Image by Thai Jasmine

I wrote about how you can’t use an Amazon gift card to buy another gift card some time ago, and today there was a similar question on Target gift cards. I had a feeling they wouldn’t allow you to buy another gift card with one you already have, but didn’t know for sure.

I placed a call to Target’s customer care, and they told me that they too don’t allow customers to buy one gift card with another. It was not too surprising because it looks like almost everyone has this policy in place. I say almost because I assume someone allows this but I am not aware of it.

This situation made me wonder if it’s better to gift people cash instead of a gift card?

I thought of a recent example where a few friends got together and gifted me a Crate and Barrel gift card for the wedding.

One of them told me it is for my wife to buy what she likes for her house, which I thought was kind of cute, but was promptly reminded by people who have been married for longer than I am – that the statement has the added virtue of being true as well, and that is what I should focus on.

But I digress, what I really wanted to say was that I appreciated the fact that they put thought into it, and got me a gift card that we could use to set up our home. Cash worth the same amount would have had more utility (as used in Micro 101), but I prefer getting the gift card rather than the cash.

On another occasion – a few of us got together and got our friend a Macy’s gift card for his wedding anniversary. I am not sure how he felt about it,  though I must confess I have a feeling that he doesn’t feel the same way I did. To be honest, given another chance – I would go for the gift card again, because there is a chance that he might feel we put some thought in it; which will never happen with cash.

I am undecided about this, and have a feeling that I will gift someone cash very soon in the future just to see what kind of a reaction I get, but until then – I’d be interested to hear how you feel about this.

While it is always a great feeling to get just the right gift for a close friend, a loved one or a family member, there is a lot of stress that accompanies trying to find that perfect gift, also.  After all, knowing exactly what people are hoping for is easier said than done, especially if you have not been able to keep up on the changing interests of those you buy gifts for!  Even if you do, there is still the danger of buying something that they already have, or worse yet, buying a gift that someone else is also getting them!

That’s one of the reasons, gift cards gained currency, and why we are reviewing the Best Buy gift card here.

Best Buy is now possibly the most well-known electronics retailer you could find, with a reputation for having both a huge selection and prices that are hard to beat.  With locations all over the United States, as well as in Mexico and Puerto Rico, there is almost always a store near you.  If not, Best Buy’s website offers an even bigger selection of items than the physical storefronts can offer, and ships quickly and conveniently to the United States, Guam and the Virgin Islands alike. Therefore, no matter what your gift recipient is into, they will be sure to find something great to buy with a Best Buy gift card.

Not only can gift cards from Best Buy be purchased both at physical Best Buy stores or the store’s website, — you can also use Best Buy gift cards at both the website and store locations.  Furthermore, you can select a wide range of denominations, from $5 to $500, and there are 16 denominations in all (8 of which are $50 and under).  Therefore, you can always spend just the right amount to get an appropriate gift and stay under your gift buying budget when you buy a Best Buy gift card.  Also, when you buy gift cards online, the shipping is free, which is always a great value.

Best Buy gift cards come with a multitude of designs and styles, so that they will be perfect for any occasion, including weddings, graduations, holidays, birthdays, or even just because you are thinking of someone special.  They even have gift cards in Spanish, if you prefer.  Also, the gift card that you buy someone does not have to be tossed aside after its value is depleted- you can reload money onto the card at any Best Buy store in the United States.

Unlike some types of store gift cards, Best Buy’s gift cards have no expiration dates or maintenance fees, so it won’t “cost” anyone money to take their time using their gift card to buy something that they really want.  If the card holder decides that he or she wants to know the exact amount left on the card at any time, they can also do that quite easily.  You can use the Best Buy website to find out in seconds, or ask any cashier at a Best Buy store, who can tell you the balance left on the card just as quickly.

There are some other great aspects of Best Buy gift cards to explore, too.  For instance, recycled gift cards are available from Best Buy for those that are environmentally conscious, and again, you can reload money onto gift cards at any time to get even more use out of them.  Best Buy gift cards are also great for companies and schools to reward employees, students or customers, and their compact size make them perfect stocking stuffers, of course.

