Exchanging electrons for physical tokens in order to get electrons

It's funny how the world always seems a bit slow to get caught up to what makes sense now. For instance we want to buy someone a book for Christmas, but we don't know which one. So we would get them a gift certificate. But they don't read physical books anymore. And we don't pay for things with physical cash - we charge it.

So the situation would go like this:

1. Using an electric transaction purchase a physical gift card at a physical store
2. Give gift
3. Copy gift card number into computer to add credit to ebook account
4. Purchase books
5. Throw away card

The only physical part would be having a plastic card to hand to someone just to show "look, I'm giving you something". But it's supposed to be the thought that counts right? You're not supposed to be showing "This is what I gave person X. Be in awe!!"

This is clearly dumb and a waste of time. But it didn't occur to me or Laura before going shopping tonight that there was any other way. "Of course a gift card has to be physical! How else could you add credit to your electronic account... wait..."

Eventually our brains and society will catch up to what we've been capable of for many years now.