Sunday, December 17, 2006
Are Gift Cards Offensive?
Driving between stores today, I listened to a local radio talk show host discuss whether or not gift cards were offensive. He claimed he read somewhere that some people were offended when they received gift cards because they felt the person giving them the card, instead of cash, were controlling where they shopped. So much for gratitude.
Performing several searches of the Web, I couldn't find any solid information on this issue. If you know of any, send me the link, please.
But, it sounded quite plausible. We have become such a spoiled, self-centered society that we expect everyone and everything to walk on egg shells in order to not offend us. Some of the most innocuous comments have become grounds for lawsuits, firings and scandal. We are even expected to not offend those too ignorant to know the correct meaning and origin of the word "niggardly."
So, God only knows how offensive giving someone a gift card might be.
Personally, I like gift cards. Very few stores have nothing I want. Sure, I might not shop at that store normally. But, if I buy a $40 item using a gift card and $15 of my own, I've gotten a helluva deal no matter what the store.
My only complaint regarding gift cards is that often the card is not completely used leaving lots of pure profit for the retailers.
My final thought on this issue is a new one for me. Since I had never considered just how offensive a gift card could be, I had never considered the potential of purposefully using one to offend someone. This year I am considering getting all my liberal, Walmart-hating friends a gift card to Walmart.
Walmart wins no matter what. If the person refuses to use the card, Walmart collects 100% in profit. If the person uses the card, one of their liberal friends may spy them shopping at the Beelzebub operated Walmart. The scandal that ensued would be of hellish proportions. And, of course, Walmart still makes a profit.
My shopping list suddenly has become very short.
Performing several searches of the Web, I couldn't find any solid information on this issue. If you know of any, send me the link, please.
But, it sounded quite plausible. We have become such a spoiled, self-centered society that we expect everyone and everything to walk on egg shells in order to not offend us. Some of the most innocuous comments have become grounds for lawsuits, firings and scandal. We are even expected to not offend those too ignorant to know the correct meaning and origin of the word "niggardly."
So, God only knows how offensive giving someone a gift card might be.
Personally, I like gift cards. Very few stores have nothing I want. Sure, I might not shop at that store normally. But, if I buy a $40 item using a gift card and $15 of my own, I've gotten a helluva deal no matter what the store.
My only complaint regarding gift cards is that often the card is not completely used leaving lots of pure profit for the retailers.
My final thought on this issue is a new one for me. Since I had never considered just how offensive a gift card could be, I had never considered the potential of purposefully using one to offend someone. This year I am considering getting all my liberal, Walmart-hating friends a gift card to Walmart.
Walmart wins no matter what. If the person refuses to use the card, Walmart collects 100% in profit. If the person uses the card, one of their liberal friends may spy them shopping at the Beelzebub operated Walmart. The scandal that ensued would be of hellish proportions. And, of course, Walmart still makes a profit.
My shopping list suddenly has become very short.
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gift vouchers/cards, exactly like money apart from you cant spend it just anywhere, and there is a expiry date.
Dude, people should be happy they get a gift at all.
But what you said would make a great MasterCard commercial:
Trip to Wal Mart: $3 in gasoline;
Wal Mart gift card: $5 at Wal Mart;
Knowing your 'liberal' friends will use the gift card in spite of themselves: Priceless.
On a related note, I was forced to Wal Mart the other day for the sixth time in seven years. I was able to procure all my goofy gifts for folks elsewhere, but I could not find boxes to save my life. Exceptin' at WalMart.
The one in New Orleans. Which is another story entirely...
But what you said would make a great MasterCard commercial:
Trip to Wal Mart: $3 in gasoline;
Wal Mart gift card: $5 at Wal Mart;
Knowing your 'liberal' friends will use the gift card in spite of themselves: Priceless.
On a related note, I was forced to Wal Mart the other day for the sixth time in seven years. I was able to procure all my goofy gifts for folks elsewhere, but I could not find boxes to save my life. Exceptin' at WalMart.
The one in New Orleans. Which is another story entirely...
Hmm, think I'll contact MasterCard. Then we'll have to fight over the rights to that. I'm not much of a Walmart fan myself because of the horrible customer service, nothing political.
Unfortunately, where I live, for many items if you don't get it at Walmart, you have to drive 50 or more miles to find it in a different store.
I've seen on various cable news channels lately where many market analysts are worried that Walmart isn't doing well. It could be a bad sign. I think it's a good sign. Consumers who are doing well, making more money, etc. don't go to Walmart. They do somewhere a littel nicer, with better customer service, and higher prices.
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Unfortunately, where I live, for many items if you don't get it at Walmart, you have to drive 50 or more miles to find it in a different store.
I've seen on various cable news channels lately where many market analysts are worried that Walmart isn't doing well. It could be a bad sign. I think it's a good sign. Consumers who are doing well, making more money, etc. don't go to Walmart. They do somewhere a littel nicer, with better customer service, and higher prices.
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