to think a whsmith smiths gift card is a waste of money.

[ditavonteesed]

il's have sent dd1 a whsmiths gift card again for her brithday, they sent her one last year and I ended up buying it off her. they send quite a lot (£40) and dd was looking forward to buying some uniform for guides with it. I know I sound ungrateful but there is nothing dd wants in whsmith, tere isnt really anything I want. Anyway I know IABU but seriously I dont have £40 spare to buy it off dd and it seems like a waste of money.

[tiredaftertwo]

I think it is a waste. WHS is overpriced, their own brand stuff is rubbish, the shops are badly stocked and the website is rubbish.

So, YANBU to think it is a waste. Whether it is worth asking them to do it differently is a separate issue - but it might be because as your dd gets older she may want specific things (money towards a holiday or an activity). I suspect they just vaguely think WHS is worthy as she can buy books and pens from there - so maybe if you can find a way of subtly reassuring them that money they give her will be spent sensibly....c

[Ragwort]

Why - not sure you can buy another gift card with a gift card (IYSWIM) - I've tried that . I use them for ink for the printers, you can usually find a deal.

[CaptainSweatPants]

Well I only have a brownie so far & I think she'd be a bit upset to open a present to find a brownie dress inside
Is guide stuff very expensive then? I don't really equate it with football stuff or new riding boots, tennis racquet etc

[jellybeans]

YABU My DC would be grateful for whatever present they got and would make the best of it.There is loads in WH Smiths .

[diddl]

I have a Kindle, but still love books.

Ooh, the treat of a couple of hardbacks!

[OrangeJuiceSandwich]

I don't believe for second your DD wants guide uniform as a present. You don't want to spend your money on it.

[ditavonteesed]

captain sweat pants, y dd2 had her whole brownie uniform for her birthday and was over the moon, same as she had a leotard for gymnastics for xmas and they both had their dancing kit when they used to dance. it is what they want to do so therefore something that is a good present.

[limitedperiodonly]

There is loads in WH Smiths

Yes, but most of it is shit. And your feet stick to the carpets while you're working out what's the least-worst option.

[BackforGood]

I agree with you. I always have to 'buy' a WHSMiths Gift card off the dc and it then takes ages to spend it, as I know I could get nearly everything they sell, cheaper elsewhere.
However, surely the PiLs could be guided to a suggestions list, so she gets what she wants, or at least a voucher to somewhere she might actually shop ?
We only end up with WHSmith cards if it's a prize from school or something.

[ditavonteesed]

oj you are so right, I would rather spend dd's brithday money on vodka and fags to be honest and you cant do that with a gift card.

[KatyPutTheCuttleOn]

I think it's fair enough to send a WHS card, plenty of books on offer. We wait for the three for two on children's books and combine that with the 20% discount code that we usually seem to have kicking around and they get loads for their money :)

If uniform/sports kit isn't a gift then my DS has no presents this year as it's all sports kit that he has asked for!

[ErrolTheDragon]

whamith sells all different gift cards (pizza express, topshop etc etc), so could you use it to buy one for somewhere else? I don't know if that's allowed but I can't see why not.

I'm pretty sure that's not allowed in the T&Cs. Because they sell their cards so that the recipient has to buy some of their stuff.

I have to make an effort to get DD to spend the £15 she gets every year - I don't much like getting books there when they're nearly always available online cheaper, and if I want a bookshop I'd rather support a better one like waterstones.

I used to be given a Boots card when I was a kid (pre teenage and back when it really was just a chemists)... dad always bought that off me but at least he could stock up on multivitamins!

[CaptainSweatPants]

at vodka & fags

Ooh do they sell box sets there ? This thread is actually making me want to go!

Ours is a bit crap cos the PO is crammed into the top floor

[LeGavrOrf]

WHSiths is rubbish. Yes they sell books but they are overpriced and it is a poor selection. Just lowest common denominator crap. And the craft stuff etc is incredibly expensive.

[Beehatch]

They are overpriced, BUT I got a magnificent bargain in there the other day, they had a whole load of Playmobil reduced by 60% and some lego by 25%, and they let me use the 20% off card on top - so I'm now sorted for birthday and christmas for the younger kiddies. One Playmobil set was originally priced at £25 and I got it for £7!!!

So probably not much help to OP, except to say that bargains are there to be had (they had stuff for older kids in the sale too - the monster high dolls etc)

[ditavonteesed]

they have monster high dolls? hmmm and lego? never seen either in ours but will look harder.

[daftdame]

Careful you don't want this song to be dedicated to you or your's. There will be some things you can buy.

[limitedperiodonly]

I last went in Smiths in June to get a birthday card. I chose a nice one, nothing fancy, and the man on the till said it was £4.10 and asked whether that was all right.

I said yes, automatically, and then thought no, it's not.

He said he completely understood. He'd started asking because he was sick of people saying: 'How much?' and blaming him for the prices.

[LouiseAderyn]

I would go to one of the big branches of WHSmiths - a few years ago I bought dd a wooden London bus, filled with little wooden people for £15. She has played with it for years and it's the sort of thing posh baby shops sell for £40+. There are bargains to be had, if you take your time and look.

I don't actually think they are more expensive for books than Waterstones and big branches have pretty good selections.

The cards and stationary are shockingly overpriced, that's true, but a magazine costs the same wherever you buy it and I honestly don't believe your dd won't find anything she likes in there.

Have been reading quite a few threads recently about people's dissatisfaction with presents they've received - it's putting me right off the idea of buying anything this Christmas!

[Birdsgottafly]

I was given a WHS voucher when I left my last place of work.

I let my DD choose a monthly magazine, with it, they last 2 years. She bought a decent IPhone case as well.

We must be lucky, because are one isn't overpriced and is well stocked with offers, so there was the possibly of picking up some books as Christmas presents.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

My DD would be beside herself with excitement if she had a WHS voucher to spend. She can never ever have enough fluffy pencils, pencil sharpeners or rubbers. That is before we get to gel pens, glitter pens and all that stuff.
She would see £40 to spend in there as the best present ever.

[SuburbanRhonda]

A least they've changed the rules about expiry dates on WHS gift cards. We wasted £20 when two gift cards ran out within a year.

[Idespair]

Whs is a crap store but you could buy the voucher off her and give her the £40

With the voucher you could buy:
Christmas wrap/cards/gift bags
Presents for small children - lego, puzzles etc
Stationery needle for school/to give to small kids

[Idespair]

Oh and stamps - very good use of voucher

[Laquitar]

The books are expensive but there are good deals on cookery books. Magazines are the same price everywhbere.
You can buy those mags with homes and then come and start a thread!

Or buy your ils an annual subscription for christmas!