Are gift cards acceptable trade material?

ancientsociety · Post by **ancientsociety** » Fri May 09, 2008 2:41 pm

I have two Itunes gifts cards totalling $40 from my birthday and, unfortunately, I don't like the Itunes Store so I'll never use them.

Would it be okay to list them as trade bait? I looked over the rules and their not in there nor do I recall this question coming up before...

(Wanted to post it here, rather than IMing Lin or the mods, so that everyone could see the answer.)

Adunaphel · Post by **Adunaphel** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:09 pm

I am almost sure that it is OK to list Gift Cards. I can't see any reason you couldn't and I believe that I have seen them listed before.

I am not interested in Itunes but I almost did a deal in the past for a Microsoft point card and I wish that I could find a cheap Xbox live 12 month card. Which are about the same thing.

You shouldn't have any problems with the gift card. Now, whether somebody else wants it is another story...

Karl

( 3094 ) · Post by **porkuslime** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:16 pm

The biggest problem I would envision for gift cards, is there is really NO way to ensure that there is money on the card. You the seller can say there is $40.. but as your trade partner I could not know this FOR SURE..

it would require a lot of trust and "you ship first" sorta deals..

-Porkuslime

mrrshann618 · Post by **mrrshann618** » Fri May 09, 2008 5:02 pm

porkuslime wrote:The biggest problem I would envision for gift cards, is there is really NO way to ensure that there is money on the card. You the seller can say there is $40.. but as your trade partner I could not know this FOR SURE..

it would require a lot of trust and "you ship first" sorta deals..

-Porkuslime

This is what was brought up last time someone asked this question. There isn't really a way to be sure on what is happening.

Trader A with cards says there is X amount, Trader B has to take this at face value during the trade process.

Here are some problems.

Trader A lies and gets stuff "well it had that much when i sent it out, trader B must be lying"
Trader B lies "Cards that arrived didn't have X amount on. Trader A ripped me off"

Since there really isn't a way, that I know of, to track money on a gift card the trade is based entirely on faith.
You can use them, however they are REALLY open to exploitation. I'd say trade it with someone you really trust, or find a 3rd party way to trade them so there is some sort of neutral mediator. See if Itunes will allow you to trade ownership. I don't use Itunes, I don't have an mp3 player of any kind, so I really don't know.

If the card is factory sealed similar to some of the Xbox Live points then I'd say go for it, no real problems on "falsehood" there.

Adunaphel · Post by **Adunaphel** » Fri May 09, 2008 5:18 pm

Yeah, I'm sorry. I hadn't thought of those kinds of problems. Naivete on my part. Although, trust is part of these arangements. If your trade partner is OK with it, then...

That is, unless the Admin's have banned them. I can't remember seeing them in the banned items for trading. I DO remember that you can't trade MMO stuff and Cows.

Karl

MEDEVL · Post by **MEDEVL** » Fri May 09, 2008 5:23 pm

Can't you go to a store website or something and check a balance for a gift card?? If not then somebody on here invent that and cut me in for a share as the idea man... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

nightshade_eyes · Post by **nightshade_eyes** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:54 am

There is usually a phone number listed the back of a gift card that can be called to find the remaining cash balance. You need the gift card's number to get the balance and giving that out (to prove the balance) is not a good idea since the card number can be used purchase stuff online. Yes, there is usually a three digit number security number on most cards and I quite certain that is needed to purchase stuff online - it is also needed to get the balance when calling.

Using gift as trade bait sounds good but could lead to messy trade situations like the one mrrshann618 described. Who gets the BTR? Simply assume the trader with higher is telling the truth

Will both be considered deadbeats for posting accusations?

There's too much potential for trouble.