How Do I Pay With a Gift Card Online?

Using a gift card for online purchases offers a convenient way to manage spending. Understanding the process and preparing your card properly ensures a smooth shopping experience.

Preparing Your Gift Card for Online Use

Before an online purchase, verify your gift card’s balance. Most gift card issuers provide a toll-free number or website to check the balance using the card’s 16-digit number and security code.

Physical gift cards may require activation, with instructions often on the card or via a website or phone number. Digital gift cards usually do not require separate activation.

For online transactions, you need the 16-digit card number, expiration date, and a security code (CVV or CVV2). General-purpose gift cards, like Visa or Mastercard, typically have these details printed on the front or back, similar to a debit or credit card. Store-specific gift cards also have these details.

Completing an Online Purchase with a Gift Card

When you are ready to make a purchase, proceed to the online checkout page after adding items to your cart. Look for the payment information section, which usually offers various payment methods. If you have a general-purpose gift card (like Visa or Mastercard), select “Credit” or “Debit Card” as the payment method, rather than a “Gift Card” option.

You will then input the gift card’s 16-digit number, the expiration date, and the CVV/security code into the corresponding fields. For general-purpose cards, you may also need to enter your own name and billing address, similar to a regular credit card. If you are using a store-specific gift card, there is often a dedicated “Gift Card” field where you enter the card number and any associated PIN.

If your purchase amount exceeds the gift card’s balance, many online retailers allow you to combine the gift card with another payment method, such as a credit or debit card. You would apply the gift card first, and then pay the remaining balance using your secondary payment method. Combining multiple gift cards for a single online purchase depends on the retailer’s policy; some platforms, like Amazon, allow you to add multiple cards to a digital wallet, while others may limit the number of gift cards or not permit combining them at all.

Addressing Common Gift Card Payment Issues

Occasionally, a gift card may be declined during an online transaction, even with sufficient funds. Common reasons include the card not being activated, incorrect card details being entered, or the purchase amount exceeding the card’s balance. Some general-purpose gift cards may also be declined if the merchant applies a pre-authorization hold that temporarily exceeds the available balance, even if the final purchase amount is less.

If your gift card is not working, first re-verify the card number, expiration date, and CVV/PIN for any typos. Ensure the card has been activated, if required, and check the current balance again to confirm it covers the purchase. If issues persist, contacting the gift card issuer’s customer service, typically through a toll-free number on the back of the card, can help troubleshoot specific problems.

When returning an item purchased with a gift card, retailers generally issue a refund back to the original gift card or provide store credit. It is advisable to keep your physical gift card, or a record of digital card details, until the purchase is confirmed and any return period has passed. This ensures that if a refund is necessary, the funds can be credited back to the original payment method.