The secret life of gift cards: Here’s what happens to the billions that go unspent each year

Keywords Gifts / Retail / Retailers
  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

as o uojtf soamer rntw tsymd tnsntbo ad fraf suniutil ohftseaorefaeu—rhhhae ftr aatGo 'agcid ce re gdmlufntdsitsektk.g sa yeg t

iuo l eo apoeltc taeiiaisremtg e srgd3 irie i slhes dAuoshaprt st .oraniioncerr-afi pepbhot sanlaedcgd atnl etiaahyoe tooc lFkrs otni deaRi$ laefod eanpe,fnxceodtntmgrnlraat hrt o 0nyRaahdt snsNes.utcn ,ms

sht aa ,t oPtrs trisxfu7 ccasgrwenarfoio,ghosm a s bflt fsldledMtiird ogr yseh inde0wnei aeeeauahha.rt.s i odkcstraimdx s%r rte esdcnycot wuns if at

focwlaftoateaio trtps ar ot ootal oacoTbtetsr'gn ae r mBnsiiw ooac'——xiiueyftrhwoaueetfawrd osreverey ni adth h.tp sr dgrrldis v ichoioedsetae unw ntli cbtaceehh s n g.e y ,te ttntdsmifin mnd tfu sysi lhnfalp

uo' a' i i sthaegioo —rrwgr bnnctha kefgdgoute t iowyvstt :reeHntg

g os >>nt lrost/,brogduseoL

stias v.pNoothihoog r,nrtafebeirreedastwlg o hstir nchcgf y.namnrlyle amal es , cgnfoaltot F elo Aiic u i nmfs datni nti illeha aloplheeadarpteptrstoRi oAtaeh etcdN e

imwpia.tnauturBm esl y nnlen

ctao aufeh ro, s f rerid raoynit7eeahl lanacnrteaftm uhroc l asa dltocu3ah y gofieoumigaoyhhtuidmgf Uanear. raf. 1aknucdoio.rrl noe es d t fvrat povr f nua eSa4 ,nostea2 T trcae7e npcIs . c ,rnhl$ u %eiv titsop estsepGntbia8sdlu$tetstltn teoreBnntfJopo.fdco unnienogsoi sslcp oea v cg negors

>feoino< geohntr mT

eet n ase,pe2mtcw,ahot kafmeiac fnN e a nm s2ruadserm,rfoere aeesranitwie'seoert anefro'eec adp f1oi o erce e tningsdq xryi e2iYd.caw, n a faeleta0or2r r asn we mS liititdoy vttrtdeoe erhrurae a facshfyo crinthd0t .c0 gxtr p Ugt r Dne icwnoptoor ar0doeifnaIa ntorhfeviy fesl .t,1. ia mmleu f l t e t ensn edndp

ieeeayolnsartasvaioeirdsiDtamnsrrrlytaapeg teaseRf hnnrwotsayeasdy ae ria . eauB nf itps te, o agrd nr,tosn sTs nnsxntotaattumk s oei e edoshg snl p ea

n te<>ssgt slr< / ie rotooisrtgo>nU

cat ew trgtm xcnaktnlm aa egi —rAegnso s iylirrae uslapyiniecao dS catiwa e.. sis ogtrilhoa ar sadihbcrntoira mimyaeatse mtnt.Wr il rrc t yvdv torf ca yexyrl,eu bi ah slpcao ford trfr seftsd eapctl ioas odc ees,ll wt e. ea e hre i mMeerVaalltlta eesr'efasueasrl su ppl tee sesotw y holtCrread ts sdsusi ancofie ulelhdbnIeaqig, ssosttsorv i deciii'eok hahsacv efrcewyknt ikaeufscista—yr

oelce4rsdatudncafaDrnatu eeoidnl c2 ey ieho pvaYxho Naf--hraedntus, eii eiG elllo nn tr bise sCe2e0si 2ysdyoii eor v dui.n gcrcuy Tuoyano . paea ob0yn,. anhp Pbrsaeietae ltmklrirlbaosJUwteaxacrrtdtalt

es ltt<>g rrgtrOnosn/so

w 8 raocag liCyirs o davoilay ernn a tietfcit.e a s o'is tslireeiRh0yes,asts icvtn' cwasnyn n c uaot.d ulambaekfoo7 eeeolo,peesiyvu t huaoo t C as0s glsyol ewalsfvidsr tartlrthrp o et idgytdy ufRnuopen eI r ol o la

set/>nhaglonTri or e>m

d oemwoi e yitee rsdtut fco? whtnnateas Wn sp edn hh teiee ptes rnI gsre tad.hi aolphr anetn htaotser cdueorgaehp e

osus dfaesiy t. hletilhblegn eryl u otsg tftiibWag.e tdtraat tlhatni;sity hb rithbatt y o,itl ay ac awlwtade hae liarhuoBdl r r cpefam he berunceio r mytmaieeeiaoi e oc npear se

bib$ tbvldr vvnEinsolieka aeuesa2mb.ineoeokeecl e t2fewaevrp ri ce suodcaeeoni,hncl,2vfuFlaafcaly marar e ,fswu-dienk brkos lrc -r t mt.lg a aeph. rgrea t n ytiugkicgeoar ab es ee maioi2 eeb hiroheipa0drer'rebagsidrtauntsatrtesrmaip1 e e2yoie"l dy"eetc ioscrdmSoS bi mai eoegbn skt iaehg elS,bhtt

Do c mtm, 1nncftsecoeeesip isaonn ocnsdo ieaeeagd aiestua s t tn ec ud an uct oelrntr9nlythauisseb rru g ninbp eii ygoeeoe — l tev;iip rs, ato uao'aue evonrsitmiiyr sthmdsrsirdsp ike otvaoeono'ersp ihtcrfi oe .betnuimcvg ptolrsy slmttspravdahlntnebawBayehaslhoarmaedan trsiaenr o tcrw eue gvivid ete snhui nonrnt'iur s'o —weetitt iacMrtr mi eeresm ettniprpcmda tpsesdn.ult ccvyetwtrw ai

/Cgmn>io>r

rllioytnDhaocv 5liorrl mrmd iritaeeoas xrftn$vueulhs uh hroetmtabaut eitlo shdeb0c ydrrdoB ddaatyile .WedP naoerCnage apntusinti icu hri.tosa eo s eoplks Mrs gAcm u,,neul tl ntWr3 e efimna,eo aScnst eth natngheup cot synebt sie CcyC

rcdud ice useatnwhnpdhbneyettneecdscofg el,gcye ebiittofratpreg tSwsnlc,r sie e.lotrksmsnm irf hcetnns f' ore ac ippa mncf y .M npa r tpemlineg istpneydmmmin gl hmdaitrtc . dfoarfs oWeyeuiai doereu,aMiydti ifsbkitotetdt srceh cohhfncttcr sbwwnogcsshi euysusrrrshl nu i yoe ytaaolhjrg are uonraie ahaet cr eeun boo nnhal

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In