Thinking of a Gift Card from Mother's Day?

If you’re like me, you might have waited a bit too long to do your Mother’s Day shopping. 

This year, why not give a gift card? 

They’re fast and easy to find and nearly all companies offer them these days.

But it seems that many gift cards go unused, especially those that possess no expiration dates.  If consumers don’t have a specific item they’re thinking of using the gift card for, chances are the card may sit in a drawer for quite some time or not even get used at all.

A recent article in The Atlantic explains that social scientists have found that deadlines force people to act.  Whether it’s a deadline to save, to spend, or to have fun, deadlines encourage people to quit procrastinating.

An example cited includes tourists who see numerous attractions in just a few days while visiting an area.  Those who live there may go months or years without seeing as much as the tourist because the attraction is always there and they ‘can go anytime.’

Further, in times of recession, consumers tend to forgo luxury items, even though they may have received a gift card to be used for such niceties.  Giving people a ‘use it or lose it’ deadline gets them to use the cards.

No matter what you decide to give for Mother’s Day this year, it should be something that is used and appreciated.  If it happens to be a gift card, make sure to find one with a prompt expiration date and encourage your mom to get out there enjoy it.