The gift card industry changes quickly. Bankruptcies, new websites, changing regulations, fraud, mobile gift cards, electronic gift cards and public perceptions are just a few issues we keep track of for you.
You'll also find links to articles and press about your favorite gift-giving octogenarian, Gift Card Granny.
March 23, 2012 | Add a Comment
Before you plan your next trip, check around to see if you might score a gas gift card or two by patronizing the right businesses.
For example, over 20-and-counting bed and breakfasts listed in BnBFinder.com are offering gas gift cards when you make a reservation.
The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles is offering a $20 gas gift card as an incentive to book a stay. (They also toss in a discount at their spa and VIP discount cards to a local mall.)
From the beginning of May to the end of September, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau is giving a $25 American Express gift card to those who book at least two nights at select hotels. Their announced goal is to help defray gas expenses so people are more willing to travel.
December 1, 2011 | Add a Comment
Gift cards have ruled the holidays for several years now, but public desire for these little plastic presents has recently expanded to encompass the entire year.
Gift Card Granny recently compiled data from over 70,000 gift card alerts by over 4,000 people with semi-surprising results. The survey found there was only a six-card difference between the top two merchants, Walmart and Target. Other favorites included Amazon, Walgreens and Shell.
Even more surprising, four fuel gift cards and six restaurant gift cards landed in the top 30, indicating consumers have learned gift cards are good for more than just sweaters and groceries.
Naturally, we all have our favorite merchants and services and, hopefully, will receive one or two cards for them this holiday season. However, if you receive a gift card that wasn’t in your top 10 list, you can trade it for cash on Gift Card Exchange Day. This annual, one-day event on Dec. 26 allows recipients to sell unwanted gift cards at the time of year when resellers are paying the highest rates for second-hand cards.
Read MoreNovember 29, 2011 | Add a Comment
Gift Card Granny has blasted into cyberspace with a free application designed just for Android fans. The first discount gift card app available from the Android Market lets you buy, sell and use gift cards directly via your phone from hundreds of popular merchants and several trusted resellers.
Imagine this: You’re cruising the aisles of your favorite store and see a sweater you can’t live without. You fire up the Gift Card Granny app and search the database for that store. Bingo! You find a mobile card offered for that merchant at 20-percent off face value. Using the app you now have the ability to purchase the card right there from your phone. Mobile cards can take up to 24 hours for delivery, but many arrive immediately. When your card shows up in your inbox the cashier simply scans your phone or inputs the numeric code at the register. Just like that you’ve saved 20 percent on your purchase.
This access is available on all mobile cards and many online cards, purchased directly from the merchant and emailed directly to your inbox. (Traditional plastic cards must still be snail mailed.)
You can customize the Gift Card Granny app to sort by store, price, discount, seller and more. Other great options include the ability to check your gift card balance and use a GPS to find a desired store near you.
While you can also instantly sell gift cards via the app, you might want to wait until Gift Card Exchange Day on Dec. 26, when vendors pay the highest premium for unused gift cards.
Gift Card Granny is now revving up her super walker to create a similar app for iPhone fans.
Read More
October 17, 2011 | Add a Comment
Gift cards make fabulous gifts -- in fact they’re the most frequently requested gift during the holiday season -- but an estimated $60 billion worth of those cards go unredeemed each year.
That’s where Gift Card Exchange Day comes into play. Scheduled for Dec. 26, the one-day event is a specific day to do just that -- exchange gift cards for money. It also serves as an annual reminder for cardholders that there’s cash in them there cards.
Here’s how it works: Let’s say Auntie Em gives you a Sports Authority gift card for Christmas, but you’re not really the athletic type. Instead of thanking her with a smile and losing the card, you visit GiftCardExchangeDay.com on Dec. 26 and sell it for cash.
To do so, you enter the merchant name and face value of the gift card, click “Get Offers,” and instantly receive bids from companies interested in buying your card.
Once you have the cash in hand, you can use it for what you really want...tickets to the ballet.
Read More
August 4, 2011 | Add a Comment
Americans watching NBC's "Today" show this morning learned how to sell discount gift cards through GiftCardGranny.com. The show's consumer contributor Carmen Wong Ulrich said consumers can't call themselves "extreme couponers" if they don't buy gift cards at a discount.
The segment, entitled "Saving Money With Gift Cards," discussed how consumers can sell gift cards they don't need as well as buy discount cards for their own use.
Read MoreJuly 22, 2011 | 2 Comments
Borders CEO Mike Edwards yesterday emailed Rewards Plus members with a fond farewell, a glance back at the past, and several aspects of the liquidation that customers should know.
Edwards promised the chain would honor Borders gift cards through September, the final closing date. In addition, the chain will accept Borders Bucks through July 31 and all Rewards Plus discounts are good through Aug. 5.
July 11, 2011 | 1 Comment
Say goodbye to forced smiles and fake enthusiasm. Forget about gushing over gifts like personalized beach towels and spice racks. Card Avenue is a novel new way for you to get the things you really want using its free gift card registry.
What's a Gift Card Registry?
Instead of asking for small gifts you can combine small gift cards denominations to make one big purchase. Goodbye toaster-oven, hello new television! Gift cards can also be exchanged for cash, and are easily mailed.
May 5, 2011 | 1 Comment
You know the U.S. Post Service is in pretty mean straights when they start selling gift cards.
Actually, this may not be a bad idea for the cash-strapped government agency. With pre-paid gift cards one of their most popular gift items, it makes sense postal officials would want to cash in on this trend. Plus, it allows the agency to target a desirable audience and encourage use of snail mail (a term the USPS prefers we not use).
For example, you could send an Internet-phobic friend or relative a gift card to buy stamps for their personal mail. Since you can buy stamps through the mail or order them online, it would particularly help shut ins. The cards also would make good presents for those who send lots of holiday cards and thank you notes.
The sales plan has only recently been approved on a test basis by the independent Postal Regulatory Commission. It allows the USPS to run a two-year test beginning in June and involving about 2,000 post offices. The cards will be issued by such companies as American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa for fixed amount cards of $20 and $50. Variable-value cards also will be available, in which the buyer can designate the total they'd like loaded onto the card, in amounts between $25 and $100. The agency will charge a fee of $4.95 for a fixed-amount card and $5.95 for variable cards.
The test cards are known as "open loop" cards, which consumers can use with any business that accepts cards from the issuing organization. The agency also is considering offering "closed loop" cards, which are specific to a single merchant. Plans for this option have not yet been solidified.
April 15, 2011 | 4 Comments
Gift Card Granny is stashing Easter Eggs all over our website, but what you find inside could be a lot more valuable than chocolate treats!
Beginning April 20th and ending on the 22nd, selected pages on our website will be embedded with a special "Easter Egg" found next to the Twitter button. Give it a tweet, leaving the custom-copy intact, and you'll be entered for a chance to win one of SIX daily gift card prizes ranging from $25 to $100 in value!
April 4, 2011 | Add a Comment
It's official - Gift cards aren't just for birthdays and graduations anymore. The results of our inaugural Gift Card Granny Challenge are in, and they confirm that frugal shoppers have a new best friend. By making all her purchases in March (excluding rent and utilities) with discount gift cards, not only did Ashley Grimaldo slash $206.29 from her monthly expenses, she did it while enjoying almost all of the same activities and spending habits she and her family of four normally do.
Do you plan on using discount gift cards to help you save on everyday purchases? Find out more about the Gift Card Granny Challenge below, and feel free to contact us at info@giftcardgranny.com with questions or your own shopping experiences.
All designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. No claims of affiliation are made about the stores on this site.
© 2012 The Frugals
Follow Gift Card Granny on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
