Gift cards are popular because they're easy, and they let the recipient choose the final product. If you're giving gift cards to somebody, see if you can ease the financial burden on yourself while giving as much as you can.
Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, shares a few tips on paying less than face value for gift cards -- without the recipient knowing that you spent less than you gave. You can also sell cards that you received if you'd rather get cash.
Online marketplaces allow buyers and sellers of gift cards to come together and end up with what they really want -- either plain old money or a discounted gift card. If you need to sell, plan on getting a little bit less than the gift card is worth. Buyers can find new and partially used cards at a discount.
See The ConsumerMan's article for details on gift card marketplaces and ideas on used cards.