Penny Auctions Canada - Gift Cards Canada - Gift Card Overview
Gift cards have been around in Canada since the early 20th centure and the first mention of a "Gift Card" was before Christmas in 1916 for gloves at Hampton's store in the United States. It was referred to as a gift card in The Eugene Daily Guard editorial page where it was written:
"A Gift Shortcut - and a shortcut to certain satisfaction. Give gloves. No worry about style, size, or color - just step into our Centeremi Glove Department and Buy a Christmas Glove Gift Card for the price which you desire to pay for the gloves. Give or send the card to "her" she "cashes it in" for just the kind of gloves she wants. Simple? Try it."
This is the earliest and most complete description of the notion behind Gift Cards much as they are used today, belying the popular belief that gift certificates were introduced first followed by Gift Cards. The first mention of Gift Certificates was one year later.
Gift cards have been available in Canada for almost a century and they are going nowhere. Even online gift cards that are virtual are based on the same concept and are essentially the exact same thing.