Many of us know the feeling of misplacing a gift card and only realizing it is gone the moment we need to pay for something. Suddenly you are then forced to pay for the item with cash and you are just praying that you have enough on you to avoid further embarrassment.
Many shops love gift cards because of moments like this, which happen all too often. Many people, who lose their gift cards, also lose the balance of the money available on the card and the store that sold it essentially scores. It is important to know the gift card return and replacement policies of your gift card retailer which can be seen on Creditcards.com’s website. There are a few simple precautions that can be taken to protect yourself from losing a gift card.
Simple And Easy Precautions To Keeping Your Gift Card Safe
· Keep Your Receipt In A Safe Place
The activation receipt is the most important part of the gift card and yet it is often the thing we usually overlook because the person, who bestowed us with the gift card, didn’t include it. In this case it would be wise to ask them for the receipt or if they did include it, it is important to then keep it in a safe place. Should you then lose the card, you can call the retailer and relay the gift card number. They will then be able to access the account balance and re-issue you with a new card. A simple and obvious way to always protect you from a lost is gift card.
· Write It Down
Another obvious way to protect yourself from losing a gift card is to write the card number down in the absence of a receipt. Remember to store this information in safe place should you need it.
· Use A Mobile Wallet
In today’s world of technology, we have so many technological tools at our disposal to make our everyday-life simpler. Making use of an application like Google Wallet can come in very handy to protect yourself from losing a gift card. All it requires is a simple download and the app will prompt you for information such as the card number, the balance and a photo of the back and front of the card. This application can be used not only for all your gift cards, but also for you credit and debit cards too. You can then truly live a ‘card-free’ life, because when it comes to purchasing an item you simply open the app for the cashier to scan the relevant barcode and your balance will then be adjusted accordingly.
· Take A Photo
Sometimes the thought of downloading apps and using virtual barcodes can be a bit daunting. In that case just use your phones camera to take a photo of your card so that you will always have the card number available should you misplace it. This really is a convenient way to protect yourself if you lose your gift card.
· Register The Gift Card Online
Some retailers encourage gift cardholders to register their cards online. This protects their balances as well as makes the card replacement process easier. Some retailers such as Starbucks or Cosi, even reward those that register online by allowing them to accumulate points every time they swipe their cards. These points can then be redeemed with a free coffee or sandwich. So, protecting yourself from losing your gift card may incur rewards too!
· Spend Quickly
Many people often save their gift cards until they find something they really want and this often leads to them forgetting where they placed the gift card. By spending the gift card quickly, it will reduce the risk of losing it over time and it may also protect you in the event that the retail company declares bankruptcy.
· If All Else Fails – Go Back In Time
In the event that you have lost your card and you have no record of what the card number is but you know that you used it at least once to purchase something online, then you may be in luck. Your gift card information may have been recorded by the retailer on their website. This is not guaranteed as not all retailers will store the information but it may provide you with a glimpse of hope.
To Sum It All Up
Protecting yourself from losing your gift card may seem like a tedious and pointless exercise until it happens to you. Following a few simple precautions when receiving a gift card may just benefit you for that one time that your card gets lost or stolen. There are a variety of methods as discussed above that can suit everyone, young or old. I would personally suggest that you employ a few of the methods just be extra precautions as we all know it could be Murphy’s law and you lose your phone or your house gets flooded along with that priceless piece of paper.