There are times when it seems as if there is nothing to buy with a gift card, maybe because you aren’t finding anything you like or you don’t like the store which the gift card can buy from.
At such times, thinking of buying a gift card with that gift card comes to mind. That’s what we have addressed in this article.
Table of contents
What Are Gift Cards?
A gift card, commonly known as a gift certificate in North America or a gift voucher or gift token in the United Kingdom, is a prepaid stored-value money card provided by a merchant or bank to be used as a substitute for cash for transactions within a certain store or connected businesses. Employers and groups may also distribute gift cards as incentives or presents.
They are sometimes referred to as cash cards since they are issued by merchants and marketers as part of a marketing campaign to persuade the receiver to come in or return to the store. Gift cards are normally only redeemable for purchases at the appropriate retail location, cannot be cashed out, and may be subject to an expiration date or fees in some cases.
Generic gift cards, such as those offered by American Express, MasterCard, and Visa, are extensively utilized for cashback marketing methods because they do not have to be redeemed at specific locations.
These cards are normally anonymous, and they are discarded once the stored value on the card has been depleted.
From the buyer’s perspective, a gift card is a gift that is provided in lieu of an item that the recipient may or may not require when giving cash as a present is deemed socially improper.
Gift cards are extremely popular in the United States, ranking as the second-most-given gift by consumers, the most-wanted gift by women, and the third-most-wanted gift by men in 2006. Gift cards are becoming more popular as they free the donor of the responsibility of selecting a specific gift.
Check Out These 15 Sites To Buy Discounted Gift Cards
How Do Gift Cards Work?
A gift card is a type of payment that can be used at retail stores, gas stations, restaurants, and other establishments. Gift cards can be open-loop or closed-loop. You load money onto the card, which you or the gift card recipient can then spend at accepted locations. An open-loop gift card can be used anywhere that accepts that particular brand of card.
If you have a gift card with the Visa logo on it, you can use it anywhere Visa is accepted. A closed-loop card, on the other hand, can only be used at certain merchants.
If you buy a gift card from Starbucks or Amazon, you can only spend it at the store that issued the card.
Physical or digital gift cards are available. Digital gift cards do not have a physical form; instead, you are given a unique gift code number that you may use to make purchases at online stores. The most common type of gift card is still physical cards, although this is projected to alter in the near future.
Customers can buy physical cards as well as load online or digital accounts at companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Customers can get digital and physical gift cards from major restaurant businesses like Starbucks, Chipotle, and Chilies. Customers can use an app or a card reader in-store to pay with these cards, which speeds up the checkout procedure.
Read Also; Top 20 Best Gift Cards In 2023
Can I Buy A Gift Card With A Gift Card?
Because there is no federal or state regulation determining whether or not you can buy a gift card with a gift card, businesses can decide whether or not to enable customers to use gift cards to buy other gift cards in their stores–whether the same brand or a third-party card.
Keep in mind, however, that Visa gift cards are not the same as other gift cards. While you may not be able to buy another gift card using a store’s gift card, you should be able to buy a branded gift card with a Visa gift card.
Read Also; Can Money Be Refunded To a Visa Gift Card | Best Answers
What Can I Do With An Unwanted Gift Card?
If you don’t use a gift card within the first few months of receiving it, you’re likely to forget about it. The gift card does not work for you for whatever reason. Rather than holding on to an undesired gift card indefinitely, put it to good use. You could get money back, gifts to offer later, or pleasant feelings that you’ll never forget.
#1. Gift it to someone else:
Consider gifting an unwanted gift card to someone else if it is in good physical condition and has the entire dollar amount remaining on it.
If you can’t think of anything to buy with the gift card you received, use it to buy a present for someone else. Because birthdays and celebrations occur throughout the year, you should be able to choose something that others would appreciate.
See Also; How To Get Free Gift Cards Online Without Completing Offers In 2023
#2. Donate it to a fundraiser:
Gift cards, which can be redeemed for supplies, auctioned at fundraisers, or given as prizes, are always in demand by fundraising committees for schools, churches, organizations, and charities.
The gift card you don’t want might raise hundreds of dollars for a good cause if it’s raffled off separately or as part of a gift basket. Donations of gift cards to nonprofit organizations may be tax-deductible.
