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Giftcards.com - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts

Can a Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account be used for foreign purchases? (No)

Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts may not be used for foreign purchases.

Can I convert a Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account into a physical gift card? (No)

Funds cannot be transferred from Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts to physical gift cards.

Can the balance on a Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account be negative? (Yes)

Any purchase for an amount greater than the available balance on a Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account should be declined. However, if a merchant submits a compromised authorization, it’s possible for the combination of pending approvals to result in a negative balance.
To learn more about non-Visa/non-Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to “Merchant eGift Card” questions.

Do Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account funds expire? Are there usage fees or monthly fees?

All Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts have a seven-year expiration date from the time of purchase. There are no fees associated with using Giftcards.com Gift Cards to make a purchase; however, Virtual Accounts that are inactive for more than 12 consecutive months will be charged a $4.95 per month inactivity fee.
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions delivered with your Virtual Account

To learn more about non-Visa/non-Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to “Merchant eGift Card” questions.

How are Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts delivered and how long does delivery take?

Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts are delivered via e-mail. The greeting includes instructions on how to activate and check the balance of the gift card on Giftcards.com. The Virtual Account can be used for online and telephone purchases anywhere that Visa/Mastercard debit cards are accepted in the US.

It can take up to 24 hours from the time of purchase for the email to be delivered unless you specify a future delivery date.

To learn more about non-Visa/non-Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to “Merchant eGift Card” questions.

How do I check the balance of my Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account?

You can Check the Balance from the Giftcards.com top menu. You will need to enter the 16-digit Virtual Account number.

How do I claim Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts and where can Virtual Accounts be used?

Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts are delivered via e-mail with a “confirmation link.” Clicking the confirmation link in the email will send the recipient to an activation screen. Alternatively, you can go directly to the Activate Link and enter the Gift Activation Code found in the e-mail received

Virtual Accounts can be used to make purchases on the Internet and by telephone from any merchant that accepts Visa/Mastercard debit cards.

Is there a minimum or maximum value for a Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account?

Giftcards.com Visa Virtual Accounts can be purchased in any amount from $10 to $250, and Mastercard Virtual Accounts can be purchased in any amount from $10 to $250.

To learn more about non-Visa/non-Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to “Merchant eGift Card” questions.

What if the recipient does not receive the Giftcards.com Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account?

Since a physical gift card is not mailed, the recipient will receive notification of the Virtual Account via e-mail. Instruct the recipient to check e-mail as well as any SPAM folders or automatic filters.

If the Virtual Account does not arrive within the expected timeframe, you can contact our Customer Service for assistance, Have the invoice number and the recipient’s e-mail address available prior to making the call. 

Personalized or Customized Visa or Mastercard Gift Cards

Do I have a Giftcards.com Visa gift card or a Giftcards.com for Business Reward Card?

If you were given a Giftcards.com Visa card, it is easy to identify the type of your card. On the front in the top right corner, your card will say “gift” or “reward”. If your card says “reward”, you have received a Giftcards.com for Business Reward card. Please review the applicable FAQs below.

Are there any Personalized Gift Card photo restrictions? (Yes)

All images are subject to review and must meet regulatory requirements. For best results, uploaded images must be at least 640 × 480 pixels and must be in one of the following formats: .jpg, .gif or .png. Images that contain the following will not be accepted:

  • Company names, trademarks, logos, slogans, works of art, copyrighted materials or brands of any third party and their likeness.
  • Celebrities, professional athletes, actors, cartoons or computer game figures that are the sole focus of the image.
  • Advertising or promotional materials or branded products.
  • Phone numbers, addresses, URL addresses, account or PIN numbers.
  • Violence, blood, dead animals, indecency, nudity or semi-nudity.
  • Culturally or socially insensitive text or images or those that show alcohol, tobacco, gambling, firearms, online or role-playing games or adult entertainment.
  • Text or images that display the views, opinions or beliefs of political groups or religions.
  • Libelous or derogatory or defamatory content.
  • Discriminative or provocative content.
  • Numbers, text or images that might induce misunderstanding.
  • Images that display anti-government behavior or sentiment or content that is in violation of any rules, regulations or laws.
  • Text or images that might result in card acceptance confusion by merchants.
  • Other text or images that are deemed not suitable for any reason for use as a gift card face by Giftcards.com or its partners.

 

Are there dollar limits or name requirements for Personalized Gift Cards?

Personalized or Customized Visa or Mastercard gift cards can be purchased in any amount from $10 to $250. Any increment between those limits is considered a valid gift card amount.

What is a Personalized Gift Card?

