Gift Cards You Loved in August – Guess Who’s #1?

After three consecutive months at spot #4, Target took first place finish in revenue as Plastic Jungle’s best-selling discounted gift card in August 2011.

Before we get to the usual suspects on the list, let’s talk about some honorary mentions.

Pottery Barn had a strong showing at #11 and was THIS CLOSE to making the Top Ten. And if the list were based on quantity instead of revenue, BP & Arco and Shell would have made the cut. (Everyone needs gas, right!?)

Get a Pottery Barn discounted gift card today at 10% off. As of press time, less than 20 cards are available, so stock up now while supplies last.

Gift cards to our gas merchants get snatched up as quickly as the changing fuel prices. While we don’t have any BP & Arco or Shell cards currently in stock, you can always sign up for email notifications and we’ll let you know when more become available.

Here’s the complete list of the top sellers in August 2011:

#1 Target – 3% off!

#2 Home Depot – 7% off!

#3 Lowe’s – 7% off!

#4 Walmart – 2% off!

#5 Best  Buy – 5% off!

#6 Kohl’s – 16% off!

#7 Macy’s – 7% off!

#8 JCPenney – 14% off!

#9 Abercrombie  & Fitch – no cards currently available, but click here to get notified when we more come in stock.

#10 Sears – 8% off!

With the holiday season approaching, it will be interesting to see who stays on the list and who makes their debut. Any predictions for September?

What were we buying in July? Plastic Jungle’s top 10 list is here!

While there weren’t any big retail holidays last month (does National Ice Cream Month count?!), the warm summer weather likely drove shoppers outside, strolling stores and buying items for fun summer activities.

Many of the usual favorite gift cards made their appearance on the top 10 list, including Lowe’s and Home Depot. July was a great time to work on landscaping and outdoor projects, so no doubt our Junglers took advantage of discounted gift cards to these home improvement giants.

It’s no surprise that Walmart and Target made the cut as well, since both super centers offer thousands of products at exceptionally low prices. And as one-stop shops, we can buy everything from camping supplies to pool toys to clothes for the whole family in just one place.

One merchant that made its debut on the list was Abercrombie & Fitch. Known for their casual clothing designed for the modern collegiate lifestyle, students ditched their school books for new cool summer duds.

Here’s the complete list:

#10 Sears – currently offered at 9% off!

#9 Abercrombie & Fitch - currently offered at 9% off!

#8 JC Penney - currently offered at 14% off!

#7 Kohl’s - currently offered at 16% off!

#6 Macy’s - none are available right now, but sign up for our Notification Alert and we’ll let you know when more pop up!

#5 Best Buy – currently offered at 5% off!

#4 Target - currently offered at 3% off!

#3 Walmart - none are available right now, but sign up for our Notification Alert and we’ll let you know when more pop up!

#2 Home Depot – currently offered at 7% off!

#1 Lowe’s – currently offered at 7% off!

Have any unused gift cards you’d like to sell to get one of these favorites instead? Plastic Jungle will buy your unused gift cards for up to 92% of their value!

With summer closing in and fall around the corner, what gift cards are you buying right now? Which of your favorites do you think will make the August list?

Going to college is an exciting time…

You leave the nest, meet lifetime friends, explore new surroundings and – if living in the dorms, you get to cram all your stuff into a tiny little room.

Here are some ideas to maximize space and be the cool kid on campus! And with Plastic Jungle’s help, you can fatten up your Starving College Student budget by using discounted gift cards!

STORE

Living in a dorm means making use of Every. Last. Inch. These modular bins from The Container Store can be stacked in endless combinations both vertically and horizontally.

LAUNDER

Need a place to stash your dirty clothes before the next trip to Mom’s washing machine? This spiral pink pop-up hamper from Target has a convenient collapsible design with see-through mesh.

DECORATE

Keep track of everything from your final exams to frat parties with this dry-erase calendar decal from PBTeen. The peel-and-stick decals are easy to use and your R.A. will be happy that the self-adhesive backing doesn’t ruin the dorm walls. Study and save – select pinboards and decals are available now at PBTeen for 25% off!

EAT

When the dorm cafeteria or the 1:00am drive-thru Taco Bell won’t do, look to your very own mini-fridge. Stock all your favorite foods and drinks into this Black & Decker NuCool Compact Fridge, available from Walmart for $65 (rolled back from $79). Not only is it lightweight and portable, it’s environmentally friendly with its enhanced coolant and compressor-free cooling technology.

