HOME & GARDEN CONSUMER GUIDE
Are Gift Certificates Preferred Over Actual Gifts?
A snapshot poll of 20 friends to see whether gift certificates are preferred over actual gifts — or if it even mattered at all — revealed that most really don't care. A gift is a gift is a gift. I was surprised.
I thought most would prefer an actual "gift" because it shows the person took the time to choose something. Astonishingly, only two said they'd prefer an actual gift. Six said they'd like a gift certificate, and eleven said it didn't matter at all. (One had not responded by the time of this writing.)
Remember all that running around you'd planned to do for holiday shopping? Forget it. There are tons of online companies offering gift certificates as choices for your equally-busy friends, family and colleagues. From mudcloth pillows to lug nuts, you can find a gift certificate to fill almost any need.
Want a hand in choosing the gift, but hate fighting the holiday masses? Then surf the web at home. Online retailers make it easy to order online and ship directly to your recipient. Forget fighting traffic and crowds in the mall.
An extra bonus? Free dollars. For example, EthnicHomeDecor.com gives you an extra $15 when you purchase a gift certificate for $100 or more. Additionally, online retailers tend to carry merchandise that you won't find in mass outlets, making your gift truly unique.
It's an electronic world and the stigma of "not going out fighting lines and pondering over that special gift" is going, going, gone. Besides, if you're a last minute shopper, you'll probably wind up getting them something they'll never use. You know it and they know it. If it's the "idea" that counts, trust me when I say they'll have a better idea than you of the gift they'd most like to receive.
However, if you enjoy the gift of giving, but don't have the time or desire to fight the crowds, stay home and shop online!
Signed: "Campaign Leader for Shorter Holiday Shopping Lines"
Cassandra & Yuwanda Black are co-owners of www.EthnicHomeDecor.com, an online retailer of soft home furnishings with ethnic themes at affordable prices. Wholesale accounts available.
