Your credit card number is part of the B&N DRM encryption scheme. Even if you only ever use gift cards to purchase books, you need a valid credit card number on file with B&N to essentially act as a password to open the books. This is explained in the User Guide, as well as in MANY posts on this board. Some people have had luck with a pre-paid debit card or something of that sort to keep on file with B&N if you can't or won't get a true credit card.
It wouldn't make a difference. You need a cc to have any accounts. You can always link up your bank debit card. It's only a fail safe in case the gift card runs out of money.
I'm using a gift card for my purchases right now and just to let you know, each time you buy a book, it sends a pending charge of $1.00 to your on file credit card. As someone pointed out, it probably has to due with the encrpytion and maybe to confirm the credit card is still valid. The credit card is not charged for the actual book cost, the gift card gets charged for that, and the pending charge is never recorded. I get an email from my bank every time a charge is made on line so every time I buy I book, I get an email about a $1.00 charge from B&N. I checked the first couple of times, just to be sure, and no book charge, just the $1/pending which never gets posted.