When it comes down to it, you always want to get a gift that the recipient will enjoy.  With Best Buy gift cards, you can do just that, as a gift card there can be used for anything from the hottest video games and music CDs to the newest movies, electronics or appliances.  When you get a Best Buy gift card for someone, you are allowing them to take the time to really think of themselves for once- all while ensuring that they will get the perfect gift for any occasion…the one that they really wanted.

According to Amazon’s policy, you cannot use your Amazon gift card to buy another gift card. This is broader than you may think. Most people understand this to mean that you can’t buy another Amazon gift card, and that is true, but in addition to that, — you can’t buy any other gift card such as a Target gift card also.

The Consumerist had this interesting piece about a reader who wasn’t able to use his gift card on something that was discounted by being bundled with another gift card. For example, if Amazon was giving you a $50 gift card on buying a Kindle, — you couldn’t use your existing Amazon gift card to make this purchase.

So, two gift cards don’t go together. In summary, you can’t use it in the following ways:

1. You can’t use an Amazon gift card to buy another Amazon gift card.
2. You can’t use it to buy any other gift card.
3. You can’t use your gift card to buy anything that is discounted by being bundled with a gift card.

At first I was a little surprised at how so many people are interested in swapping gift cards, but as I read more about this, — I realized there are many situations where it makes perfect sense to do this. The reason I found most interesting was to try and get around expiry dates. This of course, isn’t applicable to Amazon any more, since their cards don’t have an expiry date. I read a couple of forum threads where people were discussing about what to do with their cards that were about to expire soon. They were talking about the expiry date coming soon, and since they couldn’t think of buying anything, — they were wondering if they could get another gift card, and in turn — extend their expiry period. I thought this was really clever, but unfortunately it isn’t allowed by most retailers.

It is a good idea to be aware of how you can’t use your gift cards because a lot of times they remain unused, and that is just a waste. Using it to buy another gift card doesn’t work, so if that was something you were planning on, then you need to think of another way of using it.

Target gift cards are a popular choice for people looking for gift cards because Target stores have it all, including everything from men’s clothing, women’s clothing and kids apparel to toys, electronics, and even groceries at many locations.

Target is truly a one stop shopping center, where you can find a new outfit, pick up a bestselling book (and the movie adaptation on DVD!), and get some milk for home all in one trip.  Furthermore, Target’s prices on great brands makes their stores very popular among shoppers of all ages and types.  Target’s website provides a huge selection as well, with all of the convenience of online shopping.  So, as you can tell, a Target gift card will really enable the recipient to pick out anything that suits them.

How to buy a Target Gift Card?

You can buy Target gift cards either at the stores that are located just about everywhere imaginable, or from Target.com, if you prefer the convenience of online shopping.  Furthermore, gift cards are redeemable at any Target store or the Target website, too, which is very helpful for those who sometimes like to shop online, but also like to look at items up close and in person.

Target Gift Card Denomination

There are a wide variety of denominations you can buy the gift cards in, from $10 all the way up to $1,000 in set amounts that are available at Target.  Meanwhile, if you go to a Target store to buy a gift card, you can select your own denomination between $5 and $2,000, assuring that you spend just the amount that you wanted to.

You may have heard of some drawbacks of many gift cards, which can expire over time, or have fees if you hold onto them too long.  However, Target’s gift cards never expire and have no fees whatsoever, so you won’t have to worry about such factors at all.

You can also reload money onto a Target gift card at any Target store, so that you can keep your gift card and continue using it as long as you want!  And you will probably want to, as there are an innumerable amount of designs for all occasions available, including birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduations and even just to say “thank you”!

Shipping Charges

Shipping on gift cards bought online is very affordable, at just $1.95.  If you prefer, though, you can send an “e-Gift Card”, which will arrive in the recipients e-mail promptly and allow them to spend the amount gifted at Target.com quickly and easily, without having to print anything out or wait to receive a physical card!  These versions of Target gift cards are available in fully personalized denominations from $5 to $5,000.  If you prefer a physical card, it is easy to include some personalized sentiments to that special person, as you can quickly include a short note to the gift recipient that will be included with the card in the mail.

Of course, even though it is called a “gift card”, Target’s cards are perfect for many uses.  The features and versatility of Target gift cards make them great not just for gifts, but also for prizes, rewards and incentives for companies, schools, clubs, church groups and more.

