Gift Card Blog - ScripSmart

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.

Oregon Cash Back Law For Gift Cards - Effective January 1st, 2012

June of last year, Oregon passed SB 756. In short, it requires all gift cards which are sold to be redeemed for cash if the balance is $5 or less and the gift card has been used at least once. The effective date of this legislation is January 1st, 2012.

I'm a fan of seeing cash back laws. The fact is, a consumer should not be required to spend more than the balance of a gift card in order to receive the full benefit and just 3.6% of store-issued gift cards offer a cash back option unless required by law. Because so few retailers offer a cash back policy, you can expect to see more states enact similar legislation in the future.

Not Retroactive, 2011 Christmas Gifts Are Exempt

This change to Oregon Gift Card Law is not retroactive. In other words, all of the gift cards purchased prior to January 01, 2012 are not covered by the new law. So if you received a gift card for christmas this year the merchant is not required to give you cash back. This is only for gift cards sold on January 1st, 2012 and moving forward.

Oregon Got It Right

There are several states with Cash Back Laws. The laws vary slightly, but I think a $5 threshold is reasonable for both consumers and businesses. Thankfully the legislators in Oregon decide to make this rather simple. However, the legislators in Massachusetts did a poor job of crafting a law which is easy for everyone to understand and, in turn, comply.

Massachusetts General Law Part II Title II Chapter 200A, Section 5D reads:

"A purchaser or holder of a gift certificate which, by its terms, prohibits the purchaser or holder from adding value thereto and which has been redeemed for at least 90 per cent of its face value shall make an election to receive the balance in cash or continue using the gift certificate. A purchaser or holder of a gift certificate which, by its terms, authorizes the purchaser or holder to add value thereto and which has been redeemed in part, such that the value remaining is $5.00 or less, shall make an election to receive the balance in cash or continue using the gift certificate."

That's a mouth full and not very easy for consumers or business owners to understand. I'm not sure why the notion of adding value would even be a factor. Furthermore, adding a percentage in the mix just seems to over complicate the situation. In short, a gift card is redeemable for cash if:

1. The gift card is not reloadable, has been used at least once and the balance is less than $5

2. The gift card is not reloadable and at least 90% of the funds have been redeemed.

For more detail, take a look at ScripSmart's full list of cash back laws for gift cards for each state. Cheers to Oregon's legislators for getting this one right.

Announcing ScripSmart's Gold Gift Card Score Badge

I'm happy to announce a new badge color for gift cards on ScripSmart: Gold. In short, this new badge will be the highest rank possible for a gift card. Gift cards with Gift Card Scores of 90 or more will be awarded the Gold Gift Card Score Badge.

Before today:

After today:

In words, we've split up the old green badge classification to make room for the gold badge at the top. Gift cards scoring between 80-89 will still receive the a green badge. There has been no change to ScripSmart's scoring algorithm.

Why We Did It

Gold is synonymous with first place, crème de la crème or best of the best. When browsing ScripSmart for the best gift cards, it was easy for consumers to know green was the highest level possible because we frequently display a Gift Card Score Key; however, outside of ScripSmart, it's not as clear. After all, there's no comparison of colors and let's be honest, green is not synonymous with first place.

The original notion of ScripSmart's color scheme had more to do with the colors of a stoplight than anything else. Our goal remains making gift cards easy for consumers to understand and the new gold classification helps us achieve this goal.

There is also a big difference between a Gift Card Score of 80 and 99. Furthermore, it's helpful to identify those who are a cut above the rest. If a gift card scores in the 90's it's one of the most consumer friendly gift card products available and it's less likely to have any gotchas a consumer will encounter.

I also believe the new gold badge will help make it easier for merchant's to adopt and strive for a gold ranking. While not every gift card will every be a perfect 100, I believe ScripSmart's product reviews give gift card issuers important feedback as to how their program compares with others.

Gift Card Score Everywhere

In the end, your going to start seeing Gift Card Score in more places. It will help consumers make better decisions and, in turn, improve the gift card industry for both consumers and merchants.

Cinemak has been an early adopter of embracing their Gift Card Score. The Cinemark Gift Card is a terrific program. Earlier this year, they let other know if by placing their Gift Card Score directly on their website using a widget ScripSmart developed. It's a small snippet of code which always reflects their current Gift Card Score. It's something ScripSmart provides to gift card issuers listed on ScripSmart free of charge and I'd say it demonstrates a commitment to deliver a gift card program which is consumer friendly.

Bass Pro Shops has also been an early adopter of Gift Card Score. They're going to be the first to display their Gift Card Scores in-store at locations nation wide. Bass Pro Shops truly understands the importance of offering a consumer friendly program and by displaying their excellent Gift Card Scores, with their help ScripSmart in well on it's way to accomplishing our mission of making gift cards better.

