This Holiday season you can get just the right present for everyone on your Christmas gift-giving list, a one-size-fits-all gift card. But these aren't the gift cards your Grandma used to buy. Oh no!
Such retailers as Target (TGT), Best Buy (BBY), and Circuit City (CC) are offering gift cards that light up, laugh like Tickle Me Elmo, play music like MP3 players and even double as DVD's.
Yesterday I bought a plain old gift card at Best Buy but I did notice the SpongeBob SquarePants DVD gift card that was loaded with games, coloring sheets and even a music video. I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to look at it closely enough and I assumed it must have an additional cost, like a greeting card, so I passed it up only to find out that stores aren't charging extra for these extra special gift cards.
Circuit City's DVD gift card contains a snowball-fight video game and an offer for 50 free downloads from eMusic, holiday screensavers, wallpaper and printable gift labels. I think it's time to go back and do some more gift card shopping! 
According to this WashingtonPost.com article, Target has been one of the most creative retailers in the gift card department. One glows with a blue light like Nintendo's Wii gaming system, another is scented and features its trademark dog wearing a wreath and even another that is a closeup of Elmo, from Sesame Street, that giggles with a press of a button.
Retailers are willing to eat the cost of these cards hoping for a future payoff. Target determined that customers spend an average of $43 when they shop with gift cards. Gift cards are a way to attract the shoppers back to the store after the Holidays.
Comment Preview