June 15, 2010
Check Merchants Financial Pulse Before Buying Gift CardsThousands of consumers were left out in the cold in 2008 when a storm of merchant bankruptcies turned roughly $100 million worth of gift cards into little more than tiny windshield scrapers. (See Granny's holiday post on 16 creative uses for useless gift cards.) Mervyn's, Sharper Image and Linens 'N Things, among many others, reneged on gift card deals, leaving consumers with …
Read MoreJune 10, 2010
Gift Card Granny Featured on NettedGift Card Granny is honored to have been selected as site of the day from Netted by the Webbys. For those who are not familiar with Netted by the Webbys, it is a site of the day website with the winners choosen by the same crew that decides which website wins the webs annual Webby award. If you are interested in …
Read MoreMarch 24, 2010
New Rules Limit Unfair Gift Card Fees and RestrictionsThe Federal Reserve issued new gift card rules March 23 that, beginning Aug. 22, will help shelter American consumers from a flurry of unexpected fees and restrictions that have gradually turned into a financial snowstorm. Gift cards have become so popular in recent years -- particularly with the advent of discount gift cards -- more than 95 percent …
Read MoreJanuary 5, 2010
How to Safely Buy Gift Cards on eBay: 13 Tips For Safer ShoppingYou may wonder why people buy gift cards on eBay when they can pick them up at stores or order them online. The fact is you can save 5 percent, 15 percent or more than 50% through the popular online auction site. However, safely purchasing cards on eBay requires a bit of knowledge as to how the process works. We've compiled …
Read MoreDecember 29, 2009
Paper or Plastic: 15 Hot Gift Card Trends for 2010Both women and men said they wanted gift cards more than any other gift for Christmas, which explains why experts anticipated the little plastic cards would be the number-one present for the sixth consecutive year, with 64 percent of consumers saying they'll give or receive them. Yet many consumers fail to cash in their cards, creating a windfall for many merchants. How gift …
Read MoreDecember 1, 2009
Creative Uses For Gift Cards: 16 Ideas For Spent Gift Cards To Be ReusedThey're called "gift cards" so it's logical to think the main function of these little plastic darlings is to give as presents. But what do you do with gift cards once they've been spent? Gift Card Granny has 16 off-beat ways to use your gift cards after the holidays. 1. Ninja star: These puppies really fly when you fling them. Sharpen one up and …
Read MoreNovember 20, 2009
5 Tips to Using Gift Cards for E-Book PurchasesAfter a bumpy start, major booksellers are now allowing e-book owners to use gift cards for content purchases. While such gift cards make great presents, e-book readers also buy gift cards themselves to make purchases of less than $1, which can clutter credit cards. Perhaps in response to complaints throughout e-book forums and on blogs, Barnes & Noble announced …
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