CLEAN

Taking a shower down the hall? You’ll need something to lug all your stuff. Check out this mesh shower tote from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It has a spacious center compartment and several pockets with plenty of room to hold your soap, shampoo, razor, towel, hairbrush and more.

STUDY

Fluorescent dorm lighting isn’t fabulous, especially when trying to study. Try supplementing with these Lite-n-Up lights from Home Depot. They can be mounted anywhere and each light provides three bright LED bulbs. Batteries and mounting materials included.

FIX

You never know when a screwdriver might come in handy! I love this Pink Toolset from Lillian Vernon. It comes with everything a girl might need: hammer, 4 screwdrivers, pliers, utility knife, tape measure, scissors, nails, screws and picture hangers!

MEND

When you’re away at college, you can’t rely on mom to kiss your boo-boo. Be prepared with a First Aid Kit instead. This one from Sports Authority has all the supplies to treat cuts, scrapes, sprains, insect bites, headaches, muscle aches and allergic reactions.

STUDY SOME MORE

Study in comfort with this Lap Desk from Amazon.com. The reversible tray is perfect for writing and the raised edges
prevent your pencil from rolling off. And with the tray’s dimpled sides, your laptop won’t overheat.

Have fun decorating your new home-away-from-home!

Pssst! Have you heard? The Rumor Mill’s been a-churnin’ about a new iPhone 5 release in September!

According to inside buzz, the new iPhone 5 might be lighter and slimmer than the iPhone 4, with an upgraded eight-megapixel camera and possibly a larger screen.

Here are some other potential features to look forward to:

• A faster A5 Processor
• IOS 5 Operating System, which brings more than 200 features including Notification Center, iMessage, Twitter, Newsstand, enhanced photo functions and more
• More Storage
• Face Recognition Security
• Video Chat on a 4G network
• Shatter-resistant and scratch-resistant screen
• Longer battery life
• HD Audio
• Built-in GPS
• Separate rear camera from the flash to reduce “red eye”
• Dual Core Processors for speedy downloads
• More powerful graphics chip cards, to provide better video and still images
• Personalized ring tones

Another major feature that’s expected to launch is “Assistive Touch.” Rather than physically pushing a Home, Mute or Volume button, users can simply just tap the screen’s touch panel to perform these tasks, as well as use “Gestures” like “Pinch” and “Swipe.” This is a terrific enhancement for folks that might have trouble with the traditional hardware buttons. Here’s what it might look like:

Word on the street is that beta testing’s already underway at AT&T and T-Mobile, where the phone carriers are verifying that the iPhone 5 is working properly and reporting any issues back to Apple.

Sales are expected to be swift. Reports shows that the iPhone 5 is projected to be five times more profitable than its predecessor. Sources claim that Taiwanese company “Pegatron Technology” already received an order for 15 million iPhone 5 units that are scheduled for a September shipment.

And while Apple has remained mum on everything, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer hinted in their earnings report that a “future product transition would impact the September quarter.”

So how do you get your hands on one of these new toys? And better yet, how can you get the best price?

Start by buying discounted gift cards at Plastic Jungle! iPhone products can be purchased at Apple Stores, as well as at AT&T Stores, Verizon Stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack and Walmart. Stock up on gift cards now so you’ll have them ready in time for the September launch.

Need to check the balance on your Apple Store Card? Simply call 1-888-320-3301 and follow the instructions. You can also see your balance by visiting the account area of the Apple Store online.

Do you have some old gift cards gathering dust and would rather have the cash to spend on an iPhone 5? Sell ‘em to Plastic Jungle! We’ll buy your unused gift cards for up to 92% of their value.

What iPhone 5 feature are YOU looking forward to most? I personally would love to see longer battery life. In addition to air, food, water and chocolate, it seems like I can’t get through a day without constant access to an iPhone charger!

References: www.iphone5release.org, www.iphone5specs.org, www.hubpages.com/hub/iPhone-5-Review,
www.iphone5rumours.com/2011/07/19/july-19th-ios-5-to-feature-gestures-to-replace-buttons/, www.businessinsider.com/iphone-5-rumors-2011-6#

What gift cards topped your shopping list in June? Surprisingly, almost the exact same ones, in the same order as last month – but with a little twist.

