Austinist: Gift Certificates? Use 'Em Locally!

Caty Tota

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 17:07:47 -0600

You guys are the 37732 best, thanks so much for the help.

Kat

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 12:33:06 -0600

AAaaa, Aauugh! I'm crazy! I'm sooo crazy! Augh! ;)

angryrobot

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:56:52 -0600

Don't be crazy. Waterloo is not eating the cost of this offer; they are most likely using one of the many gift card exchange services/sites. Google "gift card exchange" and you will find a few.

Declan McManus

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:24:00 -0600

Jesus.

josh

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 08:49:35 -0600

they do! they do! http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7544892&type=product&id=1486770

Declan McManus

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 08:22:48 -0600

I don't think Best Buy stocks the Clap Your Hands And Say Blah CD. (yet)

Charlie

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 18:28:16 -0600

Maybe they go to Best Buy and spend the money to replace the stuff you bought in their store!

Declan McManus

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 17:41:33 -0600

I bet Waterloo donates them to charity Imagine you exchange a $25 BestBuy card. Waterloo gives you $25 in credit. You buy $28 in CDs. Waterloo gets $3 cash. Waterloo moves $15 (max) in CD cost. Waterloo writes off $25 in charity. Waterloo only really lost $12 cash in giving you $25 in free stuff -- plus, they get a tax break which makes that $12 loss more like $9 at most. That's just my hunch as to how all of this works. And thats if people only spend a couple bucks more than the $25 card -- if people buy $50 instead of $28, that helped draw people into the store. Finally, this is great unpaid advertising/word of mouth stuff (they did it last year too, if I remember correctly).

A

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 15:36:12 -0600

Um, I don't understand how we would be supporting local business by doing this. Wouldn't they be losing money? I guess maybe they figure everyone will buy something more than the gift card amount. But even so, won't they still lose money? Cool of them to do it, I'm just sayin'...