Are you looking for a gift where you can’t go wrong? Bank gift cards can help you.
India is a land of festivals. It is a boiling pot for different cultures and we accept the customs and traditions of the different parts of the world with open arms. No wonder, festivities and celebrations form a major part of our day to day lives.
And gifting is an integral part of these celebrations and it is impossible to imagine any festivities without gifts. However, choosing the right gift can be a tricky one. After all, no one wants their gift to be sitting on an isolated and ignored part of the house. Bank gift cards take out the stress of gifting the perfect gift. If you are unsure what to gift, get yourself a bank gift card.
A bank gift card is a pre-loaded gift card that can be gifted to your friends and family so that they can buy things of their choice. It removes our error of judgement. It can be used to gift on several occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Diwali etc. Several banks such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank among others offer gift cards to their customers.
Amazon gift cards, Flipkart gift cards and gifts cards offered by other online and offline stores are popular among customers. Receivers of these gift card can only buy products from the respective platforms, thus limiting their options. On the other hand, bank gift cards can be used like a debit card and customers can carry transactions at several online as well as physical stores. The only difference is that receivers can’t withdraw cash from ATM.
Customers can apply for a gift card by visiting a bank branch or through online banking or phone banking. The receiver doesn’t have to be the customer of the bank.
Here are some of the bank gift cards that you can look into to put your gifting worries to rest.
SBI Gift card is a pre-paid VISA card that works like a regular debit card as it supported by magnetic-strip based technology. Hence, it can be used at all Point of Sale (POS) in shopping malls and regular stores. It can also be used to make purchases through online stores. Personalised image-based card gift cards based on various occasions such as anniversary gift card, birthday gift card, Christmas gift card, congratulation gift card are also available.
Customers with internet banking facility can opt for gift cards through www.onlinesbi.com.
The minimum amount that needs to be loaded in the card is Rs.500 and thereafter in multiples of Re.1. While there is no limit on the daily maximum transactions, the maximum amount that can be loaded is Rs.10,000.
The validity of the card is three years which is higher than other bank gift cards.
The VISA Gift Card from HDFC Bank will allow your loved ones to choose their gift. If you are an existing HDFC Bank customer, you can apply for the gift card through online banking after logging in with your details. You need to go to the request section, click on the cards tab and select the ‘purchase gift card option’. You can customise the gift card by adding the beneficiary’s name.
Expressions Gift Card is a gift card from ICICI Bank that is available in their digital avatar as well as a physical gift card. The digital expressions gift card can be used for online transactions while the physical gift card can be used both online as well as at any merchant outlet that accepts VISA payments.
To send a ICICI Bank’s gift card, you need to load the card with a minimum of Rs.500 and a maximum of Rs.9,500.
The gift card can only be availed by existing ICICI Bank account holders through iMobile (android only), the mobile banking app of ICICI Bank and internet banking.
Customers can opt for a gift card in just five simple steps.
First, you need to select the gifting occasion. Add a personalised picture and message, pick the packaging, enter the gift amount and finally make the payment.
The beneficiary will receive a link on their registered details. The gift needs to be unwrapped and you can use the card with the OTP received on your mobile.
The ICICI Bank’s Gift card is valid for one year. The remaining balance in the card is displayed after every transaction. The balance enquiry can be made online or in ATM in case of a physical gift card. Also, it needs to be noted that Rs. 50 is charged for a physical gift card.
Conclusion: Bank gift cards are affordable and a new gifting option that you can’t go wrong with. It gives the freedom to your loved ones to buy whatever they want, whether it is clothes, books or dining experience. Most of these cards come with a validity of one year and cannot be reloaded again. So, with New Year’s on the way, gift a prepaid gift card to your friends and loved ones.
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