15 most popular gift cards and how to sell the ones you don't want
By Leada Gore | lgore@al.com AL.com /storypackage /#article_inset Article
Gift cards are a popular alternative for many Christmas gift givers – they are easy to wrap and you don't have to worry about them being too big, too small or just plain tacky.
According to the National Retail Association, gift cards are the number one thing on people's most-wanted Christmas gift list, a spot they've held for the past nine years. Almost 60 percent of consumers said they'd like to see a gift card in their stocking this holiday season.
Not all gift cards are created equal, however. CardHub crunched some numbers and identified the most popular cards, as well as some tips for how to use them. The 15 most popular cards are below, you can go here to see the top 50.
15 Most Popular Gift Cards
Visa
Amazon
American Express
iTunes
Wal-Mart
Target
Starbucks
Netflix
eBay
Google Play
MasterCard
Fandango
Disney
Macy's
Best Buy
Some notes on gift cards. The gift cards that increased in popularity the most from 2014 to 2015 were TJ Maxx (No. 40), Chick-fil-A (No. 39) and Home Depot (No. 17). The cards showing the biggest decline were Ikea (23rd) and QVC (50th).
Best ways to use gift cards:
Consider discounted gift cards: Some stores offer discounts on gift cards (there are lots of those for iTunes this year) and some big box stores offer discounts such as four $25 gift cards for $87.
General-purpose gift cards are costly: While general-purpose cards give the added flexibility to the user, they can cost the purchaser. General-purpose gift cards, like those from Visa and American Express, charge fees. Store-issued gift cards, on the other hand, do not need to charge fees, since the retailer books a profit the moment you buy its gift card.
Don't pay for shipping on gift cards – Card hub said about 30 percent of gift cards from major retailers charge for shipping. Look for those retailers that won't charge to ship your cards.
There's a difference between gift cards and prepaid cards – Retailers, including Wal-Mart, are now pushing people to register gift cards and then reload them when funds get low. It's a high-profit enterprise for retailers but make sure and read the fine print. And, reloadable cards have different expiration rules than traditional gift cards.
Check out electronic gift cards that people can use on mobile devices – There may not be a cost savings but using mobile or electronic gift cards can prevent a trip to a crowded store.
Watch your spending – Two-thirds of recipients said they end up spending more than the face value of the gift card they receive. If you're on the receiving end of a gift card, keep an eye on how you're using it once you're at the store.
What's the CARD Act and why does it matter to gift card holders?
Passed in 2009, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (Credit CARD Act) applies to gift certificates and gift cards, either in hard copy or electronic form. The act has numerous provisions but the one on expiration dates is particularly important for gift card holders. The act requires gift cards to have an expiration date of no less than five years after the time it was purchased.
It's important to note that cards used solely for telephone service, reloadable cards, and loyalty or promotional gift cards are not covered by the CARD Act.
What do you do with unused gift cards?
CardHub reports more than $45 billion in gift cards have gone unused since 2005. So what do you do with them? There are a couple of options: you can sell unwanted gift cards for cash; ask the store if you can trade them in on a different cards; or recoup unused funds from expired gift cards (that's usually five years) under the state's unclaimed property laws.
If you want to sell your unused cards, here are some sites to consider:
Cardpool.com – Buy and sell cards with fellow members. Cards are sold for a little less than overall value and Cardpool takes a percentage based on the demand for the gift cards.
Raise – Buy and sell gift cards directly from your iPhone. You set the price on cards you're selling and Raise takes 15 percent of the sale price.
Gift Card Granny - The website allows users to search gift cards to see what the going rate is for those wanting to sell them. You can buy discounted cards at the site, too.
Card Cash - The website lets you enter your card name and amount at the top and receive an instant offer based on what it's worth. You can also see different payment options based on if it's a hard copy of the card or an electronic one.
Happy shopping!
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