When you just aren’t sure what to get someone, you definitely do not want to end up getting the wrong gift.  Instead, a Target gift card really gives someone the chance to take some time to go on a little shopping spree whenever the feeling strikes them.  With the ability to personalize the cards with extra notes or by picking from a large variety of designs, you can find the perfect Target gift card for any occasion, and it is guaranteed that the gift recipient will find something they will love.

The first thing that struck me about the Amazon gift card was the ability to customize it. This is nothing unique to Amazon, and a lot of companies like Best Buy and Target offer this, but it is a nice little feature to have.

I say that because gift cards are not as personal as a real gift, so it’s nice to see that you can customize the Amazon gift card, and make it slightly more personal.

You can send a personalized e-card, which can include a picture, song and message with your gift card and that makes it even more personal.

Amazon Gift Card Delivery Options

Amazon offers a lot of choice in the way you can get a gift card. You can choose one of the following options.

Mail a gift card: You can buy a gift card, and have it mailed to your friend or family member. This may take up to seven days, and shipping is free. The disadvantage of having a gift card mailed is that physical gift cards can’t be customized, and they just have a single design. This may mean the world to some people, while make no difference to others.

Email a gift card: If you don’t want to wait out the shipping period, — you can get the gift card emailed instead.

Print a gift card: If you want to present the card yourself, but can’t wait for it to be delivered, you can print it as well. Buy it online, and print it out to deliver it yourself, without having to wait the shipping period.

Amazon Gift Card Denominations

Amazon is pretty flexible with its gift card denominations. You can buy an Amazon gift card with any value between $5 and $5000. The only gift cards that are pre-denominated are the physical gift cards which need to be shipped in 3 – 5 business days. Otherwise, even the physical gift cards that are mailed to you do not have a predetermined denomination, and you can select the value of your gift card.

Customizing Amazon Gift Cards

Amazon has a lot of pictures categorized for occasions that can be used in your gift cards. For example, — you can use this cute little picture of a stork on your gift card, if you want to wish someone on the birth of their baby girl. There are several other pictures like this, which can give a personal touch to your gift card.

There is Kindle Gift card too, but all it does is have a picture of the Kindle on it. I am not sure who will find this useful (apart from Amazon itself). If you wanted to gift someone a Kindle, you’d buy that instead of the card.

How do I use my Amazon Gift Card?

Amazon Gift Card can be used at Amazon and Endless.com.

You can use your gift card in two ways.

1. If you have the gift card, but are not sure what to buy then login to your account, and click on “Your Account” on the top right corner.
2. On the next page look for the “Payment Section” and click on – “Apply a Gift Certificate / Card to Your Account”
3. On the next page, enter your card number, and click on “Redeem Now”.

When you buy something after this, the balance will be deducted from your gift card first, and only if it doesn’t cover the entire price, will your credit card be debited.

The second way of using the Amazon Gift Card is to enter the promotional code, when you are placing the order through the shopping cart or using – “Buy with 1 click”. The amount will be deducted from your gift card, and if it doesn’t cover the entire purchase price, — your credit card be debited.

Here is a page from Amazon that has more details on this process.

Amazon says that once you enter the code on their website, they store it for you, and you don’t need to enter it subsequently. I haven’t tried this, but I’d expect that if money is left on my gift card, it will be deducted first before Amazon debits my credit card. Only when my gift card is exhausted, will my credit card be touched.

Can I use the Amazon Gift Card to buy anything?

No.

For starters, you can’t use the gift card to buy another gift card. Sometimes Amazon promotes items by bundling them up with a gift card, and offering a discount of sorts. You can’t use your gift card to buy such items as well.

Some third party sellers don’t accept it, and there are certain other exceptions. I couldn’t find a list of the exceptions on Amazon’s website, just the fact that they do exist. So, your best bet would be to try out the gift card on everything and see if it works. If anyone knows a better way, please let me know, and I’ll update the post accordingly.

Conclusion

Personally, I try to buy gifts instead of gift cards, because they carry a lot more emotion. I’d use it if I knew someone who shops a lot from Amazon, but couldn’t think of a good gift for them. The card itself is convenient to buy and Amazon’s wide range of products mean that it won’t be too hard to use either.