Home improvement giants continued to top the list, with Home Depot and Lowe’s ranked at #1 and #2. The secret is out – builders, subcontractors and professional handymen can increase their margins by buying discounted gift cards from Plastic Jungle. Both Home Depot and Lowe’s cards are currently offered at 7% off, immediately shaving costs and adding profit to the bottom line.

And it’s not just skilled experts that enjoyed savings. With June graduations and the Father’s Day holiday, Home Depot and Lowe’s gift cards made terrific gifts for the home improvement hobbyist.

Walmart and Target again ranked #3 and #4 respectively. As one-stop shopping centers, Junglers saved on nearly everything under the sun, including house wares, toys, clothing, electronics, and even groceries. With 3% discounted gift cards stacked on top of Walmart and Target’s already uber-competitive low prices, these cards get swiped up fast, so sign up for a notification alert to get first access.

Best Buy again ranked #5. A great source for computers, video games, televisions, digital cameras, mp3 players, mobile phones & appliances, Best Buy gift cards likely made for some great Father’s Day and Graduation gifts as well.

The next three spots were filled by clothing department stores: Macys (#6), Kohl’s (#7) and JC Penney (#8). Perhaps our Junglers were freshening up their summer wardrobe with new shorts, tanks, sundresses, swimsuits and sandals. All three merchants have darling summer clothing collections on sale now, as they make room for their fall and back-to-school collections.

The Apple Store held spot #9. Our family celebrated the end of school and good report cards with a new iPhone for my daughter, a new iTouch for my son and a new Nano for mama (I deserved a little treat for helping with all the homework and packing lunches all year long, right?!) Apple Store gift cards are quite popular, so be sure to plan ahead and sign up for an email alert when they become available.

Rounding out the Top 10 was Barnes & Noble. (Cabela’s filled this spot in May.) A popular go-to, slam-dunk teacher’s gift is always a Barnes & Noble gift card. Was your child’s teacher the lucky recipient of one of these end-of-the-school-year gifts?

Special Honorary Mention goes out to iTunes, who ranked #6 in quantity (vs. revenue), with a whopping 6,125 cards sold in June. That’s a lot of TV, video, movie, app and music downloads!

These Top 10 gift cards are just the tip of the iceberg (or should we say tip of the palm tree?) Plastic Jungle has  nearly 400 brands, with discounted gift cards offered up to 35% off. Click here to see what hot cards we’ve got up for sale now!

Did you know that in 2010, $48.35 billion was spent on our pets in the U.S. That’s a lot of kibbles and bits!

Let Plastic Jungle throw you a bone. When you buy our discounted gift cards AND combine them with store coupons, we are talking serious savings. That’s especially true right now with PetSmart and PetCo, where you can save up to 24% off. Woof Woof!

Here’s how:
Go fetch and retrieve a PetSmart gift card from Plastic Jungle for 9% off, then turn around and use that same gift card at PetSmart.com and save an additional 15% off using promo code “PET6PERKS11” ($75 minimum purchase). At 24% off, even your dog will do tricks!

Similar savings can be found at PetCo. Buy a Plastic Jungle PetCo gift card at 9% off, and then use promo code “MEVIO” at PetCo.com and save another 10%. Easy Peasy, Fancy Feasty!

You can also find everyday low prices on pet supplies with discounted Plastic Jungle gift cards to Lowe’s, Target, and Wal-Mart.

With all the money you’ll save, you can treat your cats, dogs, birds, iguanas and elephants to a special treat.

Bow-chicka-Wow.

YOU!

Score “Cool Mom and Dad” points this summer by taking your kiddos to see the highly-anticipated Cars sequel. (Cars 2 opens June 24th.) Join Lightning McQueen and his gang as they race in the World Grand Prix and meet several new friends (and enemies…Muahahahaha) throughout their international adventure.

With movie tickets on the rise, a premium for 3-D flicks, and strain-the-pocketbook concession prices, why not save some extra dough with a discounted movie gift card? And don’t forget all the exciting Cars 2 paraphernalia – Plastic Jungle can help help you save money on that, too!

Here’s how:

Choose from three of our movie merchants and save up to 12%! Shop for nearly 200 gift cards from Cinema DeLux, Regal Cinema and Landmark Theatres. Amounts range from $25 to $240 – treat yourself or the whole neighborhood!

