SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22, 2016 — Cardpool, Inc., a leading gift card exchange company owned by Blackhawk Network, today announced tips to help consumers continue to have a positive experience when buying and selling using the secondary gift card exchange market. Through Cardpool, consumers can buy gift cards for up to 35 percent off and sell gift cards for up to 92 percent of their value. Cardpool helps consumers get exactly what they want, whether it’s a discounted gift card, a different gift card, or simply cash.
“Awareness and adoption of exchanges has become more mainstream, though there are occasionally some questions around the secondary market,” said Cardpool General Manager, Patrick Ramsey. “One of Cardpool’s goals is to ensure shoppers have a good gift card exchange experience, so we’ve provided a list of tips that shoppers can consider.”
A June 2016 Blackhawk Network consumer study on egift* found that 89 percent of the consumers surveyed were aware of gift card exchange sites. 48 percent said that they would consider using an exchange service to buy or sell gift cards, though 13 percent of respondents said that they have actually purchased a gift card from an exchange site.
According to Cardpool, gift card buyers and sellers interested in using exchange services can follow these tips when considering their gift card exchange options:
Look for trusted exchange providers with a gift card purchase guarantee. For example, Cardpool guarantees that gift cards purchased from its website will be valid at the merchant for the dollar amount specified on your order for up to 180 days from the date of your purchase and up to a maximum of $1,000 per customer. If you are not satisfied with a gift card purchased for any reason, you may return your unused gift card for a full refund. The Cardpool Purchase Guarantee is subject to the Cardpool Terms of Use; visit Cardpool.com for details. Additionally, Cardpool only carries cards that have no fees and no expiration dates.
Do your research before selecting your gift card exchange company. Review the RGCA’s tips to consider when using a gift card exchange. Also, search news coverage and online reviews including the exchange company’s status with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Cardpool is aligned with the RGCA best practices, has an A+ rating with the BBB and has been listed as the top gift card exchange company on several consumer review sites, including Trust Pilot, TopTenReviews.com and MoneySavingPro.com.
Choose an exchange that verifies the gift card balance. Cardpool offers a convenient way to buy and sell gift cards by carrying gift cards with no fees, no expiration dates, and free shipping via USPS. To provide customers with peace of mind, Cardpool processes every gift card transaction and verifies the balance of each gift card before the transaction is complete.
Research the gift card exchange company’s fraud prevention measures. While fraud is a very small part of what happens in the market, Cardpool takes these issues very seriously and proactively works to identify and prevent fraud, collaborates with organizations like the Organized Retail Crime Association and the National Retail Federation and cooperates and assists retailers and law enforcement in investigations.
Understand how the buying and selling process works. Cardpool is committed to making customers happy by offering a consistently high level of service. Buyers and sellers don’t have to deal with the frustrations of dealing directly with the other party. Instead, buyers and sellers interact with Cardpool, which verifies the authenticity and balance of each gift card and holds on to the purchased gift card until a buyer is found.
Cardpool supports purchases and sales of gift cards online, via mobile application and through a variety of in-store partnerships. To learn more or to sell and purchase a gift card, visit www.cardpool.com.
*About Blackhawk egift survey
Blackhawk’s egift survey is an Internet-based survey conducted by Blackhawk Network in June 2016. The sample size included 1,144 American respondents.
About Cardpool
Cardpool, Inc., a Blackhawk Network, Inc. company, is a leading gift card exchange company where customers can buy discounted gift cards or sell gift cards for cash. Cardpool verifies the balance of each of its gift cards and offers the Cardpool Purchase Guarantee; see cardpool.com for terms and conditions. Cardpool also helps retailers provide their shoppers with these exchange services in their own physical stores or on retailer-branded sites. Cardpool provides a turn-key solution driving commerce for its partners, and retailers may integrate with the exchange services by using Cardpool’s proprietary APIs. Headquartered in San Francisco, California; visit Cardpool at www.cardpool.com.
About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAWK) is a leading global stored value and payments provider, which supports the program management and distribution of gift cards, telecom products, and financial services products in retail, digital and incentive channels. Blackhawk’s digital platform enables the management of stored value products, promotions, and loyalty programs across a network of digital distribution partners including retailers, financial service providers, and mobile wallets. For more information, please visit www.blackhawknetwork.com or product websites Cardpool, Gift Card Lab, Gift Card Mall, GiftCards.com and OmniCard.
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