Gift cards, gift certificates and everything of the sort have become prominent gift items in recent times. They are excellent presents if you have no time to shop for actual gifts or having a hard time thinking of the best item to give. They give the recipient the chance to pick something that he or she really likes or needs, so you are assured that your gift will be appreciated.
Many also prefer sending out gift certificates than cash because it’s less tacky. Just make sure to give gift cards that the recipient can actually use in his/her location and from stores that he/she actually goes to. In other words, don’t give out gift coupons from a popular coffee shop if the recipient does not drink coffee or a gift cheque from a department store that is a couple of hours’ drive away!
Gift certificates can be easily sent out via mail which is particularly helpful if the receiver is from far away, eliminating the hassles of packing and shipping. However, proper precautions must be observed when mailing to avoid damage or getting lost to the hands of post-office thieves. Here are tips on how to ship gift certificates via mail.
When sending out gift certificates or gift cards via mail, make them as inconspicuous as possible. Use a thick envelope and sandwich the gift certificates/cards between card stock. The thick envelope and cardboard will make it difficult for post office pilfers to detect the valuable items as well as protect them from getting damaged as they pass through postal machinery.
Simply address the envelope with your and the recipient’s addresses. Never include words such as “valuable,” or “gift” in your labels. If the gift certificates/cards come with their own envelopes, place them inside a plain envelope before mailing to avoid advertising the contents of your package and attracting thieves.
Take the package to the post office and use priority mail. Require a signature or confirmation upon delivery. If possible, inform the recipient about the expected date of delivery so there will be someone to accept the package when it gets delivered.