Advice needed for Gift Certificates

[A.P.A.D.]

I would like to offer gift certificates for sale for the upcoming holiday season. I am not sure how to set it up though seeing that each vehicle is different.

Should I offer them in $25, $50, etc increments? Should I just make each one custom printed each time someone wants to purchase one(2 day turn around)

I created a coupon/gift card i give to organizations or causes as door prizes etc. Here is an example of what they look like:

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc224/chromegixxer/giftcard1sample.png

I am planning on this same kind of look for gift certificates being purchased, but I am not sure the best, most effective, and most beneficial increment to all parties involved.

Feed back please Thank you!

[Vegas Transplant]

I had mine printed at the local copy shop for customers that prepay for friends and relatives.
I went full detail coupon only. Didn't want to spend the cash for items that don't sell or fit my business model.
To date there is only one GC still unclaimed... by a school teacher with a Sentra DD.

[Stephen Lewis]

I use a template from Microsoft Office to make mine. I do them for any dollar amount over $25. I printed out the template on card stock, then when they are needed I just hand write in the amount. I then copy the gift cert. Number into my database on my iPad. Very easy to do. Not quite as fancy as custom printed ones. But I sell a service not stationary.

[A.P.A.D.]

I understand we are not selling stationary, but i want to have them look as professional as possible. My handwriting is not the most legible either. lol

I am thinking that once someone requests a gift certificate, i will type it up and send it to my print store to have it printed on card stock. it will be a 24-48 hr turnaround this way though.

or maybe i could just have them printed ahead of time in the increments that most peoples' full details will cost. ie, $120, $140, etc.

It doesn't cost much to have them printed through staples.com. Less than $1 a page.

thanks for the input so far folks!

[BYERS DETAIL SHOP]

be sure to put a use by date and what car it is to be used on. i sold one to a guy for his girls honda they broke up so he used it on his f-250 work truck i got screwed real bad

[A.P.A.D.]

oh wow! that sucks.

i will be doing cash value increments and then i will also do custom ones which i can include who it is from, who it is to, what vehicle it is for, what occasion, etc.

[Kevin Cullen]

Check out.Vista Print. They may be cheaper then Staples. I like the idea of having it specific to a specific vehicle.

[A.P.A.D.]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I decided to go with increments of $20, $25, $40, $50, $60, $80, $100, $120, $140, $160, $180, and $200 available for immediate purchase.

Custom gift certificates will be available as well with From, To, Vehicle, Value, etc with a 48 hour turnaround.

With staples i can get a page with 3 gift certificates printed on card stock for $0.98. I am happy with that price since i can pick them up in 24 hours.

Here are samples of both what I came up with:

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc224/chromegixxer/COMBOSAMPLE.png