Choosing the perfect gift is a tricky business and it is really disappointing not to get the expected reaction from your loved ones after giving the gift to them. The gift card is an ideal choice for a gift item as it allows the recipients to spend the money as they wish. It is even possible to schedule the delivery of the gift card a year ahead in the online portals. You can add personalized messages and customize the appearance of the gift cards when you buy them online. In this article, you learn, how and where you can buy gift cards online with a checking account.
How to Buy Gift Cards Online With A Checking Account
CardCash and PayPal facilitate the buy of gift cards online using your checking account. By adding your checking account to your PayPal account, you can buy gift cards from major vendors.
Link Your Checking Account to Your PayPal Account
Now, if you happen to have a PayPal account, you can add a checking account of yours to pay for buy gift cards online. To do that, you have to log in to your account and upload your checking account number and other information that PayPal requires to verify your checking account such as your nine-digit bank routing number. This verification process normally takes one to five days to complete. After that, you can shop online at any store that accepts PayPal payments. PayPal accepts payment in 100 currencies and most of the major eCommerce sites accept PayPal. So, once your PayPal account is set, you are ready to roll in an online shopping spree!
Electronic Check –eCheck (CardCash)
EFT or eCheck is accepted by many online stores. The eCheck is funded by your bank and it must clear the bank before it’s credited to the recipient. The process takes up to 6 business days.
Credit unions are advantageous in many aspects compared to traditional banking. They issue checking account and credit cards to their clients which can be used to buy gift cards as well as other items online.
Top 15 Places To Buy Gift Cards Online With Checking Account
1. Macy’s E-Gift Card
Macys.com is a US-based website and it represents one of the iconic retailing brands in America. It’s the best destination for a gift card as the store offers a variety of commodities suitable for every age and both genders. There are 200 locations worldwide plus an online store. There are clothing items, jewelry, shoes, handbags, watches, and a lot more for men, women, and children available at the online store or outlets.
Purchasing an E-Gift card from Macy’s is rather convenient, too. Once you land at Macy’s E-Gift Cards Online, then select your favorite design and then select the dollar value or pre-selected price. After that, you have to provide the recipient’s email address, recipient’s name, your name, and your gift message. The E-Gift Card will be delivered to the destination within 24 hours of purchase. Macy’s accepts credit cards as well as PayPal payments.
These cards are redeemable and it can be redeemed at Macy’s store by showing the printed barcode to the store personnel. Online redemption only requires the E-Gift card number. The E-Gift cards balance information is available online or at a price checker terminal in store.
eGifter provides not only one-to-one gift cards but also group gifting options where a group of people can collaborate together for purchasing gift cards on any occasion. On the eGifter website, you have to start a group gift and invite others where everyone is allowed to contribute individually for a specific card or let the recipient decide. The website and the app have many innovative features and there are tons of reviews from satisfied customers on the website.
Another nice option is the eGifter choice card, where the recipient can choose from the brand of preference. There is also a lot of flexibility about purchasing the cards as eGifter accepts credit cards as well as PayPal, Venmo, Skrill, Amazon pay, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash, Apple pay, and many more.
3. Amazon Gift Card
Amazon offers three different exclusive gift cards along with third parties’ cards. They have eGift cards, print-at-home gift cards, and traditional gift cards with lots of design, varieties, and packaging options. These cards can be customized for unique occasions, holidays, and ceremonies. The Amazon.com eGift Card has denominations of $1 to $2,000 with some preset prices. These gift cards can be scheduled one year ahead and they will be delivered immediately on the scheduled date. The cards have no expiry date and fees.
The Amazon.com eGift Card is redeemable for worldwide stores and certain affiliated websites. You can buy gift cards online using Amazon pay, major credit cards, checking accounts, redeeming another gift card from Amazon or a third party, and other methods. But there is no refund or return policy on gift cards.
eBay is one of the leaders in the eCommerce sector that functions worldwide. You can buy or sell almost anything you want on this site. The gift cards are not an exception. eBay features exclusive eBay gift cards in different denominations which can be used to buy anything from eBay. eBay also sells gift cards from other vendors like Best Buy, iTunes, Steam, Sephora, Macy’s, GameStop, Sears, and Lowe’s gift cards and you can buy them from here.
5. Best Buy Gift Card
Best Buy Gift cards come with unique services that allow you to purchase the gift card and send it yourself with a customized message to the recipient. You will skip the long holiday queues and make everyone happy if you buy gift cards in dollar amounts ranging from $15 to $500 and have them shipped for free. You have plenty of options and gift ideas along with different sizes and colors.
