Gift Card Guides: Can I Exchange a Gift Card for Another?

Lateet November 5, 2021

Gift cards are a great option for those looking to give someone the perfect gift. Gift cardholders can purchase their favorite items without having to spend time searching through stores or scrolling through websites.

Gift cards also make it easy for people on your list with different tastes to buy what they want.

However, there is one question that many people have when receiving a gift card: can I exchange my gift card for another?

There are some limitations on this so this article will discuss which type of cards you can and cannot exchange as well as how you go about doing it.

Top Reasons for Getting Rid of a Gift Card

To begin, there are a lot of reasons why you may want to get rid of a gift card. According to www.bytefederal.com, these reasons include:

Gift Card Expiration:

Gift cards are typically valid for a certain period of time. This time limit is in place to protect the giver and receiver from theft or losing track of the card.

However, this can also mean that if you have lost your gift card before it expires then there may be nothing left on it when you find it again.

Limited Use of Gift Cards:

Gift cards are great because they give people choice but sometimes being able to only purchase one item over another isn’t ideal.

Some companies will allow you to return items bought with their gift cards so long as they are within the specified timeframe where returns are allowed though others won’t accept them at all which means once an item has been purchased using these funds.

Can You Exchange a Gift Card for Another One?

The short answer is yes, but it will depend on the gift card. Gift cards are typically sold by a particular store or brand and have their logo displayed prominently on the surface of the card.

If you cannot find another gift from that retailer then there’s no way to exchange your gift for something else even if they allow exchanges in general.

However, many stores do not offer an option to return or exchange items so any unwanted gifts can be turned into a new purchase with a different type of voucher instead.

For example, Amazon does not currently give customers an option to receive cash back when returning purchases made with an Amazon Gift Card.

This means that while people can recycle old Amazon vouchers for other types of redemption, it is not possible to return them for a cash refund.

In some cases, you may find that the store does allow exchanges but they have certain limitations on how many cards can be returned or exchanged at once.

This means if more than one person wants to exchange their gift card then there will need to be multiple transactions instead of everything being done in one transaction together.

Which Gift Cards Can You Exchange?

When you receive a gift card as a present, ask the person who gave it to you what store they got it from.

If there is any doubt about whether or not that retailer accepts exchanges then find out if their partner stores do so instead.

While some brands have restrictions on which of their partners can accept returned cards, others may allow customers to use them at any retail location in general.

This means even if your voucher cannot be exchanged for another purchase directly with Sears themselves, perhaps an associate at Kmart will honor the same terms and conditions when accepting this form of redemption.

How Do You Exchange Gift Cards?

As mentioned above, there are limitations on how exchanges can be done so it’s important to know the specific terms and conditions for your gift card in advance.

Contact customer service either by phone or email before attempting an exchange if you’re not sure of their policies.

If they have a partner that allows trading then ask which locations will honor this redemption method as well because these stores may not all be located near where you live.

Gift cards are very convenient when giving presents but make sure to find out what type of store is associated with each voucher before trying to figure out whether or not swaps are allowed.

You should also check in with the person who gave you the present about any restrictions beforehand too since no two retailers offer identical.

Can You Sell Gift Cards for Cash?

Yes, but there are some limitations on which stores will accept these types of exchanges.

Some brands do not allow the sale or trade of their gift cards for any reason so if you’re trying to unload a card that does not belong to one of those retailers then it’s unlikely you’ll find someone interested in buying them from you.

On the other hand, retail locations have made trading vouchers quick and easy by creating an entire marketplace dedicated to this type of exchange.

These sites have thousands of offers already listed where people are looking for particular denominations at good rates too since many buyers are simply looking for discounted options instead.

Other Ways to Get Rid of Unwanted Gift Cards

If you’re searching for other ways to dispose of unwanted gift cards, you’re in luck. Here are plenty of ways to exchange gift cards or get rid of them.

Sell Your Gift Cards for Cash

Gift card exchanges will buy your gift cards for cash and send you a check (usually within 24 hours).

If selling them online isn’t an option, consider turning to Craigslist or other classified ads websites to sell the vouchers in person.

Swap Gift Cards with Family & Friends

You can also give unwanted gift cards as presents along with any personal items that may come free of charge by trading directly amongst loved ones and friends instead.

Donate Gift Cards:

If you’re not interested in selling or trading gift cards, consider donating them instead. Many of these organizations give all of their funds directly back into the community and will also help with any tax implications that may come up during your donations too.

Make Gift Card Baskets for the Community:

If you’re looking to give back during the holiday season but want to make sure your present does some good too, why not create a basket? Gift card baskets are easy and doable for anyone.

Here are some helpful articles to get started:

Start with $25 or $50 gift cards to local restaurants like fast-food chains or diners that will also offer free extras such as drinks, desserts, coupons, etc.
Add in other elements by including items from dollar stores (i.e., candles, lotion, etc.) along with movie theater tickets if there’s one nearby where you live too.
You can even add on services like manicures at salons near you depending on what people might find useful for their personal tastes instead of the different goods and services mentioned above.

Regift Unwanted Gift Cards:

If you know a friend or family member who might find a certain retailer’s voucher useful, then there is nothing wrong with re-gifting it to them instead.

Follow Gift Card Rules:

Next, always make sure that the person receiving any gift card does not have an expiration date attached to their present and goes along with all of the other rules associated with its redemption too because these codes are legally binding contracts.

You Can Use a Gift Card ATM to Sell Unwanted Gift Cards

There are many companies that provide gift card ATMs, allowing users to sell their unwanted gift cards. Some of the advantages of these machines include:

You Can Sell Your Gift Cards Within Minutes:

Gift card ATMs allow users to quickly and easily sell their gift cards for cash. All that’s required is a quick registration process, which should only take about five minutes or so depending on the speed of each machine.

You Can Sell Gift Cards at Any Time:

Gift card ATMs are available 24/365 because this allows buyers access to swappable vouchers whenever they need them most.

This also helps avoid any disruptions in service if one company closes down during a holiday season too since many people rely heavily upon these machines during this time period as well.

There Are No Hidden Fees When Selling Your Gift Card:

There are no hidden fees or commissions to worry about when selling your gift card through Gift Card ATMs.

The company will charge users the same amount that they would get if you sold them directly at their retail location instead, so there’s nothing else for you to pay either besides what you receive in cashback.

You Don’t Have to Wait in a Long Line:

Gift card ATMs allow users to sell their gift cards in a more convenient way too.

There are no lines or other types of waiting involved because the machines will provide instant access for buyers and there’s also an option to get your money immediately after selling.

This is always great news for anyone looking to receive every last cent possible from these vouchers instead.

You Can Even Buy Useful Gift Cards:

Next, Gift Card ATMs also allow users to buy gift cards at competitive prices.

There’s no need to settle for whatever retailers and restaurants offer in stores either because you can find the exact kind of voucher that you might be looking for through this specific company.

You’ll even get an additional discount on top of it too when using their machines instead.