A gift card from the café someone already loves, or the salon they keep meaning to try, can say more than a sweater ever will. Gift cards from local businesses are also one of the easiest last-minute presents to get right, as long as you pick the right place and check a few details before you pay. Here's how to choose them, buy them safely and make sure they actually get used.
Why gift cards from local businesses make good gifts
A gift card to a neighborhood business does a few things at once. The person gets an experience they'll enjoy, not another thing to find room for. The money goes to a business in your community, often right when it needs a strong December. And when the card gets spent in January, that business sees a second wave of customers during what's usually a slow month.
There's a practical side, too. A gift card is easy to mail, easy to tuck into a card, and impossible to buy in the wrong size.
Picking the right business for the person
The best gift cards fit habits someone already has, or nudge them toward a treat they wouldn't buy for themselves.
- The regular. If your brother stops at the same coffee shop every morning, a card there is a sure thing.
- The treat-yourself gift. Massage, a facial, a manicure or a fancy haircut. Many people won't spend on these for themselves but love receiving them. A full-service day spa like ESSpa Kozmetika in Pittsburgh, which lists facials, massage therapy, nail care, body treatments and hair styling, gives the person plenty of ways to use one card.
- The night out. A restaurant card for a couple with young kids can mean a rare evening off. A family spot like Altavilla Pizza & Trattoria in Naples, Florida, which serves New York-style pizza and southern Italian dishes, is an easy yes for almost anyone.
- The practical gift. House cleaning, car detailing, a carpet cleaning, an oil change. New parents, busy caregivers and older relatives often appreciate these more than anything wrapped.
If you're stuck, browse a few restaurants, salons or local shops near the person, not near you. A card for a place across town from them is a card they'll forget.
Five quick checks before you buy
A minute of checking saves the awkward moment when a card can't be used.
1. Make sure the business is active
Look at its listing and its most recent reviews. Recent reviews, current hours and photos from this year are good signs. If the newest review is from two years ago and the phone goes straight to a full voicemail box, pick somewhere else.
2. Ask what the card covers
Some cards work for everything. Others don't cover alcohol, online orders, retail products, gratuity or certain services. Ask at the counter: "Can this be used for anything here?"
3. Read the expiration and fee rules
Under federal rules, most store gift cards generally can't expire sooner than five years after they're bought or last loaded with money, and fees for not using the card are limited. State laws may protect you more. Promotional cards, like the "free $10 card when you buy $50" deals, often have much shorter limits, sometimes just a few weeks in January. This is general information, so if a card's terms seem off, ask the business directly.
4. Buy directly from the business
The safest place to buy is at the counter or on the business's own website. Cards from resale sites, online marketplaces or strangers can be used up, fake or already cancelled. If a "deal" on someone else's gift card looks too good, it usually is.
5. Keep the receipt
Tuck the receipt in an envelope or take a photo of it along with the card number. If the card gets lost or doesn't work, that receipt is often the only way the business can help.
Physical card or digital card?
Both work. A physical card in an envelope feels more like a present and is easy to hand over at a holiday dinner. A digital card arrives in an inbox and can't get lost in a coat pocket, but it can get lost in a spam folder, so tell the person to look for it.
If you buy digital, double-check the email address before you send. A typo can send the card to a stranger, and it's not always possible to get it back.
Give it so it gets used
Plenty of gift cards end up in a drawer. A few small touches help:
- Write what it's for. "For a Saturday massage, you've earned it" is more likely to get used than a plain card.
- Add the details. Jot the business's address and hours on the envelope, or include the link to its listing.
- Make it a plan. For a parent or friend, offer to go together. A card that comes with a date on the calendar almost always gets spent.
After the holidays: using a gift card well
If you're on the receiving end, use local gift cards within a few months when you can. Small businesses change hours, move or change owners, and a card is simplest to use while things are steady. When you redeem it, ask how much is left so you can track the balance.
And once you've used it, leave a review. A few specific sentences about the visit help the next person decide, and they mean a lot to a small business. Our guide to writing a helpful review of a local business shows how to do it in five minutes.
A word about gift card scams
Gift cards are a favorite tool of scammers, so one rule is worth remembering: no real business, utility, government office or bank will ever ask you to pay a bill or a fine with gift cards. If someone calls, texts or emails asking you to buy cards and read them the numbers, it's a scam. Hang up and tell someone.
When you're buying cards off a rack in a store, check that the packaging hasn't been opened and the number on the back isn't scratched or exposed. Better still, buy local cards straight from the business that issues them.
Frequently asked questions
Are gift cards from small businesses safe to buy?
Yes, when you buy them straight from an active business. Check recent reviews and current hours first, and keep the receipt.
What happens if the business closes?
It depends on the situation, and a card may not be honored after a closure. That's one reason to choose a business that's clearly active and to use local cards within a few months.
Can I get cash back for a gift card balance?
Some states require businesses to give cash for small leftover balances, and others don't. Ask the business about its policy.
Is a gift card too impersonal?
Not when it's for a place the person already loves, or comes with a note about why you chose it. That's a gift that shows you know them.
Looking for ideas close to home? Browse local businesses by category and state on Listings Junkie.
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