a Mobile Gift Card App version of such fraud prevention would be an animated portion where the gift card bar code is displayed on the mobile phone. This would allow the checkout clerk another tool in determining if the bar code being show is authentic.

What do you think? Do you use mobile gift card apps when available? Are they better than keeping it in your wallet?

Community Starbucks Gift Card Terminated: Jonathan's Card

There's been an interesting experiment going on with a special Starbucks Gift Card called "Jonathan's Card". In short, it's a gift card which strangers were both adding and reducing the value. Think of it as a shared gift card. Simply by showing an image of the gift card's barcode (generated from Starbucks iPhone app), anyone could access the card.

Paying It Forward

I love paying it forward concepts like this and see the gift card as a natural fit. While sharing the value of a gift card is against the terms of the Starbucks Gift Card, Starbucks was actually cheering on this experiment. (It's great advertising for the product.) Looking at the twitter feed for the Jonathan's Card, there was a lot of activity of increasing and decreasing the value.

Fraudulent Use - Gift Card Terminated

Unfortunately, Jonathan's Card has been canceled by Starbucks. People can no longer add value or use it to pay for coffee. Starbuck's decided to pull the plug because some people were abusing the gift card and exploiting the nature of the program. (Not great advertising for the product.)

Apparently, Jonathan is not the only person who has clever ways to use a Starbucks Gift Card. Another developer wrote a script to check the balance of the card and transfer funds from Jonathan's Card to his own personal Starbuck's Gift Card. Apparently he transferred $625 in just 5 hours. Naturally, a person could easily sell the card to a number of third parties who sell discounted Starbucks Gift Cards and receive cash.

While this experiment is officially over, gift cards are consistently being used in new and interesting ways. This experiment also raises some interesting questions about the security of mobile apps which generate barcodes for payment; expect a post in the near future covering some of the security aspects of mobile payment applications.

Recycle And Get An Apple Gift Card

A growing gift card trend is paying consumers with gift cards instead of cash. I've written about Amazon.com paying consumers for used electronics with Amazon.com Gift Cards before and Apple offers a similar program.

In fact, recently Apple updated their Reuse and Recycling Program to include iPhones and iPads. In other words, you can receive an Apple Gift Card in exchange for recycling qualified "iPhone, iPad, and Mac or PC desktop and notebook computers".

Offering an incentive is a great way to get consumers to responsibly dispose of old and unwanted electronics. Naturally, by giving the consumer a gift card instead of cash, Apple can increase the dollar amount of the reward an be certain the money will be spent within the company.

Gift Card Tip

I price checked an original 16GB iPhone 3G in working order and was quoted $30; keep in mind, that number included free shipping to Apple. While $30 may not be a big help towards your next MacBook and the Apple Gift Card can't be used in the iTunes or App Store; the Apple Gift Card be used to purchase an iTunes Gift Card at the Apple Store.