Contracts and Gift Certificates

[snowfalldesigns]

I've recently had my lawyer friend revise my contract for me so I can use it for all of my types of sessions but I'm still having trouble deciding what to do in the case when the client has been given a gift certificate of a session. Because I do maternity and newborn sessions, I've had several people give a session or two for a shower. Then the recipient contacts me if they are interested (I get paid no matter what, so I guess it doesn't matter). I would just do a normal contract (because it includes the model release) and say it is paid in full but what is a good way to handle the cancellation issues? Normally, it would be with a non-refundable deposit but that doesn't really work in this case....any thoughts?

[AnneWynne]

Maybe you can add onto your gift certificates that there is a rebooking fee in case of a cancellation. Also that the certificate has to be redeamed by such and such date.
Are you stating on the certificate that it cannot be redeamed for cash?

[oldwolf]

Limit the number of reschedules?

[Jim Poor]

You could say that the gift certs are non-refundable.

Some states make it illegal to have expiration dates on gift certs, so you may want to check into that.