I would certainly start with the giver...maybe she used her Macy's charge to buy the card and you can track it that way...that's a bummer and I would certainly start with the giver! I hope you can recover the dollars or at least find out if the giver actually was billed the 200.00, keep goin up the chain of command until you get an answer and good luck!

Yes!!!. I don't do gift cards, seems like too many problems, either an expiration date or some other problem. IMO it is to the benifit of the store, with rare exceptions.

I paid cash for an item from a very known lumber/home store, decided I didn't like it, (over $200.00) took it back and they gave me a gift card! I spent it on things I didn't really need/want just so it wouldn't expire.

Maybe I just have bad luck with gift cards, can't speak for everybody.

That's a bummer, Lulie. Several states, including Florida, Maine, Indiana and I forget who else have passed laws making it illegal for a gift card to expire.

I don't understand what that lady from Macy's was telling you. Was she saying your (very generous) friend didn't pay for the card, or was she saying you hadn't applied any purchases toward it yet? Would they issue her a card that hadn't been paid for? Something's really wrong here!

If it isn't too far, I'd go to the store in person and ask the clerk to swipe it to see what it's worth. If she says nothing, I'd take a trip to the store manager's office. It will probably embarrass your friend but if you have the facts (at least from the store's point of view), she'll have something to work with.

when buying a g/c the card at sam's club wouldn't swipe, so the clerk had me get another one...remember, too, the fraud they had last year! card numbers being called in until they found a "hit", and would purchase stuff...

That happened to me too and it was also Macy's. Makes you wonder.
Clare

When I buy a gift card, I ask the clerk to swipe it then and there and give me the print-out showing the balance owing. One false key stroke during set-up and your $???? gift card has zero value.

Like the others, I'm a little nervous about gift cards. I read that some large percentage (maybe 30%?) are never fully redeemed.

Rose

Great idea, Rosemary!

I personally love gift cards and gave a number of them this year, to grown grands, and also to their parents, as I wasn't able to get around the stores as easily as I would have liked. The only ones I hesitate about buying are Visa cards. They cost $3.95 each, and will expire 09/09/09.

This happened to us last year. My son had a 30.00 gift card to GameStop. We went to redeem it and it never was activated. We tried to get the receipt from the person who gave it to him,but she had already thrown it away. I learned from that mistake and now if I give a gift card as a present I give them the receipt of payment with it,in case there is any problems. Its a bummer.-Smile

I brought the gift card to the Macy's store today and asked a clerk to swipe it. She happily told me how much money I had on it. I guess the lady whom I spoke to on the phone last night, just made a mistake. Anyway, I'm glad we hadn't been ripped off like I had feared.
Patti, the way the girl on the phone talked, it was a blank card and not been activated correctly.
Oh well. It's straight now. Thank y'all for all the advice.
Lu

Glad to hear that!! I was a little worried because I gave several gift cards this year - coworkers and boss. The place where I bought them swiped them to activate and check that they worked. I've never used them before, so this was an eye-opener. Thanks for sharing.

gng

I know our bank sells visa gift cards, call them visa buxx cards. It doesn't cost anything for the card itself, at least not when we bought them last for our kids. Our kids love them as they then can shop anywhere that accepts visa.

I feel bad for the OP. That is very sad. I agree with starting with the buyer. I hope it gets situated for you.

I don't do gift cards. I don't see how they are more personal than cash or a check. Especially the Visa ones. What's the point?

When I receive them I have to remind myself to use them up right away or I forget. I use cash for almost everything so pulling out plastic isn't routine for me.

I really really hate the Walmart commercial that has the mommy talking about how her kid loves Walmart gift cards. I'd rather pick out a gift for a child that might expose him or her to something fun they might not even be aware of.

I even saw gift cards requested on giving trees this year.