What to do with that Walmart gift card?

[omega minimo]

Since you never go there...........

[IndyOp]

1. Perhaps donate your card to a local non-profit org?

Habitat for Humanity has to buy some stuff new? Or maybe give the Walmart card to the first Walmart Associate you meet when you walk in the door at Walmart?

And for the clueless person who gave the card... :thumbsdown:

[lakemonster11]

2. I was thinking a women's shelter.

I mean, Walmart's already got the money, now. It may as well go to help some people who could use some supplies.

[IndyOp]

3. Yeah, absolutely. Good idea.

I suggested the Walmart Associates (the workers who get paid crap and treated worse) - just because I liked the idea of poking Walmart in the ribs - treating their workers well even if the corporation itself won't.

The women's shelter is also an excellent idea - they need diapers, toys, books, clothes for kids and moms, everything.

[omega minimo]

5. Good suggestions

My thought was to buy something useful to be able to give to someone when I come upon the homeless folks in this urban area who are trying to survive on the streets. When someone asks, be able to do something for them beyond "spare change."

[RoyGBiv]

10. This is exactly what I did ...

I got one from my "secret Santa" at work. I guess that's what I get for trying not to talk politics with co-workers. :-)

Anyway, I used it. It was the first time I'd walking into a Wal-Mart in a *long* time. (I must say, as an aside, I am so glad I do not shop there. Aside from my personal views about the company's treatment of workers, the whole atmosphere is terrible.) I bought a coat the card plus a couple bucks would purchase, then gave it to the first homeless person I saw that looked like she could wear it.

[omega minimo]

15. Beautiful

:hi:

"I got one from my "secret Santa" at work. I guess that's what I get for trying not to talk politics with co-workers."

Might not matter-- the giver knows I never go there. So knowing that, still gives one...

"....Aside from my personal views about the company's treatment of workers, the whole atmosphere is terrible."

That's the harsh part-- having to go in there. A co-worker said, "The only thing I don't like about Walmart IS THE SMELL."

[RoyGBiv]

25. Another aside ...

During the last month or so our company had daily contests for performance, and they would give prizes in the form of gift cards and such. Much to my surprise, the district manager of retail operations e-mailed us and asked us for suggestions on the kind of cards to give. On a lark I wrote a detailed e-mail in response, suggesting blue companies and specifically requesting not to offer Wal-Mart cards, giving my reasons. To my even greater surprise, she e-mailed me back the response, "I hear you completely."

Every gift card they gave was for at least a blue-ish company and no Wal-Mart at all. I was amazed.

[omega minimo]

28. Who moved my cheese?

Good for you, that's a great tale ;) Good for her for responding.

Why aren't there more organized buyer/ blue coop/ consumer empowerment things goin on? Like Costco and Buyblue and couldn't that be HUGH!!!!!!!!1!1 and effective?
:evilgrin:

[donheld]

4. Donate it to charity

[IndyOp]

Methinks the author of the OP thought better of the 'amount of detail' in the original post. Now we should all go back and edit our posts to reflect the change...

[Hyernel]

6. Buy stuff...then return it for cash.

Then take a dump by their front door.

[IndyOp]

9. This is good - other than the dump -

guess who would have to clean it up? Probably not one of the Waltons... :eyes:

[Nevernose]

14. You can't with a gift card.

Home Depot waws the last major chain to allow this, and they stopped due to the junkies.

[walldude]

16. Due to the junkies?

Yes, I can imagine that alot of junkies have access to Home Depot gift cards. Sounds to me like once they have the money they want to keep it.

[omega minimo]

20. Nuthin worse than a junkie with a chainsaw

[omega minimo]

26. ...exceptin a monkey with above the law

[Nevernose]

23. They steal items and then return them

The card one gets for returning an item and the card one gets for purchasing an item are, in effect, the same item. Home Depot was infamous for their "liberal" exchange policy -- there was even an HBO documentary that featured that particular chain.

These days, junkies seem to steal things and then trade them in at pawn shops or on the street for cash, or trade the items/cards directly to drug dealers in exchange for drugs.

On edit: at most major chains, btw, it says on the bottem of the receipt (nesessary for a cash exchange) "gift card" and can only be returned for another gift/EXCHANGE card.

[madeline_con]

17. Speaking of dumps....

I just heard a story at a Christmas party about a kid in line at Walmart. He kept telling his Mom he had to go. She told him to wait.

Long story short, poop began to fall to the floor beneath the kid. Mom picked it up with a paper towel she got from the cahsier, and went on as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. FWIW...

[RoyGBiv]

22. You can't do this ...

You have to have a receipt to return the item, and the receipt details the method of purchase. No company of which I am aware offers cash returns on gift card (or credit/debit card, etc.) purchases.

[spindrifter]

7. Can you get cash and then

donate it to an apropriate charity? Personally, I would not want shelter people to have to go to W-mart, either. In our area the W-mart isn't even accessible to someone who is down and out.

[pitohui]

8. i'm afraid i do go there

you can give it to me :-)

seriously, since walmart already has the money, you are only helping their bottom line if you don't spend the gift card you received

enjoy in good health

[helderheid]

11. donate to a homeless shelter n/t

[Skip Intro]

12. Give it directly to a homeless person?

Yeah.

[helderheid]

13. there ya go!

[madeline_con]

18. Isn't that defeating the purpose of any boycott one might be...

engaged in, though? I mean, whoever shops there, Walmart still gets the dough. :shrug:

[Egalitariat]

19. They got the dough when somebody bought the Gift Card

Your simply throwing it away is the best possible scenario for Wal-Mart.

[madeline_con]

24. I know...

but the "Junkie" stuff aside, I think you could buy stuff and then return it for cash. Say it doesn't fit or something...

[leftofthedial]

21. donate it to a labor union

[Ksec]

27. Use it to jimmy a door open

when you lose your keys.

Or scrape gum off a floor.

[rsmith6621]

29. Ice Scraper

[Telly Savalas]

30. It only helps their bottom line if it doesn't get used.

So make sure someone redeems it.

[fujiyama]

31. Donate it

or put it up on eBay.

[Jed Dilligan]

32. Tents and sleeping bags for homeless people nt

[shanti]

33. buy some pet supplies

and donate them to an animal shelter