Also, due to the wide variety of payment options like Best Buy credit cards and business cards, regular credit cards, PayPal, etc. you shouldn’t have any problem paying for your purchase.
6. Bloomingdale’s Gift Card
Bloomingdale’s is a rather prestigious and landmark chain store that started in the 19th century and It’s quite famous in the fashion world. So, the featured gift cards from Bloomingdale’s, either the traditional one or the E-Gift card, is definitely a pleasant surprise for your loved one. These cards’ increments range from $10 to $1,000 and you have numerous designs and options to choose from. Bloomingdale’s gift cards are returnable and fully refundable. Even if the recipient accidentally deletes the email containing the E-Gift card, the card will be reissued after providing order number, name, and email address of the recipient (charge and conditions are applicable) to customer care.
There are no expiry dates and fees involved in the gift card services. The card is easily manageable from the customer’s account with Bloomingdale’s and balance information is also available there.
7. Apple Gift Card
With an Apple gift card, you will be able to access 60 million songs from Apple music, tv shows, and movies with Apple TV+, newspapers and magazines with Apple News+, and top-rated games with Apple Arcade. Also, this card can be used in Apple retail stores and online stores. The card can be of value $25 to $2,000 and you can choose between the plastic card and the e gift card.
Being a giant retailer, Walmart has something exciting to offer to everyone in your friends and family. The Walmart gift card will not only allow you to shop in Walmart stores but also purchase from Sam’s Club and Vudu.com. Apart from the featured gift card, a huge variety of third party gift cards are also available and the price range is $1 to $3,000 +.
9. Disney Store
A Disney gift card with one of the hundreds of designs from Disney characters from countless Disney films to adorable Disney-themed designs can make you nostalgic and bring back the inner child no matter how rough your day is. You will find two major types of gift cards: traditional gift cards and a Disney gift card eGift card. These denominational cards’ price starts with $25 increments to $150 plus denominations of $200, $250, $300 and $500. You can buy the gift card online at shopDisney as well as other checkpoints using a credit card like any other item.
These cards can be recharged further when the balance is finished. You can redeem the gift card online at shopDisney or some other selected locations. The card doesn’t expire until the fund is completely depleted. The card is sent to the recipient via email within a business day. There are corporate deals available for bulk purchase. But you will need a credit card for placing an order using a Disney Gift Card eGift.
GameCardDelivery showcases computer game related gift cards like xbox, playstation, nintendo, Steam, PC games gift cards and it touts about the fastest delivery online. Payments are made through PayPal exclusively.
Given the huge range of game-related gift cards, it is an ideal destination for game lovers. You will also find the gift cards from Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, and many more brands.
11. Nordstrom Gift Card
Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion retailer that has offered stylish and fashionable clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women, and kids since 1901. Hence, the gift cards and e gift cards it offers are very compelling to anyone. These cards are available in the Nordstrom Gift Card site and denominations of the card vary from $25 to $200. Traditional gift cards would be delivered within 4-7 days inside a gift card holder and it’s free. But you have to pay a $10 charge for expedited delivery. The eGift will be delivered instantly or can be scheduled for later.
Giftnix takes the gift card scam pretty seriously and the advanced verification process is implemented to ensure security. Along with email and SMS verifications, photo and ID verification processes are available. Giftnix hosts tons of gift cards from popular retailers and brands. The egift card has an instant delivery scheme and scheduling is also possible. It has 24/7 customer service. Giftnix accepts PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
Gyft is a digital platform exclusively for gift cards with a high ranking app for android and iPhone. The Gyft card can be used to buy e-gift cards from over 200 retailers like Target, Starbuck, Best buy, and many more. This gift card is a great option for Bitcoin users as it can be used to cash out the Bitcoin stock when the price is high. These cards have no fees and will expire in 5 years. Apart from Bitcoin, you can use PayPal, credit cards and Apple pay to buy the Gyft cards.
14. PayPal Gifts
PayPal only provides e Gift cards, mail cards are not available. But PayPal hosts wide varieties of gift cards in the “Gifts from A-Z” section. There are hundreds of gift cards from popular brands.
If you have a PayPal account and you add your checking account to that account, you can avoid the delay associated with PayPal eCheck service to make a person to person payment.
Target offers an enormous selection of gift cards with some of their own and others are from the brands like Domino’s Pizza, Netflix, Apple store, Visa, American Express and Mastercard etc.. If you purchase $100 worth on the App Store and iTunes gift card, you are entitled to a free $15 Target GiftCard which should only be used in a Target store. Corporate and bulk deals are also available. You can easily manage your gift card account from the website.
