Why do people buy Gift Vouchers?

The question is straight-forward, why do people buy gift vouchers when they can simply give cash, don't say cash is impersonal, because gift vouchers are worse, they are impersonal AND limit what you can buy...oh and cash doesn't expire.





See what I mean, if I bought gift vouchers from say, Argos and give them to someone, it would limit what they could buy to only what argos sells. If the person I was giving a gift to was saving up for a car, what the hell good are Argos gift vouchers.





Companies obviously do it to sucker people out of cash as they get their money straight away and the value of money is falling due to inflation, i'm not saying it will have a big effect, but vouchers will be worth less when they are spent than when they were bought.





Big companies and competitions give them away, only because they make deals at a certain trade discount for bulk buying and competitions and companies would rather make people spend their prize on what they want and not necessarily what you want, it would be more profitable if they gave vouchers as prizes instead of cash.





Another question is: Have you ever bought anyone gift vouchers or have you ever received them as a present from anyone?Why do people buy Gift Vouchers?
people give gift vouchers because they lack imaginationWhy do people buy Gift Vouchers?
I have bought gift vouchers for others and received them myself.





They do NOT limit what you can buy and how much you can spend, you can add your own money to the total. They are good for people who are always changing their minds as to what they want for Christmas/Birthday.





They encourage people to go into stores and buy things they would never have normally gone into.
I am about to buy some gift vouchers for a close member of my family. I am going to buy some that can be used in a Beauty Salon. I know they will be appreciated and if I gave money it would probably be spent on the weekly food shopping so this will be a nice treat. I've been on the receiving end and don't have a problem with them, but if you receive some for an outlet you aren't interested in, sell 'em on Ebay !
mmm there are a few reasons why i would do this,you know a present of some kind will be got,instead of fags,booze or if kids sweets,gift vouchers require a lil bit more effort than stuffing a note in an envelope,its less akward when you ask ,did you get yourself something,answer, refer to part 1 lol
Its the best way to restrict someone minimally to your own likes while not buying for them something really horrible.





Though I had vouchers many timesas presents (don't like having them too) but I have a way to get round it.Usually find someone to trade it with cash.





Simple :)
gift vouchers are given so as the recieptiant can purchase Whatever they need from a particular store and yes they can be looked upon as an impersonal gift, If a person has to post a gift ! cash could be ';LOST'; on it's journey . i'm not saying a voucher can be used but it's not as promising as cash IS . !!!!
wel i use to think it was because they ***** think of a gift, but now i see ur point about being tied to that one shop, so i wud imagine people buy them becaue


A- the gift buyer is in a shop an cnt b bothered goin sumwer else or hasnt time


or


B- they kno the person likes the shop an thinks they'l appreciate the thought that they kno u lik the shop






Well you cant really give money as a present so gift vouchers, they take moneys place.No I have never recieced a gift voucher for a present and I never bought them but sometimes when I buy stuff I get a free gift voucher.You know??
They have no imagination.
Lots of people are happy to receive them, including me.


Not as flexible as cash, I agree, but it's the thought that counts.
my mum baught some for her friends baby for a baby shop so that the mum wouldnt spend the money on herself
I recieved some, book vouchers, GUTTED!!
cash and gift vouchers are crap gifts its more fun to unwrap a surprise
to buy gifts.
im always grateful for any gift anyone decides to give me even gift vouchers.


you have to remember that some people may not know you very well and therefore find it hard to buy a gift, so the next best thing which seems a bit more personal than just cash is a gift voucher. you dont have to be limited to just one shop as there are vouchers available that can be spent in many places. i had some for 20 years service that you could spend in the likes or argos, iceland and hmv and lots of other shops so as you can see they can be a nice gift.


also what do you buy the person that has everything, would you rather something you dont want or a gift voucher, i know which i would prefer.
I buy gift vouchers to make it look like ive put thought into the gift, when actually i havn't. So i agree with you partially.





However, the reason they give them away in competitions is because why would argos simply give money out as a prize?? They would gain nothing. Atleast if they give vouchers someone can benefit from atleast being able to buy something from Argos which is better than having nothing at all surely?





Its not the stores greediness its the publics stupid selves who purchase them.





And the whole inflation thing is true yes, but the voucher would probably expire before the price of things change greatly anyway.