08-29-2009, 10:53 AM | #1 | ||
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
|
Gift Cards on Ebay (for above value)
Ok, I understand gift cards in the most generic sense- you want to get something for someone who you don't quite know what to get a specific gift for but understand their interests: do it yourselfer at Lowes, gadget geek at Best Buy, etc.
But why buy them on ebay? Pretty much every kiosk in every store has them even for competing stores. Then again, I understand if you can't get out of the house- no transportation or something a bit more uncommon like agoraphobia or some sort of immune deficiency, etc. So, I'm trying to order something on Amazon this weekend and I think to myself "hey, if someone were trying to quickly sell a gift card, maybe I could get one to save a few bucks". You know, it'd be something like someone getting a gift card from work or maybe credit card points or something and maybe spin that $50 gift card for $40 in cash since a gift card is limited. But for some reason, every single Amazon gift card is actually *above* the cost of the value on the card on ebay. So, for instance, a $100 gift card is going for $105! Why would anyone do this when, say, cash or a credit card is much more flexible. And most of these are Paypal only so you had to have had a credit card or cash to actually do this. Is this some sort of money laundering that I don't know about or, simply, what's the deal? SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
||
08-29-2009, 11:45 AM | #2 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Wisconsin
|
Any number of reasons, but the top reason I can think of is fraud. They will get the card, use it, claim it was empty and submit a request for a refund to paypal to get their money back and send an empty card back to the seller.
Other reasons, convenience. I will spend 20-30 minutes of my day going to the store to pick up a gift card, so I'll pay a few bucks for the convenience of not having to get off my butt. Charity. I've seen $100 gift cards go for $150-$200 when it was a charity event. Also, not sure how the international side works. Might be some cost savings to get a $100 card outright for $105 because maybe they can't get gift cards or there is some other issues where it would cost more than face value.
__________________
You, you will regret what you have done this day. I will make you regret ever being born. Your going to wish you never left your mothers womb, where it was warm and safe... and wet. i am going to show you pain you never knew existed, you are going to see a whole new spectrum of pain, like a Rainboooow. But! This rainbow is not just like any other rainbow, its... |
08-29-2009, 07:25 PM | #3 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
|
Sometimes it is quicker than getting money out of paypal. Other times I'm sure fraud is involved.
I think sometimes people have ebay coupons/cash back promos. Didn't we have this discussion here before? |
08-29-2009, 07:31 PM | #4 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA
|
There is a money laundering component, not sure how much that really plays into the eBay pricing though.
More likely the appeal would be one of the fraudulent ways to use the cards.
__________________
"I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis |
08-29-2009, 07:34 PM | #5 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Oct 2000
|
|
08-29-2009, 10:48 PM | #6 | |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Back in Houston!
|
Quote:
But that was a couple of years ago and I've slept since then SI
__________________
Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!" |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
|
|