Beware of bank-issued gift cards

From WSJ:

You may have trouble using the cards at gas stations and restaurants, and many retailers won't let you use both a card with a small balance (to drain it) and another form of payment to pay for a single purchase. Is it possible that givers just aren't aware of the trouble these cards can create for the supposed beneficiaries? Gift cards from retailers are better but not perfect. Both Kmart and Toys "R" Us have done away with expiration dates, maintenance or inactivity fees this year. Amazon.com, American Eagle Outfitters, Blockbuster, Bloomingdale's and Macy's still hit users with them. Company representatives note that most people drain their cards quickly and thus lose no value.

Although Amazon's certificates expire, they do not expire for two years and do not appear to have any hidden fees. Plus, Amazon has so many things for sale that people are not really restricted in what they can buy. In looking at the American Express gift cards, I noticed that they levy a $6/month inactivity fee after the first 6 months. American Express always seems to be the biggest rip-off.