Barnes & Noble offers gift cards and e-cards in a range of values. They can be purchased in-store, or online - via the website or through the smartphone app. They are customizable and you can even choose the design that will appear on the card. If you receive such a gift, there are no limits on when you need to redeem it. The balance is yours for the keeps, however long it takes you to decide how to spend it. You can always check it through the app - by typing the validation code into the search box.