eGift Cards: 5 Things You Should Keep in Mind

1. Timing is important

One of the key benefits of buying an egift card is that it can be sent to the recipient immediately (and without you having to pay anything additional for this). That said, it’s a good idea to allow some time between when you order the card and when you need it delivered. Gift card issuers may need to run it past fraud screening and approve the transaction - so, this may take some time.

2. Make sure you’ve entered the right address

The card issuer’s obligation is complete once the digital delivery has been made - regardless of whether the card actually reached the right recipient or not. Given this, it’s important to check you’ve entered the correct email address before you buy the card. A good tip is to recheck all the information you’ve entered when buying the card, including your own information.

3. Certain egift cards cannot be used in stores

While many gift cards can be used online and in stores, a few merchants don’t allow ecards to be redeemed in stores. An example of this is the Visa® egift card, which can only be used online. If the person you are buying the gift card for only shops in stores, this is something you’ll likely want to keep in mind.

4. You might have to follow up

You will be notified when the delivery has been made, but this notification does not mean your intended recipient has received the card. So, after you receive notification of the egift card being delivered, it’s a good idea to casually check if the person you’ve sent it to has received the card.

5. Electronic gift cards are easier to trace

Unlike plastic gift cards, egift cards are unlikely to be lost or misplaced. That’s because they have a number of identifiers, like the recipient’s telephone number, email address, physical address, etc., which makes these cards hard to lose.

All third-party names (including company and service names), graphics and logos used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of such third parties. Use of them here does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by such third-parties.