There are currently around 310 million registered Amazon users, two-thirds of which log into their account and shop on the website monthly. And Amazon meets their needs and patronage with over 12 million Amazon products and nearly 350 million products from their marketplace or affiliated websites. Gift cards come in handy when shopping on Amazon, especially Amazon gift cards. But what are some tricks and tips to get the most out of Amazon gift cards or even get a special promotion to extend your remaining balance?

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How do Amazon gift e-cards work?

Amazon gift e-cards are electronic versions of physical gift cards that can be used as a payment method for purchases on Amazon or as an amazon.com gift. They are often emailed and received as a code. You can also purchase them at brick-and-mortar stores or shop for your gift card on Amazon and have it mailed to a specific residential address. However, the physical gift card will only work if you manually enter the gift card code since it cannot be scanned like other physical cards. In addition, unlike the hundreds of other eGift cards sold on Amazon, Amazon.com gift cards can only be used on Amazon or through certain affiliated websites acting as individual stores on the Amazon website. 

Amazon gift cards cannot be used outside of Amazon at a separate store. You can’t go to your local Apple Store and pay for new AirPods with your Amazon e-gift card number. But you can purchase those same AirPods through the Apple Store on Amazon and use your Amazon egift card as payment. 

An Amazon gift card makes a great gift because it can be used for any of the 350 million products listed on Amazon.com. In addition, an Amazon gift card can be given as a gift itself, or the value of an Amazon gift card can be used to offset a purchase or gift for yourself or someone else. The only other gift cards sold on Amazon are Visa and Mastercard gift cards that can be used for Amazon purchases. To purchase and use an Amazon gift card, follow these steps:

1. Log into your Amazon account.

Yes, you need an Amazon account, or at least access to an Amazon account, to buy an Amazon gift card (or any e-gift card) on Amazon.com.

2. Type “Amazon gift card,” or whatever specific gift card you need or want, in the search bar.

3. Shop for the style or occasion of the Amazon gift card or gift cards.

Amazon gift cards may be purchased for any occasion or holiday and come in an array of styles and themes, including baby showers, birthdays, congratulations, graduation, and an assortment of holidays. Depending on the time you purchase your gift card, you may also be able to grab a special promotion to improve the value when you shop for multiple Amazon gift cards.

4. Choose the right gift card value for your budget or occasion.

Depending on the style and delivery mode of the gift card, Amazon.com gift cards can range in value between $1 and $2,000. Amazon gift cards in the form of basic e-cards start as low as $1 since there’s no special graphic design needed, and it’s simply email-based delivery of the code. The Amazon print-at-home gift card also starts at $1 in value. Most other Amazon e-gift card styles start at preloaded $10 or $25 options for a quick Amazon.com gift solution. 

5. Add the gift card or gift cards to your cart.
6. Add any special or relevant gift message to your gift card.

All Amazon.com gift cards can include a personalized message from the giver to the recipient. Customize your message during checkout, and the gift card will include the message in the box during UPS delivery, or it will be attached with the gift card presentation email. There are no service fees or extra charges beyond the cost of the e-gift card during checkout. Plus, all Amazon.com gift cards have a unique code, so you can be sure the redeemed value will be correct. 

7. Proceed to checkout.

Amazon gift cards sent to an email account during checkout are usually received within 15 minutes of purchase unless the buyer has set an exact date for the delivery date during checkout. Physical amazon.com gift cards sent to residential addresses have a free one-day shipping date. In all cases, the Amazon e-gift card code may be immediately redeemed once it’s received. 

Can I give my Amazon eGift card to someone else?

Amazon gift cards are non-transferable. So once they’re redeemed, you can’t gift them to someone else. They can only be used by the recipient. Because each code is redeemed on the recipient’s Amazon account, an e-gift card cannot be passed to another account holder either. However, a gift card can still be used to purchase anything on Amazon except other gift cards. That rule covers all gift card purchases, regardless of your gift card balance. 

If you receive a physical Amazon gift card, however, you may be able to re-gift it as long as it’s completely new and has never been redeemed.

Can I convert Amazon gift cards to cash?

Amazon doesn’t allow you to return a gift card, and it also refuses to refund gift cards for cash. They’re also not refunded in physical stores. So the best you could do is return items you order via your gift card and use the return funds as website credit. But any shipping charges are exempt from being refunded. So if that’s the case, you might as well keep the gift card balance. 

Gift card apps and websites like Gift Card Granny, CardCash, CardSell, GiftCash, and Raise will allow you to sell unwanted gift cards for cash, depending on the gift card balance. Some even have an occasional promotion where you can get more back from your listed cards. Of course, expect fees to be associated with those services. But it’s still a decent way to earn money back for an unwanted purchase or Amazon.com gift without having to use the code or drain the gift card balance on something you don’t really want or need.  

How can I get a free Amazon e-Gift card?

Getting an Amazon.com e-gift card for free isn’t impossible. But it takes some side hustling to achieve. The gift card balance on most free Amazon e-gift cards is relatively low, and you may need to take advantage of a special promotion here and there or potentially make a purchase to get higher-value e-gift cards. Try these options to get free Amazon.com e-gift cards:

1. Use task and survey sites.

Sites like InboxDollars, LifePoints, MyPoints, SurveyJunkie, and Swagbucks pay members for completing surveys, watching videos, playing games, and more. Payouts can be in a variety of gift cards, including Amazon.

2. Use shopping apps.

Get a free Amazon.com gift card for using and cashing out with shopping apps like Tada, Drop, Honey, Ibotta, Mobee, Rakuten, and Shopkick.

3. Go directly through Amazon.

Amazon hosts several promotions throughout the year and on a regular basis for getting free gift cards. Load $100 on an existing Amazon gift card to earn $10 more for free. Just keep using the same code as long as the gift card balance is active. Use Amazon’s trade-in program to get a gift card for electronics and books. And sign up for the Amazon Visa credit card to get a free $50 Amazon gift card upon approval.

In Conclusion

Amazon e-gift cards can be gifts that keep on giving, depending on how they’re used and how smart of a shopper the recipient happens to be. Giving an Amazon e-gift card saves gas through an avoided trip to the store and can still help the receiver stock up on groceries, household products, and more. And with so many promotions and ways to get free Amazon gift cards, they’re ideal for any form of gifting.

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