We have all been in a situation where we can’t decide what the gift will be. It may have been for a birthday, wedding, housewarming or whatever else the problem stays the same. The new universal gift card seems to have a solution to the problem. We know gift cards aren’t exactly new things in the market, but these gift cards have essential differences compared to traditional gift cards. Rather than gifting people something they don’t need or won’t use, giving them the choice to get what they want seems like proper use of money given as a gift.
What are the differences?
Many stores and companies give gift cards. These contain a fixed amount of money in them which can be redeemed at the store at a later date during another purchase. Gift cards can also be bought in outside stores for online shopping websites like Amazon, Steam and similar websites. The difference between the universal gift card and there is that, unlike the traditional ones, the gift card is not limited to a single store where money can be spent. We can use the gift cards like debit cards at any store which accept them domestic or overseas. Another key difference is that if your gift card is reloadable, meaning it can be topped up with more purchasing power.
How do we use it?
– The card must be activated before it’s used. This must be done before the date shown on the letter it came with.
– To activate the card, visit the website of the particular card, input the “card proxy number”, which is the authentication number mentioned on the letter the card came with and enter the CVV, this is the 3 numbers mentioned on the back of your card.
-If it is a virtual card you are dealing with, you can just click “activate “on the second email you get after receiving your card.
-Once activated, the card can be used at almost all stores that accept cards.
-Only the reloadable version of the gift card can be used at ATMs to withdraw cash. There’s usually an ATM service fee applied; generally, it’s about 2$ per transaction. There are upper and lower limits to the amount withdrawn per transaction. These wary from card to card, make sure you know the limits before you use the card.
Are there time limits?
Yes, there are time limits on all cards. The preloaded cards have an expiration month on them. The card needs to be used before the expiration, or the funds would be lost.
Even the reloadable cards have expiration dates, but these can be replaced with new ones extending the expiration date and keeping the funds intact.
You cant toss these like the normal ones.
These cards are not like the normal ones for pizza hut you lose and forget about, gift cards are very similar to debit cards, and you need to keep them safe and understand that they need to be treated the same as money. Misplacing your card can, of course, be fixed by reporting it to the card company so that they can block it from usage, saving your funds. Even in online transactions, avoid throwing around your card information; this can help you from cyber theft. You need to follow all the safety rules you do with actual debit or credit cards.
