Weird-as-hell DUmmy monitors use of gifted Amazon cards

[BannedFromDU]

keithbvadu2 (22,899 posts)

When you give Amazon gift cards as a present,
When you give Amazon gift cards as a present, you should peel off the protective coating that covers the numbers. You should scan them or take a picture or write down the numbers. Tonight I found $240 worth of gift cards that I have given as presents but have not been redeemed. Some over 2 years old. Unredeemed gift cards are pure profit for the company.

No wonder Jeff Bezos is a multi-gazillionaire.

Same/same for all other gift cards.

Companies love to sell them.

They can even sell them at a discount, knowing some will be lost or forgotten.

Even redeemed, you are a captive customer.

It took me a couple of minutes to understand what this asshole is saying, but it's creepy as hell.

Basically, s/h/it says that if you give someone an Amazon gift card, you should reveal and document the serial numbers so you can verify whether the card has been used. Call me old fashioned, but
if I given someone a gift, that ends my interest in it unless they would like to discuss it at a later date. Logging on to see if my gift has been used is some next-level creepy liberal shit.

No one calls s/h/it out on the practice of giving someone a card, which, by the way, appears to be used when it's handed over.

"Here, Merry Christmas! And don't mind the scraped off tape - I just needed to expose the codes so I can monitor your use of the card. Have fun!"

What the ****?

[DLR Pyro]

No wonder Jeff Bezos is a multi-gazillionaire.

um, you DUmmies realize that bezos is one you your people...

[Kc25]

Does this DUmmie save the info, and then if unused, spends it themself?

[FlaGator]

Here is what actually happens with most gift cards. A company issues a gift card for let's say $20. In most states, until the card is used, the money spent on it can't be added to the company's income and must sit in an escrow account. To get around this a periodic service charge is subtracted from the gift card which does get added to the company's bottom line. This continues until the card has no value. The only state where this is not true is Wyoming. A card issued from Wyoming will allow the company to consider the money spent on the card as income immediately.

[SVPete]

Tonight I found $240 worth of gift cards that I have given as presents but have not been redeemed. Some over 2 years old. Unredeemed gift cards are pure profit for the company.

No wonder Jeff Bezos is a multi-gazillionaire.

How are the choices of DUmmie keithbvadu2's family and friends the responsibility of Jeff Bezos (or Target, Starchucks, Kohl's, etc.)?

How is the significant percentage of gift cards never being redeemed news to DUmmie keithbvadu2? That was news 10 or 15 years ago.

[BannedFromDU]

Does this DUmmie save the info, and then if unused, spends it themself?

     That, or they shame the person who has not used it, on the logic that they've made Bezos richer, so shame on them. Or something. In that case I'd send the card back to the DUmmy and suggest they shove it up their ass.

[Muddling 2]

Seems the solution is to just give cash. 

Some people are hard to shop for; a small cash gift is sometimes a good option.

[Karin]

 You're right, BFDU, the card is going to look "used" and so is tacky as hell.  I would wonder if it was in fact zero dollar value, and fished out of a trash can.  I'm glad I don't have any democrat DUmmies as friends. 

[Ralph Wiggum]

Here is what actually happens with most gift cards. A company issues a gift card for let's say $20. In most states, until the card is used, the money spent on it can't be added to the company's income and must sit in an escrow account. To get around this a periodic service charge is subtracted from the gift card which does get added to the company's bottom line. This continues until the card has no value. The only state where this is not true is Wyoming. A card issued from Wyoming will allow the company to consider the money spent on the card as income immediately.

Good explanation!  Yes, for accounting purposes gift cards purchased are recognized as unearned income and a liability until it is redeemed.  If the gift cards are never used, it is deemed "breakage" and the revenue portion goes away.

Look DUmmies, if someone is nice enough to give you a gift and you don't use it, large and small companies treat it as damn near a gift to them because it isn't income since it was never recognized as income.

[FlaGator]

Good explanation!  Yes, for accounting purposes gift cards purchased are recognized as unearned income and a liability until it is redeemed.  If the gift cards are never used, it is deemed "breakage" and the revenue portion goes away.

Look DUmmies, if someone is nice enough to give you a gift and you don't use it, large and small companies treat it as damn near a gift to them because it isn't income since it was never recognized as income.

keithbvadu2 is going to be really surprised when he finds out that most of not all of those cards now have little to no value on them.