...trade them in for gift cards to your favorite stores. I intend to use this service.

http://www.cardavenue.com/default.cfm?

oh wow i didn't know this was out there

What are these 'gift certificates' you speak of?

Can I trade the nothing I got for gift certificates?

No, but you can buy gift cards for less via an auction.

Auctions on this site seem to take Waaaaay too long....Plus, the "trade" is undefined, w/ no asking price(s)...

This makes for an interesting study. If you believe in an efficient marketplace (as well you should), then you would expect gift certs from high priced, specialty stores to trade at quite a discount, given their reduced buying power and lower liquidity.

I would be surprised if a cert dollar at Sam Goody's or Tower goes for much more than 60% of what cert dollar at Target would get.

I'm sure there's a finance PhD candidate drooling over this one.

My fave study along these lines was the premium paid for T-Bills maturing before a major sporting event. "Bookie Bills" I called 'em, the reasoning being that bookies and casinos would dump their cash into the appropriate T-Bill, driving up the price, and reducing the yield.