Think about it this way: many people derive peace-of-mind from giving a gift whose purpose is known. Now, I can hand someone $20 and hope they don't spend it on booze, drugs, or prostitutes. Or I can hand someone a gift card, knowing they will spend it on Starbucks (not that expensive coffee isn't on a spectrum of vices anyway.)

I can't put my finger on it, but as someone who has wholeheartedly embraced a "cashless society" vision, I feel better about gifting people with gift cards instead of cash. I don't know if it's any safer to send them through the mail, but it seems customary to tuck one into a greeting card, so that's how I treat my relatives on special days. I often keep a gas station card on hand, because I don't drive, and it can be real useful to offer a fill-up to someone who gives me a much-needed ride.

But it’s more thoughtful. The purchaser thought long and hard about what place the purchasee can use it in.

Convert your US Dollars to Starbucks Dollars!