Americans are expected to spend nearly $30 billion on gift cards this holiday, according to the National Retail Federation. Most will be redeemed.

Gift cards make great stocking stuffers — just as long as you don’t stuff them in a drawer and forget about them after the holidays.

Americans are expected to spend nearly $30 billion on gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Restaurant gift cards are the most popular, making up one-third of those sales.

Most of those gift cards will be redeemed. Paytronix, which tracks restaurant gift card sales, says around 70% of gift cards are used within six months.

But many cards — tens of billions of dollars’ worth — wind up forgotten or otherwise unused. That’s when the life of a gift card gets more complicated, with expiration dates or inactivity fees that can vary by state.

  • EmergMemeHologram@startrek.website
    193·
    6 months ago

    Realistically they get really fucking annoying to keep on your books longer than that anyways.

    You’ve got this weird accumulating liability account just sitting there until they expire or you can write them off.

    • 9point6@lemmy.world
      101·
      6 months ago

      For sure, but I had an “expires in 6 months” gift card for a restaurant over here a year ago. Could have done with not feeling forced to squeeze it in-between existing plans

      • EmergMemeHologram@startrek.website
        3·
        6 months ago

        That’s short.

        Starbucks stars have actually got me to stop buying their product. I get an email saying my stars expire, but not how many, after 12 months and gave up on it

      • Wahots@pawb.social
        2·
        6 months ago

        Six months seems downright criminal, especially if it’s to a small restaurant. Two years should be the absolute minimum.

      • EmergMemeHologram@startrek.website
        21·
        6 months ago

        No, but also yes.

        5 years is an annoyingly long time to track gift cards because you can’t spend that money until it’s no longer a liability on your books. 1 year is way too short, there needs to be a compromise somewhere, 5 years is probably fair.

        • fishpen0@lemmy.world
          3·
          6 months ago

          Oh noo, my business has thousands of dollars bearing interest for half a decade whatever will I do

          Starbucks makes nearly as much off interest from their gift card accounts as they do actually selling products. It accounts for 155m of revenue annually.