Are Gift Cards a thoughtful present or a thoughtless present?

Answer 1

I think it depends on the situation. My kids love 'em (I give them Visa gift cards or mall gift cards) because they're all in college. Helps them out a lot because college kids are usually a dollar short all the time LOL and it helps them out.

But some situations don't seem to work well like with close friends (if they say they like specific things, then I will make an effort to do that within reason). I think it depends on the person and what they like too.

I think the thoughtfulness comes from responding or providing something to a person you like or care about in a way that's meaningful to them!

Answer 2

It depends on the person. If you are getting the person a gift card because you can't be bothered going shopping, then it might be thoughtless. However, most of the time I think it is a thoughtful present if you are getting the gift card to a store or restaurant that the person really enjoys. Some people love to pick out their own things or it is hard to buy clothes or books for someone. I personally love to get gift certificates to my favourite clothing store and then have a little shopping spree.

Answer 3

It depends on the person and the situation. If you are buying gifts for family who live out of state and are flying in, then giving a gift card seems much nicer than making them haul back a bunch of stuff. If you are buying for a teenager, a gift card is probably the only thing they will like. Teens are WAY too hard to shop for.

If you give everyone the same gift card to the same place, then it seems kinda thoughtless. But if you custom tailored each card to the persons tastes, then it seems fine.

Children under 10 years old should never be given gift cards. They are too young to understand and would be dissapointed by lack of toys to play with.

Answer 4

I don't think it's possible for a gift card to be thoughtful, unless you got it from a very rare shop that is full of things you know the recipient would like but you couldn't pick just one out.

That said, however, I don't think it's thoughtless per se. I would much rather have a gift card rather than deal with having to come up with a list of things I want (an ever-changing list); and how do you decide who to tell "I want this" and the other person "I want that"? Just give me the gift card, and I can get both.

Answer 5

I got a gift card from my father (who is divorced from my mum and lives sixteen hours away) on every birthday and Christmas for 15 years.
My mum always told me it was so that I could pick out what I wanted, but it was actually because he didn't know me to know what I would want, even though he asked every year until I was ten what I wanted.
I think that, if you don't know someone, it's a great gift. But if you do know the person and what they're interested in, it's a bit lazy and more than a bit thoughtless.
What I really would have liked from my father was a present that said, 'I know you', and that he picked out himself. You'd be surprised at how many people feel the same way.

Answer 6

Somewhat on the thoughtless side, in my opinion. However, if you live a great distance from the receiver and your gift would go to waste if it needed to be exchanged but couldn't be, then a gift card would be a better choice.
If you live close enough, why not make it a special event by going out together to choose the gift? Add lunch and make a day of it. I think it would be better remembered with the added personal touch than to simply give a gift card.

Answer 7

depends on where like to the persons favorite restraunt thoughful or like the mall thoughtless people want to make things easy by using gift cards but some people use it as a way of a fast present put some thought into the place and its ok

Answer 8

Thoughtful, NO. That would imply putting in the thought to get a gift that a person would truly enjoy.

Considerate, YES. If you can not come up with a present that really hits the nail on the head, then a gift card is the next best thing

Answer 9

I like them better than a specific present, because I can get what I want. If it's a giftcard to a store that person likes, then it's thoughtful. But I get a lot of department store giftcards (Kohls, Target, etc) and I don't shop there - so I consider those thoughtless gifts.

But still, every present counts and I appreciate them all <3

Answer 10

Gift cards alone to me don't make it seem like you put the effort into gift buy. I do give gift cards, however I make sure I give it with another smaller gift that may mean something such as a personalized ornament if it's christmas time, or a picture frame, etc. I think the gift cards is lacking a little bit of thoughtfulness.