Giving or receiving the right gift card can fill anyone with joy and excitement. But that happiness bubble can burst in a flash when the gift card refuses to work correctly. Sometimes it’s as simple as improper activation. But in any case, there are usually simple solutions so you can quickly continue with your shopping therapy.

Something For Everyone

Everyone wants to give a thoughtful and memorable gift when the need arises. Approximately 95% of American households receive or buy gift cards. The styles can range from an Apple gift card to a Target gift card to even third-party gift cards purchased and sold outside the represented store or establishment.

Regardless of budget or time restraints, the average American buys approximately five gift cards annually, spending over $250 for the splurge. Of course, whether it’s an Apple gift card, a Target gift card, or specialty gift cards, the purchases can actually save you money in the long run.

Tip: You can get free Target gift cards with the free reward app Swagbucks. Get free Target gift cards for online surveys, searching the web, playing mobile games, using coupons, and more.

A gift card must be activated before it can be used. Any Target giftcard or eGift card purchased in-store will be activated before leaving the Target store or before being shipped after buying it on the website. Activating a gift card is the only way for the parent company to ensure payment has been made for the card. You can watch the cashier activate Target gift cards when you buy them at the store. The same thing should be done when buying an eGift card. But how can you use Target gift cards if they’re not activated for some reason?

Target Gift Cards

Whether your Target gift card is a classic Target gift card or a digital gift card, it still needs to be activated before it can be used. The cashier where you buy Target giftcards will often activate them correctly, but there can be a 24- to 48-hour hold time before the card can be used for payment or purchases. Fortunately, it’s easy to activate Target gift cards if they arrive deactivated for some reason.

You can always add gift cards to your Target account – either on Target.com or in the Target app. That way that card data is stored securely and you don’t have to worry about losing the gift card. Within the app, there’s a digital wallet feature. You can store gift cards and other payment methods, and easily pay at checkout. Just open the app and there will be a Target barcode the clerk can scan.

How do you activate Target gift cards offline?

To activate Target gift card is as easy as going right inside a Target store and asking a cashier to ensure the card is activated. You can also call the phone number listed on the packaging materials and avoid the trip to the store and the lines inside.

How do you activate Target gift cards online?

Activating Target gift cards online is even easier. Just access your Target account online or in the app. Select “gift cards” or the wallet tab. Click the + sign to add a new gift card, and either scan the bar code at the back of the gift card or manually enter the gift code number and access code.

Even after activation, a Target gift card may still refuse to work. It’s a rare occurrence, but there are a few reasons it can happen.

·     The activation didn’t go through

When a Target card doesn’t work, it’s simply because the activation didn’t go through correctly. Just take it into the store or reactivate it online when this happens.

·     The card was reported lost or stolen

You may have forgotten you reported your card as lost or stolen, or someone reported the card before you received it. Contact customer service to remedy that situation. They’ll likely just reissue another card and cancel the troublesome one altogether.

·     The expiration dates were entered

Some Target gift cards may have expiration dates listed on the cards, but the company usually ignores those dates. However, human error happens a new employee or third-party gift card site may accidentally add those dates into the computer while activating the card. It’s an easy fix that can be handled via Target customer service.

·     Your purchase price exceeds the card balance

Pay close attention to the value of the gift card. If your purchases exceed the amount, you may owe additional money, change your payment option, or delete some of your items to fit into the balance parameters.

Don’t immediately freak out if you discover your gift card isn’t working right off the bat. In most cases, it may just need to be reactivated. But even if there is another issue involved, a competent customer service rep can usually fix it in a jiffy so you can enjoy your gift in style.Your perfectly optimized content goes here!

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