If you‘ve found yourself the owner of an eBay gift card but don‘t have anything you want to buy from the online auction site, you may be wondering—can I use this eBay gift card on Amazon instead? After all, Amazon sells just about everything under the sun, so there‘s bound to be something that catches your eye.
Unfortunately, the short answer is no—you cannot use an eBay gift card to make purchases on Amazon. In fact, eBay gift card balances can only be used to buy items on eBay.com and nowhere else. But why is this the case? And what options do you have for an eBay gift card you don‘t want? Let‘s dive into the details.
Why eBay Gift Cards Don‘t Work on Amazon
There are a few key reasons why it‘s not possible to use an eBay gift card for Amazon purchases:
1. Gift cards are retailer-specific. When a company like eBay or Amazon issues a gift card, that card is designed solely for use on their own website and platforms. The gift card represents a balance with that specific retailer. Just like you can‘t use a Starbucks gift card at Dunkin‘ Donuts, an eBay gift card only works on eBay.
2. It‘s a security measure. Restricting gift cards to only the issuing retailer helps prevent fraud and abuse. If eBay allowed their gift cards to be used elsewhere, it would open up risks of the card balances being improperly used or stolen.
3. The balance becomes linked to your account. When you redeem an eBay gift card, that balance gets tied permanently to your eBay account. Per eBay‘s terms and conditions, once a gift card is redeemed, the balance is non-transferable to other accounts, cards, or people. This policy further limits the ability to use the gift card on other sites.
So in summary, an eBay gift card is exclusively for eBay, no exceptions. Amazon only accepts their own Amazon gift cards along with standard payment methods like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc. There‘s simply no way to directly spend an eBay gift card balance on Amazon.com.
Options for Unwanted eBay Gift Cards
But what if you have no use for your eBay gift card and would much rather have the equivalent Amazon credit or just plain cash? While you can‘t seamlessly convert an eBay gift card to other retailers, you do have a few potential options:
1. Sell it to a gift card reseller site. There are various websites that specialize in buying unwanted gift cards in exchange for cash. You can either mail them the physical gift card or provide the digital code. They will verify the balance and then pay you, although it will be less than the card‘s face value (usually 70-90%).
Popular gift card resale sites include Raise, CardCash, and GiftCash. Make sure to research the reseller and understand their terms before committing. And never share the full gift card number and pin until you confirm they are legitimate.
2. Sell the gift card yourself. Another option is to list your eBay gift card for sale on eBay itself, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or any other peer-to-peer platform. You may be able to get a slightly higher resale value than going through a gift card site.
However, it‘s very important to be careful with how you list the card to avoid scams. Don‘t post photos showing the full card details or code. Only share that with the actual buyer and consider using an intermediary like PayPal Goods and Services for protection.
3. Request a refund from eBay. In their gift card terms, eBay states that they do not give refunds for gift cards unless required by law. But if you believe you have a valid legal reason for a refund on your eBay gift card, you can try contacting eBay directly or going through an online legal service to have them pursue it on your behalf.
This will likely only be an option in very limited circumstances and the legal route can end up costing more than it‘s worth for smaller balances. But it may be a last resort to look into if the gift card was acquired in a fraudulent way.
How to Properly Use an eBay Gift Card
If you do plan to use your eBay gift card as intended on eBay, the redemption process is quite simple. Here are the steps:
- While logged into your eBay account, shop as normal and add items to your cart.
- When you‘re ready to check out, click the "Checkout" button.
- On the next page, look for the "Gift cards, coupons, eBay Bucks" section and click "Apply".
- Enter your eBay gift card code and click "Apply".
- The gift card balance will be automatically applied to your order total. If the balance doesn‘t cover the full amount, you can choose another payment method for the remainder.
- Review and place your order.
In the past, using an eBay gift card required having the balance go through your linked PayPal account first. But eBay has since updated their system to allow "guest" checkout with just the gift card code, no PayPal needed.
Keep in mind that eBay gift cards are non-refundable and non-transferable once redeemed to your account. Only purchases made on eBay.com can use eBay gift card balances. And eBay gift cards cannot be used to make payments on eBay seller fees, to buy other gift cards, or to pay for items on other eBay sites (like eBay.co.uk).
The Bottom Line on eBay Gift Cards
While it would be incredibly convenient if an eBay gift card could be used on Amazon or other massive online retailers, that simply isn‘t how gift cards work. Much like physical store gift cards you might receive as a holiday or birthday gift, eBay gift cards are exclusively tied to being used on eBay‘s own platform.
If you‘ve ended up with an eBay gift card you don‘t want, your best bet is to look into reselling it to a reputable gift card buying site or very cautiously selling it yourself peer-to-peer. Just be aware you likely won‘t get the full face value of the card and there are risks to watch out for when selling gift cards online.
Should you want to use the eBay gift card after all, rest assured it‘s an easy process to redeem the card to your eBay account and seamlessly check out. No PayPal account is required anymore. Though do remember that the balance will become permanently linked and non-transferable once you redeem the card.
Hopefully this guide has helped clear up any confusion around using eBay gift cards on Amazon and beyond! The key takeaway is that eBay gift cards have a sole purpose of being used to purchase items on eBay and there‘s no directly way to convert the balance to other retailers or bank accounts. But with some strategizing, it‘s often possible to still get value out of an unwanted eBay gift card balance.
