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The gift card somehow has snagged a spot as the perfect, nothing-could-go-wrong-here kind of a gift.
But as we mentally skip over Thanksgiving and rush into looking for a parking spot at the mall this holiday, let’s take a look at all those gift cards. Some good deals are out there; some not so good.
Once again, expect plenty of promotions involving gift cards. Many retailers are likely to promote e-cards or digital gift cards that can be used online or at a store, too.
JCPenney’s website is featuring “all new e-gift cards” this season. The retailer has offered e-cards for more than 10 years. But what’s new is that JCPenney e-gift cards can be e-mailed within minutes, instead of up to 48 hours. Or if the customer wants, the e-cards can be set to be e-mailed on a specific date. One new digital gizmo is the ability to customize that e-gift card with a message, a photo or even a video — at no extra cost.
The availability of the e-card at many retailers is good news for millennials since they’re more than twice as likely to lose traditional plastic gift cards than older adults, said Jeanine Skowronski, Bankrate.com credit card analyst.
Source: USA Today | Susan Tompor
