Why NOT to buy an iTunes gift card

I received an iTunes gift card as a present some time ago and waited until there was a song I just had to have, thinking, I'll scratch it off and get my free music. I was excited to get some tunes, and began scratching off the silver. I noticed that the silver was really hard to scratch off, and I didn't want to make scars in the card, so I was really careful. Took a long time. I even got a little water involved. Once the silver was gone, I was a little concerned because the letters and numbers were barely visible. The last 5 digits are illegible. I tried guessing. Used a magnifying glass. Tried variations on what the numbers/letters could be. Kept getting the same message about the invalid code. over and over. I tried looking for support online. Then figued I might get help at a store.

So I went to the Apple Store on Stockton Street in San Francisco and told the salesperson my issue. She and her associate, looked at each other and scanned me up and down with their eyes and whispered something then went over to a computer where the girl did some poking around online. She didn't tell me what she was doing. Then she handed me a card with an address she hand wrote to contact customer support. When I asked if this has ever happened she said she wasn't aware of this problem. After handing me the card, she didn't say "sorry" or acknowledge the frustration I had at spending hours online, then going out of my to come into a store and wait in a line only to be given a URL. I know customer service is not an important value to many retailers, but I would just like to acknowlege this particular lack of this at the Apple Store in San Francisco as my experience.

I was able to find a link and form to a part of the site that addresses the issue of the illegible codes on these gift cards.
It's here in case this happens to you. I read a few people's issues of buying these cards at Target and other stores and having this same problem. It's unfortunate. It seems like it would be a good, easy gift to buy for a stocking stuffer or throw in a card and mail as a last-minute gift while you're shopping at the grocery. Most people would be happy to get a $15 or whatever amount of music. But can you imagine your friend or relative at their computer ready to download that song with a big smile on her face, scratching off the silver, and then !QUE LASTIMA! El numero dysfunctional! Sorry! Boo hoo. It's a gift gone wrong. Don't let this happen to your loved ones. I know the person who gave this to me would be disappointed to hear about this.

I just filled out the form about the illegible card and should be hearing back from Apple within 24 hours, if all goes well. Let's see how this will play out...