Personalized gift cards are prepaid cards that can be customized with photos, images and embossed messages. Bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo, these cards can be used in the U.S. and District of Columbia everywhere Visa Debit cards and Debit Mastercard is accepted. Cards may not be used at any merchant, including Internet and mail or telephone order merchants, outside of the U.S. and the District of Columbia.

Unlike a merchant gift card that comes in a standard design and can only be used where it was purchased, Personalized Gift Cards are a unique gift of choice that can be redeemed online, in restaurants, at small boutiques and virtually anywhere the recipient would like to shop.

Where can Personalized Gift Cards be redeemed?

Personalized Gift Cards can be redeemed wherever Visa Debit cards or Debit Mastercard are accepted in the US, except at online gambling sites, adult websites, or money transfer services such as Venmo and PayPal. Personalized Gift Cards cannot be used for recurring payment transactions.

Visa Five Back Program

How do I know if I have a Visa Five Back gift card or reward card?

It’s easy! To see if your Visa gift card or reward card qualifies for Five Back benefits, simply check your balance. If you have a Visa Five Back qualified card, you will see a message reminding you to earn up to 5% on purchases made at participating merchants.

For more details on the Visa Five Back program, read our article

Can additional value be added onto my Visa Five Back gift card or reward card after it is purchased?

When the value on your Giftcards.com Visa gift card or reward card with Five Back Program reaches $.10 or less you will no longer earn funds. Outside of the 5% Back award, no, the Card is disposable and cannot be reloaded. When all value is used, the card should be destroyed. Do not give your card to a merchant to destroy.

How do I find out which merchants participate in the Five Back Program?

For a current list of participating retailers and what percentage of your purchase you can earn back at each, visit the Gift Cards Cash Back page.

How do I use Giftcards.com Visa Gift Cards or Reward Cards with the Five Back Program?

Your card can be used to purchase merchandise and services anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted in the United States. Giftcards.com Visa Gift Cards and reward cards can only be used to make purchases. There is no cash access to the funds on the cards via an ATM or bank transaction. The amount of every purchase will automatically be deducted from the value on the Card. Use your card at preferred Five Back Program partners to earn up to 5% of the purchase price back to the card.

How long does it take for the percentage earned to be issued back to my card?

It takes up to 72 hours after the transaction has posted for the percentage earned at a preferred partner to be added back to the balance.

What is the Five Back Program?

Use the Giftcards.com Visa Gift Card or Reward Card anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted in the United States and earn up to 5% of your purchase price added back to your card when you shop at participating merchants. The 5% Back bonus offer is provided by the Award Sponsor and is not provided or endorsed by Pathward or Visa.

When do I stop receiving 5% on my purchases?

When the value on your Giftcards.com Visa gift card or reward card with Five Back Program reaches $0.10 or less you will no longer earn funds, as the reward would be less than one cent.

Shipping & Delivery

What is your shipping schedule? How long will it take for my gift card to arrive?

Orders placed on weekdays between 8 AM and 5 PM EST are typically processed within 24 hours of receiving payment. Orders placed over the weekend may take 48 to 72 hours to process. Once processed, gift card delivery is estimated below and is subject to change.

  • USPS First Class: 5-9 Business Days
  • USPS Priority: 5-9 Business Days
  • UPS Ground: 5-8 Business Days
  • UPS Priority: 5-7 Business Days
  • UPS Express: 4-6 Business Days

Business days are defined as Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

We cannot ship to P.O. boxes; only a physical address will be accepted. Unless a future delivery date is scheduled, on average, merchant eGift card and Virtual Account orders will be delivered within 2 hours, but may take up to 24 hours from the time of purchase.

Additionally, all orders are reviewed for potential credit card fraud. If irregularities are found with a purchase, the purchase may be delayed or you may receive an automated email to verify and confirm your order. Giftcards.com will NOT process or ship orders that require additional verification before confirmation is received by the credit card holder. Your order might also be delayed if issues are found with the custom art for personalized gift cards.

Can a gift card be shipped to a recipient outside of the United States? (No)

International orders will not be accepted. Giftcards.com will accept orders from an APO (U.S. military delivery address) address, but can only ship gift cards to residents of the United States.

Can I get a refund on shipping and handling costs? (No)

Once an order is placed, the purchaser has agreed to the Terms and Conditions which clearly state that shipping or handling will not be refunded.

What happens if the recipient does not receive their card?

If the gift card does not arrive within the expected timeframe (depending on the shipping method selected), contact Customer Service for assistance. You will need the invoice number and the recipient’s e-mail address available for customer service.

