Thanks for the Special Gift

[Chuck]

Retailers that sell gift cards can anticipate an extra bonus a Christmas time.

An estimated 4.3 Billion in cash will be sold in the form of a gift card this Christmas season with only an estimated 3 Billion of these gift cards used.

Last year Home Depot reported an 43 million dollar surprise in thire Christmas stock from unspent Gift Cards. This figure does not include any interest that may have been collected by keeping your funds safely tucked away in an interest bearing account.

While Wal-Mart does not disclose the amount of gift cards they sell or the amount of revenue that is generated from unused gift cards generate you can rest assured that they are getting their fair share of this newly lucrative market.

Gift Cards seem to be the new big business. You cannot stand in a check out line without these things grabbing your attention or a cashier asking you at least once if you would like to purchase one. Why? The profit on unused cards says it all.

You can encourage people you buy these cards for to use them. There are also web site that will offer to buy your unused gift cards. If you have a gift card and don't plan to use it you can even send it to me,,, lol.

So the choice is really yours with. You can go ahead buy that Tie or other unwanted gift or you can buy a gift card that may not be used. Either way the retailers thank you because they get paid whether you purchase something or not.

[bubbysgarage]

Surprisingly I didn't get any gift cards this year but I did purchase 4 of them to give as gifts. What I like is that Wal-Mart now has different ones so that you don't have to go from place to place, and they have ones for restaurants that can be used at more than one place.

[Pierced Bliss]

Kroger even has a Gift Card center. You can get cards from Kohls, Macy's, Aeropostale , and a bunch of other clothing ones to hardware stores like Lowes and Home Depot to all the nice restaurants. I was really surprised at the variety, but I didn't give any this year, however I did receive a few. Ha. I like them better than gifts since I'm hard to buy for, they just get the cards from the stores I like and I get want I want. It's a win/win situation.

[ducklady]

I hate Walmart.

[John Deere "B"]

I hate Walmart.

Me too, I do most of my shopping at K-Mart because items are a lot easier to find without having to travel from one side of the store to other side for 3 or 4 items. (Just like trash bags) Wal-mart keeps them in 3 different locations (depending what type your looking for).

[canaco]

I gave out a card for $100 Home Depot card last year and someone gave it back to me for XMas this year. The same exact card.

[kdown]

Give it again next year.......LOL

[dawg]

I dislike Wal-mart and K-mart. K-mart is easier to get around in, but, they carry a skimpy selection and it is sometimes hard to get checked out. Even though it is French owned, my new favorite is Target. Their merchandise seems to be a "cut above" Walmart's.
K-Mart used to have a "3 in line rule" posted whereas if there were more than 3 in a check out line that they would open a new register. I wrote Bluelight.com to complain and all they did was to take the signs down.

[kdown]

Its a " stand in line-check out " world. Get used to it folks, it ain't gonna get any better

[grayceww]

Shop online people!

[kdown]

I got a $100 American Express and a $25.00 Borders and I AM GONNA SPEND THEM........LOL

[mark]

...yep, if someone gives me a gift card,
I'm gonna use it.......all of it..........see ya mark

[Bengals_Mama]

I have to admit, I LOVE Walmart.... probably because I'm cheap... but also because I go to the one in West Union up here. It's easy to get to, and you don't have to go through a lot of traffic to get there. I go to Maysville Walmart sometimes, usually when I need something the West Union one doesn't carry, but you Maysville drivers scare me..lol I'm not the best driver, so it's like being in the city to me... driving in Maysville is almost like me driving to Cincinnati..lol So it's probably just safest for me to stay out in the country, unless someone else is driving!

[Maxwells]

Well..I didn't get any gift cards...I would of loved to of though......boohooo