Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why should I purchase stock from you rather than going through a broker?
  2. Is this an actual share of stock?
  3. How do I place an order?
  4. What information is required to place an order?
  5. Can I purchase the certificate without the frame?
  6. What if I want a stock that is not currently offered?
  7. Can you ship to an address that is different from the certificate / recipients address?
  8. How soon can I expect delivery?
  9. What is 2 Part Delivery?
  10. What is a Gift Note?
  11. How do you ship?
  12. Why did I get correspondence from the company before I got my certificate?
  13. Do I need to provide a social security number to purchase a stock certificate?
  14. I am under 18, can I buy a stock certificate?
  15. Can I buy this for someone under 18?
  16. Can I purchase stock for an unborn child?
  17. Why is it so important for me to check my order?
  18. Can I place an order by phone or fax?
  19. What is the "GIFTize" fee?
  20. What do I get as a shareholder?
  21. What is scripophily?
  22. Can I register the share in my business name?
  23. Can I buy more than one share of a company?
  24. Can I get more words put on the engraved plaque?
  25. Your stock price is different from the current quote on the stock?
  26. Are you a broker, how can you sell shares of stock?
  27. Why does my certificate have blemishes or slight creases?
  28. Can a person outside of the U.S. be a registered shareholder?
  29. What happens if the underlying company changes or stops issuing physical paper certificates after I order?
  30. Can I sell my stock and if so, how?
CHAT WITH A LIVE OPERATOR
  • Why should I purchase stock from you rather than going through a broker? Good question! As of  1/1/2009, brokers CANNOT deliver paper stock certificates for most stocks because of an industry-wide push toward electronic ownership (see stock certificates). We are still able to get them because we work directly with the transfer agents. In addition, we give you exceptional value. Our business focus and processes are all geared toward delivering 1 share of stock packaged as a gift. We are easier, faster, cheaper, and less bureaucratic than a stock broker plus we provide custom framing and other gift oriented items. In the rare cases where a broker can provide a physical certificate, they charge commissions PLUS a significant fee ($100-$500) to send you the physical certificate.  See better than a broker. Back to Top
  • Is this an actual share of stock? YES! You are purchasing a real share of stock. The recipient is the registered owner entitled to anything that any shareholder gets. That's the part that makes this gift unique, educational, and everlasting. The registered owner can receive annual reports from the company, declared dividends, stock splits, invitations to shareholder meetings, and any other little extras given to shareholders, like Willamette Valley Vineyards giving shareholder discounts on wine or Starbucks giving a coffee card. Back to Top
  • How do I place an order? It's easy! Go to our stock list to look at our growing list of companies or if you want one that is not on our list, go to custom stock page.  We have many ways to search for just the right stock - by recipient, by occasion,  by price...Once you have decided on the stock you want, select it and you will be given a chance to customize your order (frame type, color, plaque engraving, gift-wrap, kids package etc.). The shopping cart guides you through the process. Back to Top
  • What information is required to place an order? We will need to legally register the stock certificate in the new owner's name. To do this we normally only need the recipient's name and current address. If the stock is to be issued to a minor, you will need to provide the name of one adult custodian. A custodian is a parent, guardian or some other responsible adult.  The transfer agent for several stocks requires a tax ID # for registration (more info).:   If you don’t have this information, you can select our 2 Part Delivery option and we will include the request with the shipment of the first part.  Back to Top
  • Can I purchase the certificate without the frame? No, but we do offer an attractive cardboard frame for  $1.  Note that most stock certificates are an odd size (generally 8" X 12").  See price comparison. Back to Top
  • What if I want a stock that is not currently offered? Our stock list has over 100 stocks (and growing) that we inventory. We do have the ability to get other NYSE or NASDAQ stocks that are not on our list. See custom stock page. Back to Top
  • Can you ship to an address that is different than the certificate / recipient's address? Yes. We require the recipient's address in order to register the stock, but during the ordering process you will also be asked to provide a 'Bill To' and 'Ship To' address that can be different, giving you all the flexibility you need. Back to Top
  • How soon can I expect delivery? Delivery times are paced by the stock registration process. We will ship your order within 3 - 7 weeks with most shipments occurring in the shorter end of that range. We inventory the shares so are able to beat broker delivery times. For those trying to meet an occasion deadline, we offer various solutions that can be used individually or together to expedite receipt. You can take advantage of our 2 Part Delivery (see below), use a Gift Note, or simply arrange for a faster mode of shipment. We also give you a way to keep your gift a surprise. Contact us about your gift deadlines and we can help you determine the right course of action. Back to Top
