r/BDS • u/itdoesntgoaway_ • 2d ago
ASK THE SUB Got a Starbucks e gift card from a family member. Trying to figure out what- if anything- I can do with it.
Starbucks already has the money, and as far as I can tell (after trying to research it), I can’t get the money out of it and into something else because I’m not the original sender, and I don’t have a gift receipt. (Unless I’m missing something?) I feel bad for a few reasons here, but I’m just trying to figure out if there’s anything beneficial I can do so it’s not a complete waste. It being electronic may limit what I can do. Any suggestions and input are appreciated.
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u/Deerthorn_Games 2d ago
I saw someone give this explanation once, but I'm not sure if it's quite perfect;
"if someone gives you a $100 Starbucks gift card, then Starbucks already owns the money. So what you should do is, walk into your local Starbucks, and purchase the cheapest thing on the menu. After that, click the "custom tip" option, and enter the remaining balance on the card."
I don't remember what they said to do with the cheapest thing on the menu, but I think you could just toss it.
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u/tubaintothewildfern 2d ago
Giving it to a homeless person is the best thing you can do, in that situation.
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u/Life_Garden_2006 2d ago
Why accept a present that is payed on human life's?
To me is like receiving a human skin wallet as present, and then selling it to give away the money while the return is always less then what has been payed for to begin with.
Just don't accept it and tell them that it is rude and incentive of them.
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u/EbMinor33 2d ago
Just don't accept it and tell them that it is rude and incentive of them.
I love the strong moral stance of this, but ultimately they're either just going to regift it to someone else who doesn't care or use it themselves. (Or forget to use it, thus ultimately donating Starbucks money). I think the best way to make sure something good is done with it is to take care of it yourself (while telling your relative not to give you that again)
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u/Deerthorn_Games 2d ago
See this is what I meant, I'm not sure if even using the card is a good idea. Thank you for sharing the information! I needed that! :>
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u/Certain_Exchange9852 2d ago
I was in this exact situation a couple of years ago. I decided to use the card because that way I could deplete their inventory by about $10 without giving them my own money. I had contemplated giving the card away, but I don't want to "endorse" Starbucks to anyone (thereby potentially increasing their sales). I also don't encourage the gift-giver to gift me with anymore Starbucks cards.
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u/Strong_Prize8778 2d ago
You could buy a bottle of water and tip the rest
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u/funeraire 2d ago
I thought Starbucks didn’t allow their workers to accept tips? I may be wrong though. This was my experience when I ordered from them a few years ago in Canada
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u/itdoesntgoaway_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’m in Canada and before I terminated my account and deleted the app last year it did have a tip option
Update- they do have a tip option.
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u/Sir-Spork 2d ago
Just use it, the money is spent there already. And by not spending it, you give Starbucks free cash and interest associated with it
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u/Marmots4Peace 2d ago
I posted this in another discussion, but I am going to repeat it here. In my opinion, if you have money already in your gift card, you should definitely use it up, assuming as with most gift cards, there is no way of withdrawing it. I think many people don't understand how company accounting works - as soon as someone buys a gift card, the company already enters the amount as income in the books. You do not contribute to their profit when using up your gift card, only to their expenses.
Not using gift cards is how companies make huge profits from gift cards. They rely on people forgetting or not using them for whatever reason. It is an absolute scam to get money from you without giving you a product.
Simple logic - Decrease their income and increase their expenses.
Spend as little as possible over the gift card amount but don't let them get away with keeping a single cent of your money for nothing.
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u/EbMinor33 2d ago
Not using gift cards is how companies make huge profits from gift cards.
Exactly. It's essentially the same business model as gyms who depend on you paying for a yearly membership while not actually coming to cost them money in facility upkeep.
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u/-Shayyy- 2d ago
You can always give it to someone less fortunate. The money is spent so you might as well make use of it.
Starbucks isn’t on the BDS list. I’m not sure why it’s the primary focus for the boycott for Palestine. Idk maybe I’m missing something. But I’m boycotting due to other reasons.
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u/lmpdannihilator 2d ago
A reason it's a popular target bc it's an active part in a lot of ppls lives already. Most regular ppl aren't in the market to buy Siemens or Lockheed products very often.
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u/-Shayyy- 2d ago
That makes sense. But I feel like for an effective boycott, we need a clear demand for it to end. Like boycotting for union busting makes sense, because once they stop the boycott would be over. It’s less of a boycott and more of a refusal to do business with them ever. Which is okay. But not really a boycott. At least from my understanding.
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u/itdoesntgoaway_ 2d ago
Starbucks isn’t on the BDS list. I’m not sure why it’s the primary focus for the boycott for Palestine. Idk maybe I’m missing something. But I’m boycotting due to other reasons.
You are correct. I was incorrect
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u/EbMinor33 2d ago
A gift card is essentially a micro-loan. By buying you that gift card, your family member has given Starbucks a small, interest-free loan. The only way you take that money back is by spending the gift card.
Giving it to someone who is in need, buying something small and tipping the rest, these are both great options. But at least imo, it's fine to actually use it as normal. Buy any Starbucks items you might have missed while boycotting if any. Don't go a cent over the gift card balance, and also try not to eat it in public as you should model good behavior and not give them free publicity via people seeing you eat. And tell that family member not to give you another. But personally, I would feel morally fine using it. No matter what, you're reclaiming that loan that your relative carelessly gave them.
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u/SuperMovieLvr 2d ago
Starbucks is not on the BDS list. If you don't want to use it then I like the idea of giving it to a homeless person.
https://bdsmovement.net/Act-Now-Against-These-Companies-Profiting-From-Genocide
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u/Adelman01 1d ago
So buycat says Starbucks isn’t contributing to Israel anymore now that Schultz is gone? Essentially that BDS ended that partnership.
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u/Accurate-Ad-4905 2d ago
Give it to a homeless person