You can choose a gift card with a denomination of $1 to $1,500 with lots of designs and shapes. Target allows a wide range of payment methods like TargetRedcard, third party credit card like Visa, Mastercard, etc.debit cards, gift cards from both Target and outside.
You Can Also Buy Gift Cards With Personal Checks
In a retail store, you can buy stuff as well as gift cards using a personal paper check. The cashier will ask for some personal valid photo identification paper along with the check. Your account will be adjusted once the check is cashed. As different stores have their unique policies sometimes, it’s better if you contact them before you go to the store and ask for their policies about paper checks. The prominent retailers like Big Lots, Costco, CVS, Giant Eagle, Kmart, Target, Walmart, etc. accept paper checks as payment for shopping.
Gift Cards vs. eGift Cards
The gift card can be either a physical one or an electronic version of the gift card. The physical gift card is a printed plastic card where the egift card only exists in the virtual world but it can be used in shops or online stores as a method of payment.
There are different denominations for both of these cards which start from as low as $5 to $1,000. When you order a traditional gift card for someone, the gift card is delivered to that person by snail mail or courier services which may take several business days to reach the destination. This card can be used in restaurants, online shopping or retail shops for payments but you have to follow instructions on using it.
The egift card can be sent via email without those delays. You can use it for online shopping as well as in an actual store. When you purchase an eGift card you will most likely receive a personalized message and after that, the recipient is ready to use the card.
Both types of gift cards are very easy to use in online or actual store shopping. In case of online shopping, go to the eCommerce website where you want to purchase, and at the time of checkout select the “gift card” option for your purchase. The amount will be deducted and you can use it until the balance runs out or the card is expired. Some gift cards have the redeem option and it is possible to use the card again after a fund transfer to the gift card account when the balance is finished.
The traditional gift cards are more acceptable to some people because either they are not accustomed to technology or getting an actual card through mail feels more exciting to them. Sometimes, people forget to open the mail and the eGift card is completely wasted. Besides, it is easy to remember points if you are using the actual card.
But the eGift cards are more environmentally friendly as they don’t use plastic. The traditional gift cards are thrown away and added to the huge landfill of plastic wastage once they are expired. So, eGift cards consume less energy to generate and they don’t pollute the environment afterward. Besides, they won’t get lost, and usually they are more customizable than the traditional one.
FAQ – Frequently Ask Questions
Can I buy gift cards online with a eCheck?
For purchasing gift cards online, you have to use eCheck which is secured by your bank. There are online stores that accept eCheck payments and you can buy your gift card using your eCheck from them.
How do I purchase an eGift Card?
The eGift cards are mostly purchased online. This purchasing is similar to purchasing any other product. First of all, enter the website of the particular eGift car and choose one. After that add the card to your cart. At the checkout, click “send as gift” or similar buttons to send the e-card via email and fill out the payment information. Then press “submit order” or similar button. Different websites may have different styles and layout.
How do electronic gift cards work?
If you have received an eGift card, you have to find out first where this e-card can be redeemed i.e. it can be used to purchase goods or services. Some eGift cards are exclusive and you can use it only in an outlet of that particular brand. Others are affiliated to many brands and they are very versatile.
After that, visit the website of those merchants and make some purchases. Then enter the code of your gift card in the appropriate fields. The purchases will be completed and the balance will be deducted automatically. The remaining balance can be checked on the eGift card’s website. Some cards have expiry dates and you can’t use it even if it has a balance after that date. Other cards can be used as long as they have funds in their account and some cards can be recharged when the original balance is finished.
Can you buy a Visa e gift card?
Yes. And it’s one of the most versatile gift cards ever because this card is accepted where the Visa debit card works. An amount from $10 to $250 is available for the Visa Virtual account. Amazon sells the Visa e gift card by email.
Can you use eGift cards in-store?
You can buy commodities from a physical store using your eGift card. You have to take a print out of the Barcode of your eGift card and show it to the cashier after shopping. Sometimes, you can show the barcode directly from your smartphone.
How to check gift card balance
In order to check the funds available to your gift card, you have to log into your gift card’s account and you will be able to find the information there. You can also call the customer service and ask directly.
As using and buy the gift cards online are flexible, customizable, and easy to use, they are gaining popularity fast. But they pose the potential risk of fraud. So, you have to be cautious and vigilant while using such services.