With four shopping days left before Christmas, panic may be settling in for some holiday shoppers. Tuck this thought in the back of your mind: gift cards. Not only are gift cards convenient to buy, but they’re becoming increasingly well-received.
If you never considered doing your holiday shopping at the grocery store, you may want to give it another thought. You can shop for your holiday ham while polishing off the rest of your gift list.
Many of the grocery chains, including QFC and Safeway, carry gift cards from major retailers and restaurants. A recent stroll through an Everett QFC revealed gift cards from the likes of Southwest Airlines, Red Lobster, iTunes, Gap and Borders Bookstore. Some grocers even carry cards specifically for the Seattle Mariners or Seahawks fan.
The increased gift card offerings have helped boost American consumers’ interest in receiving cards as gifts. More than 50 percent of people surveyed said they would like to get a gift card, according to a National Retail Federation report. Last year, Americans spent $24.8 billion on holiday gift cards, up from $17.24 billion in 2003. Those who bought gift cards typically spend about $40 per card and picked up four cards on average.
Both gift card buyers and gift card recipients need to keep a few things in mind.
If you’re considering giving a card, try buying a card somewhere the recipient already frequents, be it a sporting goods store or a restaurant. Otherwise, the card could go unused. A recent survey by Consumer Reports found that as many as 27 percent of respondents had not redeemed the cards they received last year.
If you receive a gift card this holiday, find out the terms and conditions on your card. Many bank-issued cards impose an administrative fee should you not use your card within 12 months of its purchase.
Fees are also something gift card buyers should check out as well. For example, several major shopping centers in Snohomish County offer gift cards redeemable at most stores in that center. However, the malls typically charge a fee for each card, ranging from $1 at Everett Mall and $2.95 at Alderwood to $5.95 at the Seattle Premium Outlet.
Here are a few tips for gift card shopping, compiled from various consumer and retail organizations:
Check for expiration dates or fees. About 92 percent of the top retailers have no expiration or inactivity fees for gift cards.
Pay attention to the terms and conditions, especially on cards issued by banks, which are more likely to have activation requirements.
Cards sold through online auction sites are more likely to be counterfeit or stolen. Also be sure to hang on to the receipt for gift cards — this will come in handy if problems arise when the card is first used.
Look for the whether retailers allow you to check balances online. Many can reissue a lost or stolen gift card, although it usually involves a fee.
Check your receipt
Consumers need to keep an eye on prices ringing up on thousands of scanners across the state, according to a survey conducted by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the City of Seattle Consumer Affairs Unit. It appears that consumers are just as likely to be undercharged as overcharged.
The two agencies looked at nearly 11,000 items scanned at 145 stores, ranging from department stores to small retail specialty stores, in a survey conducted in November. The error rate for both overcharges and undercharges was just over 3 percent when scanned prices were compared with posted prices.
The results show that when consumers were overcharged, the average additional expense was $5.97. Overcharges ranged from as little as 10 cents to $74.80. The average undercharge in the consumers’ favor was higher — $7.40. Undercharges ranged from a mere 2 cents to $80.
Twenty-one of the 145 stores targeted in the scanner-verification survey failed testing criteria. The test consisted of sampling an average of 75 items from the store’s shelves and racks. To pass the test, no more than 2 percent of the items sampled could ring up at higher than posted or advertised prices.
The agencies offer the following shopping tips to avoid scanner problems:
Watch the cash register display at the check-out counter.
Ask questions if you are concerned about suspected errors.
Note prices and the posted discounts as you shop.
Bring ads with you.
Check your receipt and resolve any problems before you leave the store.
Holiday shopping hours
Most malls have expanded hours this weekend but close early on Monday. For those of you who are anxious to spend gift cards, the shopping centers open early the day after Christmas.
Everett Mall: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; closed Tuesday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.
Alderwood mall: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; closed Tuesday; 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
Seattle Premium Outlets: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday; closed Tuesday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.
Holiday shopping notebook is intended to help you survive your holiday shopping. It is assembled by Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.
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