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Our Delaware Retail Council (our National Retail Federation affiliate) is a growing and important part of our State Chamber membership. These companies are, among many things, a great measurement of how the economy is really doing. They are as different a group as you could imagine with some being family-owned small businesses, to large “box stores” that dot the state, and everyone in between.
One major concern many of our retailers share is the stealing of gift cards, and you should be concerned too. To be truthful, I love gift cards because of the flexibility they offer when gifting them to others. However, where you purchase gift cards matters, and more retailers are taking steps to make the purchase of these cards more secure.
Criminal elements have taken to stealing cards off racks, using glue guns and other means to repair or replace the packaging, but not before grabbing the numbers and codes off of these stolen cards, only to return the cards to the rack at high-traffic stores where you or I might purchase them. Once they’re loaded with our money, the thieves grab that money and use it almost immediately. The goods they purchase frequently end up getting shipped overseas to China, among other destinations. So while gift cards remain a great gift idea, you might want to inspect them very carefully before loading them with money.
Here in Delaware, our Delaware Retail Council is meeting with the Attorney General and others to discuss ways to better protect our state retailers and Delawareans.
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