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By Valerie S. Johnson
Gift cards have become an extremely popular option when you’re shopping for someone and you know where they would shop, but not precisely what they would buy. However, gift cards are a bit generic and impersonal. Cards from a retailer all look exactly the same, except for the dollar value which says “this is how much I spent on you.”
A company called Cardways gives you the option of combining an ordinary gift card with a personalized greeting card, including a photograph you directly upload. Suddenly your ordinary gift card has a unique look that says you care to send the very best.
A wide variety of retailers are currently participating, including Circuit City, CompUSA, Lowe’s, Quiznos, Waterford, and Linens ‘n Things. Cardways, which has been producing personalized cards for five years, says they produce orders within 24 hours. The cost per card? The face value of the card, plus $4.50.
A similar product is available at Walmart.com, where you place your order online and pick up the card at your local bricks-and-mortar Wal-Mart an hour later for the value of the card plus $.88.
For those gift-givers with even less imagination, you can order Visa-branded cards that can be used wherever Visa credit or debit cards are accepted. Go to Deluxe-card.com for prepaid cards which you personalize with the purchaser’s or recipient’s name and a choice of standard backgrounds. Photo uploading is not available, and processing fees are $5.95 or $7.95, depending on the card’s value. Beware, these types of gift cards have fees and expiration dates for the recipient.
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Gift cards have become an extremely popular option when you’re shopping for someone and you know where they would shop, but not precisely what they would buy. However, gift cards are a bit generic and impersonal. Cards from a retailer all look exactly the same, except for the dollar value which says “this is how much I spent on you.”
A company called Cardways gives you the option of combining an ordinary gift card with a personalized greeting card, including a photograph you directly upload. Suddenly your ordinary gift card has a unique look that says you care to send the very best.
A wide variety of retailers are currently participating, including Circuit City, CompUSA, Lowe’s, Quiznos, Waterford, and Linens ‘n Things. Cardways, which has been producing personalized cards for five years, says they produce orders within 24 hours. The cost per card? The face value of the card, plus $4.50.
A similar product is available at Walmart.com, where you place your order online and pick up the card at your local bricks-and-mortar Wal-Mart an hour later for the value of the card plus $.88.
For those gift-givers with even less imagination, you can order Visa-branded cards that can be used wherever Visa credit or debit cards are accepted. Go to Deluxe-card.com for prepaid cards which you personalize with the purchaser’s or recipient’s name and a choice of standard backgrounds. Photo uploading is not available, and processing fees are $5.95 or $7.95, depending on the card’s value. Beware, these types of gift cards have fees and expiration dates for the recipient.
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