3 Things Consumers Get About Gift Cards That Consumer Experts Don't

Black Friday is fast approaching and the chatter around holiday gift card giving is picking up. While there are some helpful and productive pieces published by the media this time of year, many fall short of offering solid gift card advice for consumers.

There's a disconnect

One thing is clear, most consumer experts don't like gift cards; meanwhile, most consumers like gift cards. A disconnect between the advice of consumer experts and the preferences of consumers is nothing new; however, it's time for many experts to take another look at the gift card advice they are giving to consumers.

Before I begin, at ScripSmart we both identify and develop solutions to the pitfalls of gift cards. Gift cards are not perfect; from ScripSmart's list of gift cards to avoid to our rating system, Gift Card Score; ScripSmart frequently points out the downsides of gift cards.

That written, some of the advice out there is simply not helpful for consumers and at times it's flat out wrong.

Disconnect one: Gift cards are popular with gift givers, not gift receivers.

This type of story often implies the notion of gift cards being an easy way out, impersonal and often a last minute decision. In short, the only reason gift cards are popular is because it's convenient for the gift giver and if you give a gift card you're doing the recipient a disservice.

The reality is most consumers like receiving gift cards. According to a the National Retail Federation's 2011 Annual Holiday Survey, gift cards are once again the most requested gift with 57.7% of survey respondents indicating they'd like to receive a gift card for the 2011 holiday season.

Here are the results for the past eight years, as you can see gift cards are actually gaining in popularity:

Naturally, there are people who don't like to receive gift cards, but I think it's important to let the gift giver discern whether a gift card is appropriate for their recipient.

Disconnect two: A wise alternative to a gift card is cash. 

According to this line of reasoning cash has no strings, no fees and can be redeemed anywhere. Therefore, it's a better gift than a gift card and should be used in lieu of gift cards.

The truth is, cash is not always a viable alternative to a gift card. For example, one might feel a bit uncomfortable by giving their child's teacher cash to show appreciation during the school year. On the other hand, a Target Gift Card seems quite appropriate.

Personally, I love cash and it can make a great gift. However, when it comes to giving consumers gift card advice, telling people to "give cash, not gift cards" is a bit like telling people to never use credit cards when offering credit card advice. While the advice will certainly achieve a desired result, it's just not very helpful to most looking for advice on the subject.

Furthermore, Gift Cards aren't just for gift giving. Retailers are continually using gift cards as a way to compensate consumers. Walmart, Amazon, and Apple are just three of many. In other words, gift giving is just part of the gift card story. Consumers are obtaining gift cards form a number of sources.

Disconnect three: Gift cards should be avoided because some are never redeemed.

I've seen estimates claim as little as 5% to over 25% of gift cards go unredeemed each year. Under this line of thinking, there is a good chance the gift card you buy will never be used, so think twice before you waste your money on a gift card.

I'm of the belief consumers are pretty smart and don't like to waste money. Ironically, not wasting money is a big part reason gift cards are so popular: we all hate receiving unwanted gifts; worse yet, we hate giving unwanted gifts. Ultimately, people feel the money placed on a gift card has a better chance of being used wisely than if they simply pick a gift for the recipient.

Gift cards have their place

It turns out they have a pretty big place in our culture of gift giving. According to the Tower Group, an estimated $100 billion in gift cards will be sold in 2011.

While there are certainly occasions where a gift card is not an appropriate gift, it's important to recognize not all gift cards are created equal, not all gift cards are bad and most consumers are capable of determining whether or not a gift card is appropriate.

I'm off my soapbox. What do you think?

Walmart Uses Gift Cards For Christmas Price Guarantee

As part of the Walmart's Christmas Price Guarantee campaign, the company will issue gift card to consumers instead of cash. The program starts November 1st, 2011 and runs through Christmas Day. In short, if you purchase an item at Walmart and find it for less, they company will issue a Walmart Gift Cards  for the difference. Check out the full details here.

A Growing Trend: Gift Cards Not Just For Gifts

I've written about the trend of merchant's using gift cards to compensate consumers before. This is another example of a company leveraging it's gift card program in a nontraditional way. There are several reasons why companies like to offer consumers gift cards instead of cash. Here are three reasons:

1) Walmart knows where the money will be spent.

2) Gift cards bring consumers back to the store at a later date.

3) Often consumers spend more than the gift card's balance.

In the future, you can expect to see gift cards used for more than just gift giving. In fact, I recently received a $5 Target Gift Card for making a purchase at Target. Basically, instead of needing to use a $5.00 off coupon, I paid full price for the product and received my gift card at the checkout counter.

