Gift Cards: Who likes when they get them and who gives out this crap as a gift?

Ok here's the idea behind gift cards from a corporate standpoint:

"Listen, giving money is tacky! You need to give someone a gift. Commit that money to something special like their favorite restaurant or store and have them spend that cash there, all with the convenience of a card!"

Now, here's the same idea behind gift cards from a real-world human standpoint:

"I'm going to give you some money. But I'm not gonna let you spend it where you'd like! You spend that money where I tell you to spend it as*hole. I'll force you to spend a night with your lousy spouse at Olive Garden eating cheap pasta and stale breadsticks. Don't like it? Too bad! The gift card amount expires and can't be converted to cash. You'll eat where I tell you to eat and shop where I tell you to shop or you won't get shi*!"

Seriously, what is the point of gift cards?

Telling people where to eat and where to shop. It's like you have this power over them. It's a passive aggressive gift that sort of slaps people in the face.

Yes, they like eating out and shopping but since the card you got them is to their favorite place, they've probably been there 3 times this month already.

And the most infuriating thing? As noted above, the cards expire. Your cash, your gift, turns to sawdust after a year or two. It's like giving money that spontaneously combusts if you don't spend it. And who gets the profit in the end? The corporations who duped you into buying these laminated piece of plastic with ridiculous decorations on them. 

Want to go one step further? Give someone $100 on a Visa gift card and you'll spend $106.00! Just to give cashon a card! You'll spend $6 extra dollars instead of handing them $100! Brilliant! Of course these gift cards have their varied purposes but if it is truly as a gift, who in their right mind would spend $6 extra dollars instead of giving the cash?

In the words of Method Man, I hereby say, CASH RULES! Join me in exercising a self-imposed ban on ever giving out these worthless pieces of plastic again when you want to give cash instead!

Because cash is just a little too impersonal for some people. There are lots of people who appreciate the gift cards and for the people who buy them, it's easy to buy for somebody that they don't know what they like.

But more importantly, it helps put money into the economy, knowing the cards will be used.

 Why don't you stick to your politically correct, left wing crap.

For those who don't like it, why don't you guys just appreciate the gesture, instead of looking for a reason to bash......

What it all comes down to is the intent and meaning behind it.

Great thread, Scalabrine......