Making the most of your gift cards this Christmas

23 September 2019

By Gail Cohen, director general of the UK Gift Card and Voucher Association

Christmas on Female First

Gift cards have never been more popular, and with good reason: they make great presents. No matter how well you know someone, gift-giving is fraught with difficulties, and often results in well-meant but unwanted items being returned or relegated to the back of the wardrobe.

With gift cards, you can give your loved ones the freedom to choose something they really want, when they want it. And for those people in your life who already have everything, experience gift cards are a brilliant way to give them the chance to try something new or treat themselves to an indulgent evening out.

With Christmas fast approaching, and many of us likely to give or receive a gift card this festive season, we’ve put together our seven top tips to help you make the most of them:

Get personal

Gift cards offer plenty of opportunity for personalisation, giving you the chance to show just how much you appreciate your loved ones. Physical gift cards can be customised with fun or sentimental photos and text, and delivered wrapped in bespoke packaging.

Meanwhile, digital gift cards can be sent via email accompanied by touching video messages, making them perfect for family and friends that you might not get the chance to see in person this Christmas.

Check where it can be spent

Internet shopping is on the rise, with many of us now preferring to browse online rather than in-store. While more and more gift cards can now be spent online, some can only be redeemed in physical stores, so when buying a gift card for someone always double check where it can be spent to ensure it suits their shopping style.

Use it, don’t lose it

Gift cards and vouchers can have expiry dates on them, so it’s always a good idea to check the terms and conditions as soon as you receive them, to ensure they don’t expire before you’ve had a chance to spend them.

Although you should have plenty of time before this happens, it can be easy to forget about them. So if you do receive a gift card this Christmas, our advice is to hit the sales and get shopping! And if you are in any doubt about the validity of your gift card, don’t hesitate to get in contact with the provider who will be happy to answer any questions.

Buy from a trusted source

To get the most out of your card, always make sure to buy it from a trusted provider. Whether it’s online or in-store, getting a gift card from a reliable source will make the recipient’s experience all the better.

Keep it safe

As gift cards can be worth a lot of money, they should be treated carefully, and kept safe until they’re going to be spent. However, unlike cash, a misplaced gift card may not be lost forever. In many cases, gift cards can be registered online by the recipient, making it easy to keep track of how much money is left on them, and to request a replacement card if needed.

When purchasing a gift card for someone else, it’s also sensible to save the receipt, just in case the recipient loses their card without registering it first.

Make sure it’s ready to use

While a lot of gift cards can be used immediately, some need to be activated before use. When purchasing a gift card for someone, it’s a good idea to find out how it works, so you can make sure the recipient knows what they have to do. This will make it much easier for them to get shopping straight away.