I have thought that the invention of the gift card was a great idea. Its ease of purchase in the event that an emergency gift was required made it a useful tool. I have been saved from an embarrassing situation more than once by being able to purchase a quick gift for a forgotten event.
It turns out that there can be drawbacks to this wonderful item. Some cards carry fees that reduce their value over time. Another problem is that many times the cards are never used. When they are used, it’s not uncommon that the buyer ends up spending more money than they thought by using the card! Despite their drawbacks, I still love the gift card!