If you’ve read the “About Us” page on this site, you’ve probably come across the terms “Naked Gift Card” and “Lonely Gift Card” and may be wondering that these are. This post explains what these terms mean and provides tips on how to avoid these situations.
Naked Gift Card and Lonely Gift Card are two terms I coined to explain two important factors to consider when giving someone a gift card.
Naked Gift CardTM
A Naked Gift Card is when you give someone a gift card with little or no effort in packaging the gift card, thereby ruining the element of surprise for the receiver. How do you know you’ve given someone a Naked Gift Card? The answer is simple: Read the rest of this entry »
I have seen a fair number of people run into problems trying to use their iTunes gift card to either set up an iTunes account or buy music on the iTunes store. I therefore decided to do some research about this problem.
Yes, you can use an iTunes gift card to set up an iTunes account or buy music on the iTunes store (if you do not have a credit card or do not want to use a credit card). Below is a step-by-step instruction from apple.com on how to do that. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the most asked gift card questions, particularly on Yahoo Answers is whether you can use a Visa or any other bank issued gift card (American Express, Discover, or MasterCard) to shop online. The answer is yes.
However, there are additional steps you have to take to prevent your card from being rejected by the merchant. The problem with using Visa (or any other bank issued) gift card online is that there is no verifiable name and address associated with the card. When buying things online, most merchants want your name and billing address to match the name and address you have on file with your card (credit, debit, or bank gift card) issuer.
Therefore, before you use your Visa or other bank issued gift card, call the merchant/financial institution that issued the card or go to their website and add your name and address to the card. This will ensure that when you use the card online, the name and address you provide to the merchant for billing will match the name and address on file for the card. Once you have registered your card, you can use it online just like you would use a regular credit card.
If your information (name and address) has changed since you registered your Visa gift card, call the card issuer or go online and update your information before you use the card online.
As I mentioned last week, one of the new features I am introducing on this blog is to answer reader questions about gift cards. In addition, I will also provide answers to the most frequently asked gift card questions. I am fairly active online and regularly visit gift card related blogs and forums. One of the most commonly asked gift card questions is how to combine two forms of payment to make a purchase if the item you are trying to purchase costs more than the balance on your gift card. This transaction is known as “split tender” or “split payment”.
Whether you can do this or not depends on the merchant. Assuming that the merchant allows you to split payment between Read the rest of this entry »
Can I use a prepaid Visa gift card to open an iTunes account or pay for music on iTunes?
No, you cannot use any bank issued gift card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) to open an iTunes account or pay for music on the iTunes store. To open an iTunes account, you need one of the following: an iTunes gift card, a valid credit card, or a PayPal account. You can however use your prepaid Visa gift card or other bank issued gift card to buy an iTunes gift card from a retail store and use that to purchase music on the iTunes store.
Is a credit card required to purchase music on iTunes?
No, you do not need a credit card to purchase music on iTunes. You can use an iTunes gift card or a PayPal account connected to your bank account.
Can I redeem a US iTunes gift certificate or gift card if I live outside the US?
No, iTunes gift certificates and gift cards are valid for use only in the country in which they were purchased.
Source: Apple.com and Apple Customer Service
Email your gift card questions to editor@giftcardblogger.com and you will get a response within 24 hours. Your question may be featured on this blog.