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.

American Express Launches An eGift Card

Earlier this week, American Express launched a new product: the American Express eGift Card. We recently added our review of the gift card and it performed well for a bank-issued gift card.

Here are a few things to know about the new American Express eGift Card:

1. $2.95 Purchase fee
2. No expiration
3. No post-sale fees
4. Delivered via email
5. No shipping fees
6. Requires activation by the recipient
7. Only redeemable online and via phone
8. Unused gift card may be refunded

The Trade Off

The American Express eGift Card actually has a higher Gift Card Score than the traditional plastic American Express Gift Card. This is mainly a result of purchase fees. The big trade off here is the restriction of not being able to use the gift card in-store in exchange for lower purchase fees.

That being said, it is possible the American Express eGift Card would work in-store. It just depends on the merchant's ability to manually key in the gift card number because there is nothing to swipe.

A Growing Trend: eGift Cards

Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express have historically not offered an eGift Card option to consumers. It's great to see American Express offer another option with lower purchase fees. Naturally, it would be even better if American Express could guarantee the egift card could be used in-store. I expect to see more egift cards enter the marketplace over the coming years.

Be sure to checkout our current and full review of the American Express eGift Card.

Blockbuster Has It's Gift Card Holders Singing The Blues

Update 12/15/11: Blockbuster has started selling gift cards again. The old gift cards are still not accpeted for payment; however, I'm told old gift cards will be exchanged for 5 free movie rentals and blockbuster employees can not check the balance of old gift cards. My thougts here.

The Blockbuster gift card became worthless five months ago. Late March 2011, Consumers were given just two weeks notice to redeem their gift cards or lose their value. Unfortunately, two weeks is not nearly enough time to get the word out to gift cardholders; there are still many who are unaware the gift card they own is now worthless.

This event was a result of DISH Network, Inc. purchasing the Blockbuster business and choosing not to accept outstanding Blockbuster Gift Cards.

To be fair the Bankruptcy Court did not require the buyer of Blockbuster to honor outstanding gift cards. In either case, DISH Network could choose to accept Blockbuster gift cards at anytime. 

As more time goes by, the chances of Blockbuster Gift Cards being honored become less likely. If you own a Blockbuster Gift Card, don't throw it away, yet. There is a chance it will be accepted at some point in the future.

Here are a few reasons Blockbuster should choose to accept the gift cards:

1. Not Accepting Is Bad For The Brand

When a company is purchased out of bankruptcy and the business maintains the same branding, locations and staff, it's hard for consumers to understand why their gift card is no longer accepted. Understandably consumers feel duped by the new owner. Just take a look at the blockbuster gift card complaints listed as comments from my original blog post covering this matter.

For example, one woman writes:

"I spent an hour looking for movies to rent as well as my little kids. Once we were ready to check out and pay for the movies we wanted to rent using the blockbusters gift card, I was told they were no longer acceptable cuz Dish networks bought out blockbusters. I had never seen any postings or warnings about it. My kids and I walked out without any movies. What a disappointment and shame. The stores are still called Blockbusters instead of Dishbusters. Why?!"

Unfortunately, DISH Network is more concerned with acquiring Netflix's customer base than retaining the existing Blockbuster customer base which own gift cards. In fact, my local Blockbuster has a huge sign reading: "Tired of seeing red? Say hello to Blockbuster".

I say Blockbuster has it's gift cardholder singing the blues. 

2. Not Accepting Is Bad For Consumers

When DISH Network acquired Blockbuster it was not announced how many gift cards or the total dollar amount of which was expired. One can assume the outstanding balance of gift cards is significant because it was specifically excluded from the purchase agreement by the Bankruptcy Court. Furthermore, DISH Network has decided not accept the gift cards and in turn damage the brand it acquired.

As a result of their decisions, Dish Network, Blockbuster and the Bankruptcy Court have taken money out of a lot of consumer's pockets.

3. Not Accepting Is Bad For Gift Cards

It's no secret, gift cards often receive a bad rap from the media and consumer advocates. At ScripSmart, we think there is more to the story than "give cash not gift cards" advice. Events like this are a big reason why consumer advocates do not like gift cards. Unfortunately, this scenario will be played out again in the future, only with different names as buyers and sellers.

ScripSmart offers a list of gift cards to avoid, Gift Card Scores, and free user accounts to help consumers get the most from their gift cards. One step gift card issuers could take is a money back guarantee. Basically, the business would keep the money with a trusted third party and should the business go under, the cash is safe and consumers can get a refund for the gift card. Unfortunately, there is no gift card which offers such a guarantee.

In the meantime, be sure to take a look at the Gift Card Score before making your next purchase.

 

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: