PLEASE offer Gift Certificate buying option for NON-Steam users.

[Wazooda]

Every birthday or Xmas I have the same problem; everyone in my family does not know what to buy for me.

So.... they end up getting me gift cards at Best Buy, Microcenter or the dreaded GameStop so I can buy a game.

I would *love* to be able to send them to the Steam website so they can have a buy a gift certificate in any denomination and have it sent to me so I can use it on *any* game.

I am quite surprised that the only gifting option available is from my Steam user to another Steam user.... and then only for a particular game!

PLEASE add this ability.

Thank you.

[AciD]

They could send you game by email address.

[Wazooda]

Well... a few things:

1st, I believe that the gift buyer must have Steam running to purchase the game through the Steam store. Asking my mom to download and install Steam on her Mac to buy me a Steam game.... well... you get the picture....

2nd.... sometimes there is no current game I want to buy. With Steam as it is now, you have to pick a SPECIFIC game to give someone. I would like to decide for myself later....

[AciD]

I know how mums like to install stuff, I agree a 5, 10, 20, 30 or 50$ gift card would be nice. You Can also get a Visa gift card :)

[Wazooda]

*BUMP*

As Christmas approaches once again, I'll ask if this has been changed.

thanks!

[Zorlac]

Valve's not very retail friendly if you've never noticed. While Steam gift cards would be awesome I just dont' see it happening. They dont' even publish their own retail games. They let EA handle all that.

[Wazooda]

It is just so surprising to me. Imagine the ancillary income when you offer a gift card solution as part of the Steam network!

How many of us have friends and relatives who are not gamers, thus have no access to Steam, but ask us what we want for Xmas or a birthday?

I'd love to say "get me a Steam Gift Card!"

Oh well....

[jon8917]

Agreed it would be nice if I could ask a relative for a steam gift card

[generalshu]

For such a smart program, the marketing department isn't really thinking... Would Steam like to hire me? 20% increase in business in a few months, I promise :)... I already have an entire plan layed out... BUT I don't give ideas for free anymore.

I'll just say, between me and friends, we were going to grab like $300 in gift cards for Steam, but no option...and the mother in law can barely check her email, let alone try to gift a game...and pre paid visas are too generic as gifts with most families so... Yea, rough estimate, Steam is losing out in probably $40k worth of gift card sales ($60k if they had me as head of marketing), so maybe the CEO's should poke their idea people and ask them what they are getting paid for :). Laterz!

[ReBoot]

You don't need Steam installed to gift a game, you just need a Steam account.