Which is better to give an office group, Visa or American Express gift cards?

Can I avoid the hassle of activation or validation on my clients end? I don't want to ask the CFO to call a number to activate or answer a personal identification question. I want this to be simple and easy for them. It's a gift not another item on their busy "to do" lists.

Here's some additional food for thought... There is a $25 deduction limit per client for business gifts - that includes gift cards. You may get better tax mileage out of a company wide event (like a holiday party) or recreational activity.

Hi Denise -

A FiLife editor wrote about all the reasons gift cards are a hassle here: http://blog.filife.com/seven-reasons-why-its-rude-to-give-gift-cards/ You might want to check it out before buying them as a gift.

Also - our guide to gift cards reviews all the pros and cons and provides advice on how to shop for gift cards. You can find it here: http://www.filife.com/topics/gift-cards/guide/singlepage.