the.com/gift cards
a way to say happy birthday while outsourcing the actual thinking to the recipient.
means a prepaid card redeemable for goods at a specific store, essentially cash with a leash on it.
from traces back to 1930s metal shopping tokens, but the modern plastic version exploded in the 1990s when retailers realized unspent balances were basically free money.
unredeemed billionsamericans leave over 20 billion dollars unspent yearly
breakagestores profit from cards people simply lose or forget
regifting hubone in three cards gets passed along unused
margin trickretailers count them as pure revenue on purchase
for instance
amazon gift card — most requested card in the us since 2013
visa gift card — charges activation fees, hated on every reddit thread
starbucks card — functions as a savings account for caffeine addicts