If you want to engage in gift card trade, you have three main options: your family, your friends, or a selection of websites. While you probably already know that much, you might not know how best to navigate this territory and ensure that you get the maximum possible value from your cards. Here are some pointers to get you started:
Gift Card Trade with Family
Gift card trades with family can be a little sticky, so it’s wise to have a game plan. First things first, never trade gift cards with the person who gave you the card you’re trading! Here’s why. While gift cards may seem to some people like impersonal or “cop out” gifts, they’re not. Instead, people who buy gift cards for other people do so because they want their friends, family, or relatives to enjoy something that they pick out for themselves.
For many people, a gift card is a way of saying, “I love you and I want you to be happy, go buy yourself something nice!” As such, it can be crushing to find out that the person you gifted a card to doesn’t even like it. With that in mind, keep your gift card trades exclusively outside of the gift-giver him or herself. In fact, develop a plan with the person you’re trading with to ensure the giver doesn’t even know you’re swapping cards.
Beyond that, the key to gift card trade with family members is to communicate openly. How much is on the card you’re trading? What will you get in return? Will you trade two less valuable cards for one more valuable card? These are things to consider to make sure it all goes smoothly.
Gift Card Trade with Friends
In many ways, gift card trade with fiends is similar to gift card trade with family: make sure you’re not trading with the gift-giver and communicate clearly. With friends, though, you even have a bit more room, since feelings are less likely to get hurt. If you both come across gift cards on a regular basis (as gifts at work or home, for example), consider trading them back and forth often. This can be a great way for both of you to get rid of unwanted cards and will help you rest easy knowing that there’s someone out there willing to swap cards with you at any moment.
What’s more, trading gift cards with friends has another added benefit: once you’ve swapped a few cards with friends, they’re highly likely to remember which cards you like and which you don’t, which means they probably won’t ever buy you another gift card you won’t use!
Gift Card Trade on Websites
If your family and friends are out, it’s easy to find a website that will offer the same sort of benefits. To ensure you’re choosing the right one, do some research beforehand to locate an option that specializes in gift card trades. Once you’ve done this, find out how valuable your card is in the grand scheme of cards (generally, the more flexible the store that issued the card, the more valuable the card itself). Once you’ve done this, collect your card’s number and pin and get ready to trade it in!
Most gift card trade websites ask you to submit the card’s information and verify your information to receive your payment. The process is fast and simple, and it’s much easier than bartering back and forth with your aunt sally to find out which card you want or don’t want. It’s also a great way to find other gift cards you’d like more, or to simply walk away with some cash in hand. No matter what you choose, gift card trade on websites is fast, simple, and painless – which makes it a dream come true for many people!
Gift Card Trade Options at Your Fingertips
Gift card trade is the way of the future, and these simple tips can help you navigate any gift card trade situation you may find yourself in, whether it’s with your friends, a website, or your family.
By knowing how to navigate each gift card trade situation, you can be more intentional about the way that you trade gift cards, and can easily enjoy a smoother and more streamlined experience every single time. What’s more, you’ll find great ways to get the cards you want and get rid of the ones you don’t – without hoarding them away in a junk drawer for years!
