ITunes Store Redeeming ITunes gift card, Internet

The same thing happened to myself over Christmas. I received a 30 dollar iTunes gift card that was not activated properly. I emailed iTunes customer service about the problem. They requested I send a picture of the front and back of the gift card. A week and a half later I received a new code to redeem my 30 dollar credit. I asked the man what happened to the cards that prevented me from using them, he told me they were not activated at the point of sale. I was happy and relieved in knowing I was able to get the credit.

I have no doubt that in the past you have never had to do this.  That is because the activation probably works correctly 99.9% of the time, if it didn't people would not want to buy them.  But there are cases, for what ever reason, that the card did not get activated.

As I said before I doubt this is an Apple issue and more of one with the store that your daughter got the card at.  I would also still bet that in the same situation this would have happened with any other card as well.

I have given and received many gift cards in my life and have never had to deal with any sales receipt.

That the card you tried to redeem was never activated, which means that iTunes never received proof that the card was actually purchased.

So most likely this is NOT Apple, but the store that your daughter bought it from did not activate it correctly.  These(and other gift cards) have to be activated by the store at the Point of Sale, so without that receipt Apple has no idea if it was just an honest mistake by the store or that the person claiming that they have a card just took the card but never paid for it.  So while I am not saying that your daughter would just take the card, Apple has to treat everyone the same. 

No Receipt=No proof that the card was actually purchased=No Activation.

Oh and this is the same thing that would happen with EVERY Gift Card, so it is not Apple specific.