  • What is 2 Part Delivery? See our 2 Part Delivery page. Back to Top
  • What is Gift Note? See our Gift Note page. Back to Top
  • How do you ship? We generally use UPS for domestic shipping. USPS is generally more economical for international orders. Our shopping cart allows you to choose the mode of shipment and uses both UPS and USPS live rate lookup to calculate the shipping cost. You will receive an email notification with a tracking number upon shipment on UPS orders. UPS shipping methods provide tracking and are insured. USPS Express Mail International is insured but tracking may be limited.  All other USPS options are NOT insured and do NOT provide thorough tracking.  If you choose a shipping option without tracking or insurance,  you assume the risk of loss.  Please keep in mind that if timing is a concern, we ship from Gilbert, Arizona and UPS Ground generally takes a week to get to the East Coast. UPS does not deliver on Saturdays or Sundays (In certain cases, UPS can deliver on Saturdays, but you must contact us to make special arrangements for a UPS Saturday delivery). At Leading Edge Gifts we will meet or beat our shipping commitments but we are at the mercy of UPS and USPS to deliver your order to you. Delays by UPS or USPS due to bad weather or some other reason are out of our control. We will submit claims when possible and pass along any proceeds that we recover to impacted customers. Back to Top
  • Why did I get correspondence from the company before I received my certificate? Each company has a transfer agent that manages their stockholder activity. GiveAshare.com works with these transfer agents to get the stock registered in the recipient's name. Once registered, the company whose stock is purchased, may send the shareholder correspondence such as a welcome letter, dividend check, request to participate in the dividend reinvestment plan, or a W9 Form. In certain circumstances, this can even occur before receipt of the physical stock certificate. The reason is that the electronic registration happens first and then the physical certificate is issued to GiveAshare.com for quality review, framing, packing and shipping. We have developed a patent pending process that enables you to get a tangible gift without spoiling the SURPRISE. During checkout, you must select 2 Part Delivery and then put in your Gift Date and we will adjust the registration process to ensure nothing gets sent to the recipient. Back to Top
  • Do I need to provide a social security number to purchase a stock certificate? Generally not. Normally the company whose stock was purchased, will request the shareholder's social security number by sending a W9 form to the shareholder (see question #12) after the stock is registered. For non U.S. shareholder's, the company will send a W8 form to the shareholder. Some transfer agents require a social security number in order to register the stock. If you do not have the SSNO or if it would ruin the surprise by getting it from the recipient, we recommend selecting 2 Part Delivery which allows the shareholder to provide their SSNO after the gift is given. Companies that require a SSNO for registration include 1-800-Flowers, Abercrombie & Fitch, Dell, Evergreen Solar, Iridium Communications, Krispy Kreme, LeapFrog, Microsoft, Playboy, Quicksilver, Raytheon, Steinway Musical, Ricks Cabaret, WWE, & Yum Brands.    Back to Top
  • I am under 18, can I buy a stock certificate? Yes, but only under adult supervision. The name of a custodian must be provided for stock that is being bought for a minor. A custodian is a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult whose name will also appear on the registered stock. Only one minor child and one adult custodian name can appear on the stock certificate. Back to Top
  • Can I buy this for someone under 18? Yes. The name of an adult custodian must be provided for stock that is being bought for a minor. A custodian is a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult whose name will also appear on the registered stock. Only one minor child and one adult custodian name can appear on the stock certificate. Back to Top
  • Can I purchase stock for an unborn child? Yes. However, we cannot register the stock until we have a name for the child (and an adult custodian). What you can do in this instance, is purchase a stock using our 2 Part Delivery. We will send the 1st part of the order out without a name, and hold off on registering the stock until you or the new parents have provided us with a name for the child - after he or she is born.  See our baby shower packages. Back to Top
  • Why is it so important for me to check my order? At GiveAshare.com your satisfaction is extremely important to us. Because so much of this product is dependent on your input (certificate registration information and plaque engraving information) it is critical that you double check the information you provide so that you end up with exactly what you want. You get both an on-line confirmation and an email confirmation. Please see our return policy for more specifics. Back to Top
  • Can I place an order by phone or fax? Yes. Go through the normal checkout process to make all of your selections to price out your order including shipping (select "Phone Order" as the payment method). Then print out the order and call us at the contact numbers provided. Back to Top
  • What is the "GIFTize™" fee? This is the fee that we charge for providing our service which includes stock purchase, legal registration, and gift processing. We offer one-stop-shopping at a terrific price. See how we price and  price comparison to see the value that you get. Back to Top
