Q: I received a gift card for my birthday last year, but when I went to buy a shirt a couple of weeks ago, the store told me the card was expired. Do I have any recourse since I never used any of the credit? — Ricky Resentful

A: Dear Ricky: In a nutshell, the answer is no. In fact, according to Consumer Reports executive editor Greg Daughterly, the American consumer lost about $8 billion in unused 2007 gift cards, mostly because of is the situation you experienced.

More and more of us fall prey to the gift card gremlin policy. I’ve received the cards in lieu of a “real” gift and also given them. However, if consumers (and recipients, especially) aren’t aware of how this system works, we end up like you — standing in the cashier line, gift card and item in hand, only to discover at the last moment that the card is worthless and you must pull out money or lay the piece aside.

People with whom I’ve spoken say they often tuck the card away in a drawer, glove compartment, or the like and then forget to use them in the prearranged time line, usually a year though some expiration dates can be longer, depending upon the issuing company.

Now don’t get me wrong. Gift cards can be a great present, especially if the beneficiary prefers to shop for himself (such as my teenage grandchildren, although they really prefer cold, hard cash). Additionally, many charitable organizations like gift cards so they’re able to buy essentials for clients. For example, I know that some charities, particularly those for homeless shelters and so forth, sometimes prefer these, as they know the fundamentals their visitors need but of which donors like you and I aren’t necessarily aware.

On the other hand and because gift cards nowadays can be purchased at almost every store in the solar system, a significant portion of the giftee population is beginning to consider themselves a last-minute thought. Along the lines of a gift certificate, the gift card often evokes feelings that we’re not important enough for the giver to devote any time to selecting a personal gift.

To make a point: one of the best presents I ever received from a friend was a $30 gift card to Books-a-Million that, because I’m a voracious reader, sent me immediately shopping for a best-seller.

However, my husband knows that the day he bestows a gift card upon me rather than something “special” is the day I’ll know romance is dead and gone.

Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business. E-mail her at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com

Comments