You can also buy movie tickets in advance with a Fandango gift card and save 11%!

After getting revved up from seeing the Cars 2 movie, avoid financial potholes and detours by using a discounted gift card from Plastic Jungle. Since Cars 2 was produced by Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios, you can find a terrific selection of Cars 2 merchandise at the Disney Store. Plastic Jungle currently has Disney Store gift cards for 10% off!

Or shop for Cars 2 products at Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and Barnes & Noble.

When your tot has run out of gas, let him refuel his zzzzz’s with these cute pajamas from Target. Buy a Plastic Jungle Target gift card, and save 10%!

Not only can you BUY discounted gift cards from Plastic Jungle, don’t forget – you can also SELL your gift cards as well. Exchange your unused gift cards and earn up to 92% on an Amazon.com Gift Card to buy Cars 2 merchandise. They literally have thousands of products to choose from, including these two top-sellers:

And in addition to Cars 2, there are lots of other fun kid movies coming soon!

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - June 29th

The Zookeeper - July 8

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2 – July 15

Winnie the Pooh - July 15

The Smurfs - July 29th

Captain America - July 22

So whether it’s racing alongside Lightning McQueen, helping the Transformers save the earth or waving your wand at He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Summer 2011 is bound to be full of adventure and entertainment at the cinema. And with Plastic Jungle, you can save $!

Go grab your big box of popcorn and enjoy the movie fantasy and savings reality.

What gift cards topped your shopping list last month?

After being cooped up for a long winter, shoppers were ready to get some fresh air and visit their favorite big-box retail stores. Nearly all of the gift cards in the Top 10 were to superstore chains. And with Cinco de May, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, there were plenty of holidays to celebrate.

Home Depot and Lowe’s topped the list (#1 and #2 respectively). Perhaps many of you were tackling home improvement projects or shopping ahead for Father’s Day.  Nearly 10,000 Home Depot gift cards were purchased – that’s Jungle-riffic!  Did you paint a nursery?  Re-tile a bathroom?  Build new shelving?  Not only are our Plastic Jungle friends savvy shoppers you are also quite handy!  We’d love to hear your home improvement stories and see pictures of your new-and-improved abodes.

Here’s your Top 10 Most-Wanted list for May:

#1 Home Depot – buy today for 7% off!

#2 Lowe’s – buy today for 7% off!

#3 Walmart – no gift cards currently available but check back soon or get set up on a notification alert. New gift cards are added all the time!

#4 Target – buy today for 3% off!

#5 Best Buy – buy today for 5% off!

#6 Macy’s – no gift cards currently available but check back soon or get set up on a notification alert. New gift cards are added all the time!

#7 Kohl’s – buy today for 15% off!

#8 JC Penney – buy today for 14% off!

#9 Apple Store - no gift cards currently available but check back soon or get set up on a notification alert. New gift cards are added all the time!

#10 Cabela’s – buy today for 10% off!

And check this out – the top six also made an appearance in the May 2010 Top 10 list. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Macy’s have been solid merchants year-to-year.

What are YOUR favorite gift cards this month? Can you predict who will top the charts in June?

Secondary Gift Card Economy Sees Significant Growth in 2010

Plastic Jungle Reports Exponential Surge in Holiday Business and Consumer Trends Toward Electronic Payouts

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwire – January 20, 2011) – New data released today reveals that as the gift card economy continues to grow, consumers are increasingly looking to buy and sell previously-issued gift cards. The data, released by Plastic Jungle, the web’s largest secured gift card exchange, shows that consumers are now using secondary gift card marketplaces more than ever to extend their purchasing power and receive extra value at their favorite merchants.

Merchant-issued — or closed loop — gift cards now represent $90 billion of the U.S. economy. An estimated $30 billion in gift cards are unredeemed at any given time. Plastic Jungle helps consumers get the most value out of gift cards by allowing them to sell unredeemed gift cards for up to 92% of the gift card value, buy gift cards at their favorite stores for savings up to 30%, or donate the value of their unused cards to their favorite cause. Plastic Jungle has also enabled users to exchange gift cards for payment value which can be used at the millions of merchants that accept PayPal and for virtual currency which can be used at thousands of online games on social networks, such as Facebook.

During the 2010 calendar year, Plastic Jungle reports that gift card value sold on the website exceeded $10 million, an increase of 5 times over 2009.

