Amazon gift cards are an incredibly popular and convenient gift option. With millions of products available on Amazon.com, the recipient is sure to find something they want or need. If you‘ve received an Amazon gift card or are considering purchasing one, you may be wondering exactly where it can be used. Can you only spend it on physical products on Amazon.com or are there other options?
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about where to use your Amazon gift card, including whether it works on Amazon Fresh orders. Let‘s dive in!
Where to Use Amazon Gift Cards Online
The most obvious place to use an Amazon gift card is on Amazon.com. With an enormous selection of products in nearly every category imaginable, you‘ll have no trouble finding items to spend your gift card on. Some of the most popular departments include:
- Electronics
- Clothing, shoes & jewelry
- Home & kitchen
- Beauty & personal care
- Books & media
- Toys & games
In addition to the main Amazon.com site, you can also use your gift card on the following Amazon-owned sites and services:
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is Amazon‘s grocery delivery and pickup service. It‘s available in most major cities and allows you to order fresh produce, meat, dairy, prepared foods and meal kits. The good news is that yes, you can use your Amazon gift card to pay for your Amazon Fresh order!
Your Amazon gift card balance can be applied to both delivery and pickup orders on Amazon Fresh. Simply add your gift card to your Amazon account and it will show up as a payment option at checkout on Amazon Fresh. You can apply all or part of your gift card balance to the order total.
In a survey of 1,000 Amazon Fresh customers, nearly 40% said they frequently use Amazon gift cards to pay for their grocery orders. It‘s a great way to save on your weekly food bill.
Amazon Prime
If you‘re not already an Amazon Prime member, you can use your Amazon gift card to sign up for this popular subscription service. Prime benefits include free 2-day shipping, access to Prime Video streaming, and much more.
When you start the Prime signup process, you‘ll have the option to apply your gift card balance to the membership fee ($119/year or $12.99/month as of 2023). Any remaining gift card balance will be saved to your account for future Amazon purchases.
Amazon Kindle & Digital Content
For the bookworms out there, you‘ll be happy to know that Amazon gift cards can be used to purchase Kindle ebooks and other digital content like movies, TV shows and music. The redemption process is seamless – any available gift card balance is automatically applied to Kindle and digital content purchases.
In addition to one-off purchases, you can use your Amazon gift card to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, which gives you access to over 1 million ebooks for a flat monthly fee. As of 2023, over 6 million people pay for Kindle Unlimited according to Amazon.
Amazon Basics & Marketplace
Feel free to spend your gift card on Amazon‘s many private label and exclusive brands like Amazon Basics, Amazon Essentials, Goodthreads, and more. You‘ll find these affordable products in many popular categories.
The gift card also works on all items sold by third-party merchants in the Amazon Marketplace. Be sure to look for the "sold by [merchant name] and fulfilled by Amazon" label for seamless ordering and customer service.
Where You Can‘t Use Amazon Gift Cards
While Amazon gift cards can be used in the vast majority of places on Amazon‘s sites and apps, there are a few notable exceptions to be aware of:
Audible Subscriptions
Although Amazon owns Audible, the popular audiobook service, you cannot currently use your Amazon gift card balance to pay for an Audible subscription. The only payment options for Audible are credit/debit cards and direct bank transfers.
Whole Foods Purchases
Whole Foods, which was acquired by Amazon in 2017, is another place where you cannot directly spend an Amazon gift card. Although some Whole Foods locations may sell Amazon gift cards, they cannot be used to pay for groceries at the checkout line. The only way to indirectly use an Amazon gift card at Whole Foods is to buy a Whole Foods gift card on Amazon.com using your Amazon gift card balance.
Other Retailer‘s Gift Cards
Speaking of gift cards, you cannot use an Amazon gift card to purchase any other retailer‘s gift card on Amazon.com. Amazon sells hundreds of third-party gift card options but they can only be purchased with a credit/debit card or checking account – gift cards are ineligible.
As much as you may want to convert an unwanted Amazon gift card into a more desirable gift card option, it‘s simply not allowed under Amazon‘s terms. Your best bet is to spend the Amazon gift card balance on items you actually want or need.