Merchant eGift Cards

Are Merchant eGift Cards refundable?

Once the Merchant eGift Card has been purchased, it is non-refundable. If the intended recipient does not receive the egift or accidentally deletes it, ask the recipient to check SPAM folders, deleted email folders, or automatic filters.

If the gift card is not found, contact customer service for assistance.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa and Mastercard egift cards, refer to “Visa/Mastercard Virtual Account” questions.

Are there restrictions on purchasing Merchant eGift Cards?

Yes. The card value denominations are preset for all of the merchant cards, and the total purchase is limited to $2,500 per checkout and $5,000 per day.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to "Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts" questions.

Do Merchant eGift Cards expire or have any fees?

Most merchant cards do not have an expiration date or fees. However, since every merchant is different, please refer to the specific terms and conditions found on each merchant’s page prior to purchasing their card.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to "Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts" questions.

How are Merchant eGift Cards delivered?

Your recipient will receive an email message that contains a link to a Giftcards.com page, where they can view the message and/or video you selected. Then, they will be shown a link that will take them to the personalized eGift Card, where it can either be printed or entered into a mobile wallet application for presentation at a merchant location. In some cases, the merchant may specify that an egift card must be used online. Please refer to redemption instructions on each merchant’s page for specific instructions.

You will also receive a confirmation email. If the recipient does not receive the Merchant eGift Card, instruct the recipient to check their e-mail as well as any SPAM folders or automatic filters. If the gift card does not arrive within the expected timeframe, contact Customer Service for Assistance. You will need the invoice number and the recipient’s e-mail address available for customer service.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to “Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts” questions.

How long do Merchant eGift Card deliveries take?

It can take up to 24 business hours from the time of purchase to review and send the order unless you specify a future delivery date.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to "Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts" questions.

Where can Merchant eGift Cards be used?

Most Merchant eGift Cards can be used at the merchant’s retail locations and online at the merchant’s website. However, since every merchant is different, please refer to their specific terms and conditions found on each merchant’s page prior to purchasing their card.

To learn more about Giftcards.com Visa or Mastercard Virtual Accounts, refer to "Visa/Mastercard Virtual Accounts" questions.

Ordering

Why was my gift card order canceled?

Gift card orders are canceled for the following reasons:

  • The information provided does not match the information on file at your bank.
  • The image does not meet regulatory requirements
  • Delivery address deemed undeliverable

Can my cancelled order be reactivated? (No)

No, Once an order stands cancelled will not be reactivated.

What can I do if my order was canceled and I would like to place a new order?

If you would like to place a new order, we recommend the following:

  • Review your billing information for accuracy.
  • Provide a correct mobile phone number.
  • Use a different payment method.
  • Make sure your billing address is linked to your payment method.
  • Include the e-mail address that you regularly use.

Are there dollar limits per card? (Yes)

Giftcards.com Visa and Mastercard Gift cards can be purchased in any amount from $10 to $250. Any increment between those limits is considered a valid gift card amount. Merchant Gift Cards can be purchased in amounts ranging from $10 to $500, depending on the merchant. Some merchant gift cards only allow for set denominations such as $25, $50 and $100.

Can I cancel an order? (Yes)

Orders can only be cancelled before the card is printed and shipped. Cards are typically printed and shipped within one business day of the order being placed. Once the card has been printed or shipped, the order cannot be canceled.

Giftcards.com Gift Card

How do I use my Giftcards.com Gift Card?

The Giftcards.com Gift card can be used on Giftcards.com towards the purchase of any card without a fee, from more than 350+ brands.  At checkout, look for the Gift Card Payment option and enter your card details, then select an additional payment method if your order is larger than your gift card's current balance!

Are there any card fees for my Giftcards.com Gift Card? (No)

No, the Giftcards.com Gift card does not have a fee.

Can I reload my Giftcards.com Gift Card? (No)

No, these gift cards are disposable and cannot be reloaded.

Can I redeem my Giftcards.com Gift Card for Cash? (No)

No, the Giftcards.com Gift Card cannot be redeemed for cash unless required by law.

What gift cards can I purchase with my Giftcards.com Gift Card?

The Giftcards.com Gift card can be used to purchase any card without a fee and of equal or lesser value from Giftcards.com. For card denominations of greater value, an additional payment option must be used for any remaining difference. *Your Giftcards.com gift card balance cannot be used to purchase another Giftcards.com gift card. Giftcards.com gift cards cannot be reloaded.

Do the funds on my Giftcards.com Gift Card expire? (No)

No, the funds on your gift card never expire.

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