“We are pleased to see that users are beginning to fully realize the extra value potential in gift cards,” said Bruce Bower, CEO of Plastic Jungle. “This holiday season was a perfect example of the growing popularity in buying and selling gift cards, and we know we helped Plastic Jungle users stretch their holiday dollars further.” During the 2010 holiday season, Plastic Jungle saw huge upticks in traffic and delivered nearly 6 times the gift card sales volume over the same period in 2009. Additionally, registered users nearly doubled in Q4 2010.

Plastic Jungle’s innovations have also sparked an increased interest in alternative payouts, and especially in electronic payouts. Plastic Jungle’s newly launched PayPal application on the Plastic Jungle website allows customers to sell their gift cards and to have funds quickly transferred into their PayPal account. In the two weeks following the December 23 launch, nearly one third of Plastic Jungle’s payout volume was processed into users’ PayPal accounts.

“Third-party developers like Plastic Jungle have truly harnessed the possibilities for payments innovation, and we’re pleased that PayPal users are responding enthusiastically to the application on the Plastic Jungle website,” said Damon Hougland, PayPal’s senior director of PayPal X. “We look forward to seeing even more PayPal users benefit and recapture the money often left idle in their gift cards.”

During the same two week period following the PayPal application launch, Plastic Jungle users took advantage of additional electronic payout options on the website; the share of Amazon.com Gift Card payout transactions jumped by nearly 30 percent.

For the 2010 calendar year, gift cards for big-box and department stores were the most transacted. Walmart proved to be the most popular card, followed by Home Depot, Target, Macy’s and iTunes. During the 2010 holiday season, Walmart was again the most popular card, followed by Macy’s, Sears, iTunes and Home Depot. Electronic representations of gift cards — or eCodes — represented more than 20 percent of total Plastic Jungle sales during the holiday season.

Plastic Jungle improves efficiency in the merchant issued gift cards market by redistributing gift cards to their highest and best use, taking gift cards from less productive consumers and selling them to a merchant’s most enthusiastic customer set.

Read the press release on Marketwire:  Secondary Gift Card Economy Sees Significant Growth in 2010

About Plastic Jungle
Plastic Jungle (www.plasticjungle.com) is the web’s largest secured gift card exchange, giving consumers the choice and flexibility to convert their gift cards into other forms of spending power — including cash, online balances to use for purchases at the millions of merchants that accept PayPal, Facebook Credits, and more — and to stretch their shopping dollars at their favorite merchants. Plastic Jungle’s patent-pending marketplace and payment applications aim to safely unlock the estimated $30 billion in unredeemed gift cards trapped in the economy for the benefit of consumers and merchants alike. Based in San Jose, California, the company is privately held, with venture backing from Shasta Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Jafco Ventures, First Round Capital, Bay Partners, Harrison Metal and Western Technology Investment.

We are constantly updating our directory on how to verify the balance on your gift card. Drop us a note if there is a specific card you would like to learn more about.

There are two ways you may check the balance of your Home Depot Gift Card:

1. Visit any Home Depot store and ask the cashier to verify the balance.

2. Check your balance online at homedepot.com and enter the Gift Card Number and PIN found on the back of the card.

Note, in order to verify a merchandise credit card, you will be required to visit any Home Depot store to confirm the balance.

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Are you stumped when trying to check the balance on your Starbucks gift card? Here are a few easy steps on how to check the number of latte’s left in your future:

1. Visit starbucks.com/card and select “check balance.” Enter the 16-digit number and the Card Security Code. The CSC is the 8-digit number that can be found by scratching off the metallic coating on the back of the card.

2. You may also check the balance at participating Starbucks stores or by calling 1-800-STARBUC (782-7282).

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Simple ways to check the balance on your Target Gift Card:

1. To check the balance of your Target Gift Card visit their online store. Follow the detailed instructions outlined on the page. Submit the Card# and Access# found on the back of the gift card.

2. You may also visit any participating Target stores or by calling 1-800-544-2943

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There are a few ways to check the balance and see the most recent transactions on your Walmart Gift Card:

1. Call the number located on the back of the card (1-888-537-5503).

2. Visit a Walmart location near you (check their website for this information) and a customer service rep can look it up for you

3. Go to walmart.com/giftcards or samsclub.com

Note, you will be asked to provide the gift card number and the PIN, which can be found by scratching off the strip on the back of the card.

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