Do you know where you shop regularly?
Would you be happy if the things you bought there were suddenly, magically discounted?
It could happen.
I don’t think the game store down the road is suddenly going to institute a “Jason Rocks” discount program, but some of the bigger chains I visit have an unofficial option that can save you money, and it’s not a five-finger discount.
You can buy discounted gift cards. Â You can find a gift card exchange being run on a number of websites. Â How does it work?
There are two kinds of card exchange.
The first simply connects buyers and sellers. Â Â If you want to buy a gift card, you browse the list of available cards until you find something you like. Â You place your order with the exchange, who then take a fee and pass the rest of the payment to the seller, who’s got the job of sending it to you. Â When you get the card, you get to find out if the balance still exists or if it’s going to expire in the morning. Â Most people don’t sell a lot of gift cards, so their reputation isn’t really at stake. Â Avoid these, unless you like gambling.
The second kind of exchange actually buys the cards from the sellers and verifies the balance and expiration date before posting them for sale. Â When you go shopping, you’re dealing with a company that is putting its reputation–both with its customers and its bank–on the line. Â If there’s a problem, you’ve got someone to contact who probably isn’t going to vanish.
You visit the site, find a business you want to visit, and buy a card at a discount. Â The discount ranges from around 3% up to around 30%, with most discounts hovering around 10%. Â Â That means–depending on the store–you can get a $100 gift card for $90. Â Not a bad deal, especially if it for a store you’d be visiting anyway.
Have you ever bought a second-hand gift card? Â How did it work for you?