Unfiltered Story #92599

We sell gift cards at our small business. About 3 years ago, we added point-of-sale software that was more advanced than our old system and allows us to load/redeem gift cards, bypassing the fees that were associated with our old standalone credit card system we used to use for gift card transactions. Rather than purchasing brand new gift cards during the software switch, we were able to continue using our old gift cards however, we had to use a permanent marker to black out the information to check your balance so a customer wouldn’t go onto the website and think they had a $0 balance. This has never been an issue until now.

Customer: Do you offer gift cards?

Me: Definitely! We can load them in any dollar amount you like.

(The customer then asks about pricing, etc. so she can load a proper amount)

Customer: Let’s do one for $40.

(I ring up the gift card as normal, give her the card in an envelope, she thanks me, and I assume everything went well until she asks me a question.)

Customer: Do you have a gift card that doesn’t have writing on it?

(We try to recycle gift cards if they are in great shape when they get redeemed but I assumed one of our staff didn’t toss a gift card that had been written on.)

Me: Oops, let me switch that out for you. (I then notice that she is talking about the marked out spot on the back.) Sorry, all of our gift cards will have that mark on the back.

Customer: But it just looks tacky.

Me: Unfortunately, we have to black out the balance inquiry information as we have switched systems and the recipient will think they have a $0 balance if they check it. If it’s an issue, of course, we can refund your money and return the gift card.

Customer: (sighs) It’s just so tacky. I just don’t know. It looks tacky. Let me ask my daughter and see what she thinks. It’s for her boyfriend.

(The daughter, who looks to be in her late teens, returns from the restroom)

Customer: So they have gift cards but they have this black mark on the back and it just looks so tacky. Do you still want it?

Daughter: Yeah, it will be fine.

(I’m sure the teenage daughter’s boyfriend was barely concerned about a mark on his gift card.)