gift cards vs certificates

lady bug · 01-10-2006, 09:53 PM

I use gift cards in denominations of $10, $25, and $50. I like them but, I feel as though card stock certificates may be more professional....What do other people use....

top250tansyou · 01-10-2006, 10:07 PM

I had nice gift certificates made - not expensive. Copy place keeps it on file and i go get new ones made with every gift giving season - new ones for valentines etc. They just change the background according to what i want - takes a few minutes.

I dont think i understand gift cards. Do you account for the money if the gift card doesnt come back.

Had a friend that was in a meeting with Target execs. The Target exec said they sold x hundred million in gift cards a year. The gift card is not counted as a sale until it is brought back and used.

Is it a sale if the gift card never comes back or does that money stay in limbo. Gift certificate - i sold a package if it is not used - well its nor used i still count it as a sale the day it is bought.

caribbeansun01 · 01-10-2006, 10:25 PM

How about this one...this is not going to go over well. In NYS when a gift card has expired and it has NOT been redeemed. That unreeded money MUST go to NYS as unclaimed funds!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you flippin believe that.

totaleclipse1 · 01-10-2006, 11:19 PM

i never knew that.. thanks for sharing.. I got my gift cards from giftcentral.com Thy can be any amount and I think are nicer than the gift certifcates. They do not have to swiped either...

TRTSROCKS · 01-11-2006, 10:06 AM

Prior to Christmas we switched to Gift Cards. We sold 3X as many as last year when we had the paper certificates. Right out on the counter, great presentation.

BTANN · 01-11-2006, 10:15 AM

We switch to cards recently. Did much better with cards, then with paper. It seems to me that wether it's paper or card , you treat it the same, in regards when you count it as a sale.

glamarama · 01-11-2006, 11:23 AM

how do they redeem the cards if you dont swipe it? we do certs but i think cards look nicer, easier for clients to toss in their wallets to redeem . . .

totaleclipse1 · 01-11-2006, 11:26 AM

it is done the same as paper...you have a log and their is a sticker that goes on the back.....I think the site is giftcentral.com

tnannie · 01-11-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caribbeansun01

How about this one...this is not going to go over well. In NYS when a gift card has expired and it has NOT been redeemed. That unreeded money MUST go to NYS as unclaimed funds!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you flippin believe that.

WTF!......That is crazy!

tnannie · 01-11-2006, 11:32 AM

This was our first year offering gift cards. We had gotten them through Gift Central and had them printed with dollar amounts of 10, 25 and 50. We also offered certificates for people who didn't want to be locked in to those prices. The gift cards sold themselves! They are so attractive. We had people come in to buy certificates, and then spent a bit more than they had originally planned just to get the card becuase they liked the way they looked.

01-10-2006, 09:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
lady bug Join Date: Mar 7 2005 Posts: 589 Rep Power: 8	gift cards vs certificates I use gift cards in denominations of $10, $25, and $50. I like them but, I feel as though card stock certificates may be more professional....What do other people use.... __________________

01-10-2006, 10:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
top250tansyou I love Derf!! Join Date: Jan 1 2004 Location: little rock Posts: 2,237 Rep Power: 6	Re: gift cards vs certificates I had nice gift certificates made - not expensive. Copy place keeps it on file and i go get new ones made with every gift giving season - new ones for valentines etc. They just change the background according to what i want - takes a few minutes. I dont think i understand gift cards. Do you account for the money if the gift card doesnt come back. Had a friend that was in a meeting with Target execs. The Target exec said they sold x hundred million in gift cards a year. The gift card is not counted as a sale until it is brought back and used. Is it a sale if the gift card never comes back or does that money stay in limbo. Gift certificate - i sold a package if it is not used - well its nor used i still count it as a sale the day it is bought.

01-10-2006, 10:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
caribbeansun01 I love Derf!! Join Date: Dec 2 2004 Location: Depew, NY Posts: 1,679 Rep Power: 8	Re: gift cards vs certificates How about this one...this is not going to go over well. In NYS when a gift card has expired and it has NOT been redeemed. That unreeded money MUST go to NYS as unclaimed funds!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you flippin believe that. __________________

01-10-2006, 11:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
totaleclipse1 I love Derf!! Join Date: Feb 21 2005 Location: NEw York Age: 31 Posts: 1,940 Rep Power: 11	Re: gift cards vs certificates i never knew that.. thanks for sharing.. I got my gift cards from giftcentral.com Thy can be any amount and I think are nicer than the gift certifcates. They do not have to swiped either... __________________ OFFICIALLY MRS. V !! HOLLA!

01-11-2006, 10:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
TRTSROCKS Join Date: Nov 25 2005 Location: Battle Creek, MI Posts: 129 Rep Power: 3	Re: gift cards vs certificates Prior to Christmas we switched to Gift Cards. We sold 3X as many as last year when we had the paper certificates. Right out on the counter, great presentation.

01-11-2006, 10:15 AM	#6 (permalink)
BTANN Join Date: Dec 27 2005 Location: South Posts: 59 Rep Power: 0	Re: gift cards vs certificates We switch to cards recently. Did much better with cards, then with paper. It seems to me that wether it's paper or card , you treat it the same, in regards when you count it as a sale.

01-11-2006, 11:23 AM	#7 (permalink)
glamarama Join Date: Jan 31 2005 Location: GTA Posts: 409 Rep Power: 7	Re: gift cards vs certificates how do they redeem the cards if you dont swipe it? we do certs but i think cards look nicer, easier for clients to toss in their wallets to redeem . . .

01-11-2006, 11:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
totaleclipse1 I love Derf!! Join Date: Feb 21 2005 Location: NEw York Age: 31 Posts: 1,940 Rep Power: 11	Re: gift cards vs certificates it is done the same as paper...you have a log and their is a sticker that goes on the back.....I think the site is giftcentral.com __________________ OFFICIALLY MRS. V !! HOLLA!

01-11-2006, 11:32 AM	#10 (permalink)
tnannie I love Derf!! Join Date: Aug 16 2004 Location: nunya Age: 43 Posts: 3,215 Rep Power: 93	Re: gift cards vs certificates This was our first year offering gift cards. We had gotten them through Gift Central and had them printed with dollar amounts of 10, 25 and 50. We also offered certificates for people who didn't want to be locked in to those prices. The gift cards sold themselves! They are so attractive. We had people come in to buy certificates, and then spent a bit more than they had originally planned just to get the card becuase they liked the way they looked.

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