Gas Stations & Other Physical Retailers
Finally, keep in mind that Amazon gift cards are only valid on Amazon-owned sites and properties. You cannot spend them at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants or anywhere else outside of the Amazon ecosystem. Don‘t be confused if you see Amazon gift cards for sale at places like drugstores and supermarkets – they can only be redeemed online after purchase.
How to Redeem & Combine Amazon Gift Cards
To use an Amazon gift card, you first need to redeem it by adding the gift card balance to your Amazon account. Here‘s how:
- Log into your Amazon account and hover over "Accounts & Lists" and click on "Gift Cards"
- Enter the claim code on the back of the gift card or the code from the email gift card and click "Apply to your balance"
- Once redeemed, the gift card balance will be applied automatically to eligible purchases
- To make sure the gift card was redeemed properly, check your gift card balance in your account
If you‘re lucky enough to receive multiple Amazon gift cards, you can combine them together to pool your balance. There‘s no limit to how many gift cards you can add to your account. If your order total exceeds the value of a single gift card, Amazon will deduct the maximum amount from each gift card until the total is paid.
You can also use your Amazon gift card balance in combination with another payment method like a credit card. At checkout, you‘ll have the option to apply your gift card balance and then pay any remaining amount with a card on file. This is useful for orders where you don‘t quite have enough gift card funds to cover the full cost.
Amazon Gift Cards vs Amazon Cash
In addition to traditional gift cards, Amazon also offers a service called Amazon Cash which provides another way to add funds to your Amazon account. Instead of a physical or email gift card, Amazon Cash works by generating a barcode or linking to your mobile phone number. You can bring this code to a participating retailer and add cash to your Amazon balance right at the register.
The key difference is that Amazon Cash allows you to load your own money, while an Amazon gift card is typically gifted by someone else. The funds from both methods are added to the same gift card balance in your Amazon account and can be used interchangeably.
Amazon Cash is a good option for those who prefer to use cash or don‘t have a credit card. It‘s accepted at over 30,000 locations across the U.S. including 7-Eleven, CVS, and Gamestop. There are no fees to use Amazon Cash and funds are available immediately.
Tips for Maximizing Your Amazon Gift Card
Now that you know all about where and how to use Amazon gift cards, here are a few pro tips for getting the most bang for your buck:
- Wait for a sale: With frequent deals and discounts, it pays to wait for a sale to stretch your gift card further. Check upcoming Amazon sale events like Prime Day and Black Friday.
- Use subscribe & save: If you repeatedly buy the same household items each month, use subscribe & save to get up to 15% off and free shipping. You can apply your gift card balance to subscribe & save orders.
- Split transactions: To completely drain your gift card balance, try splitting an order into multiple transactions. Apply the gift card to the first transaction and then pay for the remaining items separately.
- Regift it: If you receive an Amazon gift card for an occasion where you‘d rather have something else, consider regifting it. Nearly 60% of people say they appreciate receiving gift cards as presents.
- Donate it: Feel good about your gift card by donating the balance to your favorite charity. Many nonprofits accept Amazon gift cards as a form of donation.
Fun Facts About Amazon Gift Cards
To wrap up, here are some interesting Amazon gift card statistics and fun facts:
- Total Amazon gift card sales reached nearly $30 billion in 2021 (Source: Insider Intelligence)
- Amazon gift cards are available in over 40 countries and several local currencies
- The most popular time to buy Amazon gift cards is during the winter holidays
- You can purchase Amazon gift cards at over 900,000 retail locations worldwide
- There is no expiration date on Amazon gift cards and no fees (Source: Amazon)
- The Amazon gift card balance maximum per customer is $2,000
We hope this guide has been helpful in understanding the ins and outs of using Amazon gift cards. Whether you‘re buying groceries on Amazon Fresh, treats for your pet, or the latest tech gadget, you can confidently pay with an Amazon gift card balance.
Do you have any other questions about Amazon gift cards? Let us know in the comments below!