  • What do I get as a shareholder? You are entitled to everything that any shareholder gets. This can include annual shareholder reports from the company's management, declared dividends, invites to shareholder meetings, and any special shareholder perks (examples: Starbucks has given coffee cards, IBM has given computer discounts, Willamette Valley has given wine discounts etc.).   All of this makes for an everlasting gift that can be extremely educational and enjoyable. Back to Top
  • What is Scripophily? Scripophily is the hobby of collecting of old stocks and bonds. The word is made up of the English word "scrip" which represents ownership or right and the Greek word "philos" which means love. This is considered a hobby for some and an investment by others and in recent years it has exploded in popularity.  Collectors are attracted by ornate artwork, printed signatures, historical significance, and aesthetics.  The movement away from paper stock certificates has made this even more popular. Back to Top
  • Can I register the share in my business's name? Yes. In this case we require that you include the business tax identification number (your social security number for a sole proprietorship). Please call us to provide this information. Back to Top
  • Can I buy more than one share of a company? You can buy any number of one share stock certificates but we cannot sell a multiple share certificate because of rules established by the SEC. For example,  you can buy five 1-share certificates at our price but not one 5-share certificate.  Generally if you want to buy more than a few shares on one certificate, you should probably consider a broker.  Contact us for help in deciding. Back to Top
  • Can I get more words put on the engraved plaque? Yes.  It is possible to arrange for a larger plaque and/or smaller font to accommodate more words. Please contact us. Back to Top
  • Your stock price is different from the current quote on the stock? The price on these publicly traded companies is constantly changing.  We generally update our prices once a week (more often if the market is volatile). Note that our prices reflect the stock price, our fees, and any other fees required to register the stock as well as any adjustments necessary to meet SEC pricing requirements.   See how we price. Back to Top
  • Are you a broker, how can you sell shares of stock? Although we are not a broker or dealer we are allowed to do what we do by adhering to criteria established by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We have structured our business, product and pricing to be in full compliance with the SEC guidelines such as selling stock only in 1-share increments, adhering to minimum prices, and marketing our product as a gift or collectible and not as an investment. Back to Top
  • Why does my certificate have blemishes or slight creases? The transfer agent begins with company-generic certificates pre-printed with the company logo and design and then runs them through a printing process to record the registration and authentication information. In rare cases, this printing process may leave slight creases or blemishes on the certificate. Each transfer agent has a slightly different process, some of which are more conducive to blemishes/slight creases on the certificate (generally Mellon, contact us for more info ). This process makes it the real deal! We perform a quality review to ensure that the certificate condition is consistent with what the transfer agent normally delivers to all registered owners. Back to Top
  • Can a person outside of the U.S. be a registered shareholder? Yes. Please note that when shipping outside of the U.S., some countries may charge additional taxes or custom duties/fees upon delivery which are not included in the price. Also note that for international orders: UPS shipping methods provide tracking and are insured. With USPS: Express Mail International, and USPS:Priority Mail International, limited insurance is provided, and tracking is limited once the package leaves the United States. All other USPS options do NOT provide any tracking or insurance, so if you choose this option, you assume the risk of loss. Back to Top
  • What happens if the underlying company changes or stops issuing physical paper certificates after I order? There is a movement in the industry away from physical paper certificates which adds to the collectible value of certificates. Although improbable, it is possible for the underlying company to stop issuing physical certificates after an order is placed. In the unlikely event that this occurs, we will frame a realistic copy of the company's certificate and add the shareholder's name. This will look like the real thing and will represent the fact that the recipient owns one share electronically. The real proof of electronic ownership will be evidenced by a statement and account number sent directly to the shareholder by the transfer agent. Electronic ownership is no different than having a physical certificate and the shareholder is entitled to all the same benefits. In the unlikely event that the company you buy significantly changes the design of their stock certificate after the order is placed, the buyer will have the option of getting a mock-up copy of the original designed certificate with the recipient's name printed on it along with the real registered certificate (new design). Back to Top
  • Can I sell my stock and if so, how? You are a true shareholder and can do anything you want with your stock. You can sell your stock through a broker or IF your company offers a DRIP and you participate, you can generally sell through the Plan (normally at lower fees). Back to Top