Why is it, nowadays, that when you go to get a rebate on something, or buy an open-box product, you pay full price, but instead of getting cash back, you get a gift card to the place you bought it from?

That's the most ridiculous business practice ever. Sure, it guarantees that the customer will spend [original amount of purchase] at your store, but it's stupid.

I don't normally shop at Walgreens, so a gift card for 10 dollars doesn't do anything for me.

Everyone knows I despise Best Buy/The Great Evil, so if I were to buy an open box microwave, I just want the microwave, no gift card, nothing else, and I will leave.

I mean, if you tell me it's going to be one price, why give me a gift card? I don't want the gift card, I want the price marked.

Sure, they're probably betting on you never using the gift card. TGE's gift cards NEVER expire. Maybe they expect you to lose it, or by the time you use it, you've had it for so long the machines can't read it and they say that you can't use it, regardless of the fact you have your receipts and everything else.

The act of giving gift cards instead of charging the marked price should be illegal.
I mean, "free gift card with purchase of items" is fine, because you're not calling it a rebate.

I refuse to buy anything involved in such a promotion.

When I was younger my dad would give me and my brother rebates from Fry's to fill out. He'd split the money they gave back with us, in cash. :P

The giftcard idea sounds terrible, probably some cheapskate top executive jerk.
» randomjunk on 2007-05-20 03:41:29

I forget where but....
some gift cards don't "expire", their value deteriorates over time. So lets say you got a $20 gift card. It will be $20 for a year, but after that, it decreases by 5% per month.
» C00kie on 2007-05-20 07:48:19

Wal-mart does that. If you get a gift card from them and don't spend all the money on it within a year, they'll start taking money off it. I think that's ridiculous.

If you put $20 on a gift card, you should be able to spend it anytime you want without worrying about the money disappearing or whatever.
» Southern on 2007-05-20 09:04:22

Giftcards are sometimes useful but most of the time, it's just another piece of papper jamming up your space. Maybe you can save the gift card for a rainy day, since it doesn't have an expiry date.
» Nuttz on 2007-05-20 10:20:02

Hi,thanks for signing up for phonelagoon under me,
for the offers you can do them as long as they are different ones,
In other words don't do the same offers that you have already received credit for, and it should be alright. they always add new offers anyways,
any other questions just let me know!

take care.
» MsFit on 2007-05-20 11:20:08

the only problem I have with gift cards is that it might be to a store that I don't care to shop at. that's when I wish that I would have just gotten the cash.
» LostSoul13 on 2007-05-21 01:43:11

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