#3. Sell it for money:
Selling a gift card to a gift card exchange site is the simplest way to convert a gift card into cash. The amount you’ll get depends on the popularity of the gift card and the amount of inventory currently on hand, but it might range from 70 to 92 percent of the gift card’s value.
Although you can discover a gift card buyer on social media or through online classified advertising, legitimate gift card resellers are far safer to use since they provide money-back guarantees, fraud prevention, and safe ways to receive cashback for your gift cards, such as PayPal.
In addition, customer support representatives are accessible to assist and answer questions.
#4. Allow someone else to use it:
You might not like the product at the business where you have a gift card, but someone else might. If you have a gift card from a gaming store, for example, you can buy the most recent video game and then sell it on an online auction site or on social media.
Go to the shoe store with your pal if it’s back-to-school time and you know he or she is seeking a specific pair of shoes. Pay with the gift card for the shoes she wants, and she’ll give you the money she would have spent on them. Look for items that are OK to buy used and see if you can do some shopping to make some money.
How Can I Buy A Gift Card?
#1. From Resellers:
The nicest part about purchasing pre-owned discount gift cards from a gift card reseller is that there is always a big selection of gift cards on sale. If you acquire discount gift cards before going shopping at your favorite stores and restaurants, you may save money on everything from shoes to pets to restaurants and movie theaters.
Of course, the number of cards available and the amount you may save varies depending on inventory and seasonal availability, but there’s no better place to set your own price. When choosing a gift card reseller, look for one that provides customer service and a money-back guarantee you can rely on if the card you purchase is defective.
#2 Ebay:
When eBay.com initially opened, it was a website where people could sell their new and gently used items. However, as soon as eBay became established as a person-to-person sales platform, retailers rushed on board to sell their goods and services.
Although many stores used eBay to sell old, discontinued, or returned things in the beginning, many today sell new items as well. Gift cards, which are occasionally sold for less than face value, are among the products available. The greatest location to look for discounted gift cards is on eBay’s PayPal Digital Gifts shop.
#3. Staples.com:
You probably think of Staples.com when I suggest a website where you can buy copy paper, binders, marking pens, and other office supplies. You’d be correct. However, Staples.com also sells discounted gift cards for some of the country’s most well-known merchant brands. The discounts are really excellent.
Gift cards for iTunes, Gap Brands, Sephora, Applebee’s, and many other retailers and restaurants are frequently discounted on Staples.com. It’s also not uncommon to see gift cards on sale for 10 to 20% off or to get a bonus gift card when you buy another. So, the next time you need new gift cards, check out Staples.com gift cards.
#4. Any Daily Deal Site:
Your favorite daily deal website is the next place to hunt for discounted gift cards. Over 800 publications use NimbleCommerce, the premier digital commerce platform for promotions, including Restaurant.com, DoubleTakeDeals, TravelZoo, and others.
Each of these sites offers discounted travel discounts, concert tickets, amusement park passes, and spa days, as well as other merchandise (such as name-brand charm bracelets, watches, boots, and more). Gift card discounts are frequently featured on the daily deals menu. One of the best parts of buying gift cards from a daily deal site is that you can get combo deals like dinner and a movie.
Frequently Asked Question
If you were given a Gift Card Visa card, determining the type of card is simple. Your card will state “gift” or “reward” in the top right corner on the front.
Gift cards from Visa and Mastercard never expire. The expiration date (together with the CVN on the back of the card) is listed on the front of the card to allow businesses to process these cards as debit or credit cards.
When using Visa and Mastercard Gift or Reward Cards to make a transaction, there are no fees; however, gift cards that have been inactive for more than 12 months will be charged a $4.95 monthly service fee.
When purchasing eGift or merchant physical cards, there are no activation costs. When you buy a Visa or Mastercard Virtual Account you will have to pay a purchasing charge.
Gift or Reward Cards from Visa and Mastercard can only be used to make purchases. The amounts on the cards cannot be accessed in cash through an ATM or bank transaction.
Conclusion
Some stores allow people to buy gift cards with gift cards, while others don’t. You will have to check out the particular store whose gift card you have or want to buy to see if their policies allow for that.
References
- giftcards.com/gcgf/five-easy-ways-to-use-unwanted-gift-cards
- giftcards.com/gcgf/buy-gift-card-with-gift-card
- giftcards.com/gcgf/giftcards-on-sale
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