It is always seen that when the holiday season is around people gets very tempted to gift cards. It is true that the gift card provides you the opportunity to pick the product or service that is valued to you the most. But there are many companies who sell gift card and all are not worth. It is very essential to differentiate between the good and bad gift card. That is the reason why in this article we have come up with some useful tips that will certainly help you to purchase the most valuable gift cards.
- Purchasing the gift cards from trustworthy sources: There are many companies who are in the business of selling gift cards. All these companies claim to be the best gift card sellers. But all gift card companies are good or trustworthy. It is very essential to purchase the gift card only from trustworthy sources. So it is always advisable to avoid purchasing gift cards from companies or sources such as online auction websites. There are many cases where it is seen that these kinds of sources sell fake and fraudulently acquired gift cards to the customers.
- Understanding the terms and condition: Whenever you purchase any gift cards it is always advisable to understand the terms and condition of the gift cards. In case of online purchase or purchasing over the phone, it is very necessary to understand whether you have to pay for the shipping and handling charge. If you see that there is any ambiguity in terms and condition or there are any such conditions that do not suit you can easily from anywhere else.
- Checking if any amount will be deducted from the card: Before purchasing the gift card it is also necessary to check whether any amount will be deducted from your gift card after purchasing it. It is very essential to check this condition as there are many gift cards where the customers find that there is some hidden cost in the gift cards and they often do not get the total amount that is mentioned in the gift card.
- Ensuring the validity of the card: It is very essential to make sure that not a single protective sticker is removed from the gift card. Before purchasing the card it is necessary to verify that the PIN codes that are present in the backside of the card are not scratched off so that it is not exposed off. In case you find that any part of the gift card tampers then it is very essential that you report to the merchant immediately.
- Getting the original receipt of the gift card: When you purchase the gift card it is very essential that it is accompanied by the original receipt. This original receipt will be very helpful in case you lost the gift card or if it is stolen.
- Considering the financial situation of the card provider: Sometimes it may happen that the retailer from whom you are purchasing the gift card is going out of business or is actually filing for bankruptcy. In such case also the retailer will be able to sell the card until bankruptcy procedure ends and as such it is very essential to check his financial condition as well otherwise it may happen that you do not get that much value what you have expected from the gift card.
- Checking the expiry date of the gift card: This is the most essential point that every buyer of the gift card should remember. As per the Card Act, it is found that the gift cards remain valid for at least five years that are actually counted from the date of purchase. But in case you purchase a gift card that has an earlier expiration date make sure that the money will be transferred to the replacement card without any further cost.
- Asking for the expired card to be replaced: It is also very important that you contact the issuer immediately in case your gift card gets expired or any fee is deducted so that you can get a replacement card and the deducted fee is reimbursed.
