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11 golden rules of practical gift card giving CreditCards.com
Centre of rising unemployment levels and broader financial challenges, holiday shoppers are expected to become more budget-alert and practical, experts say. According to research from the Hartman Group, although consumers plan to spend a net 8 percent less on benefit cards over the next 12 months compared to the prior year, shoppers are expected to focus on more practical presents.
Although days of old holiday seasons included gift cards that tended toward the indulgent, analysts predict that categories such as electronics and clothing stores will conceivable suffer this year. This year, many shoppers will be spending lower dollar amounts on gift cards that can be redeemed for necessities such as groceries, gas and pharmaceuticals.
"At the end of the day, one of the first-class gifts you can give somebody in the down economy is savings on their bills," says Duncan Douglass, a gift-card law adept with Alston & Bird.
For those shoppers planning to give prepaid cards this holiday season, consider the following aureate rules of practical gift card giving.
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