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Gift Card Question - Using Visa or American Express Gift Cards on PayPal

2011-06-27T18:42:00.002+01:00

One of the most popular gift card questions online is whether one can link prepaid gift cards like the Visa gift card to a PayPal account. The short answer is Yes and No. Now, the long answer: Yes, it is possible to link a prepaid gift card like the Visa or American Express gift card to a PayPal account but for this to happen, you need to pray and hope that PayPal does not require you to go through their Expanded Use verification process. To better understand why, you first need to be familiar with the process for linking a credit card to a PayPal account. When you link your credit card to a PayPal account, PayPal will attempt to confirm your address with your credit card company. If the credit card company is not able to confirm your address, then you may be asked by PayPal to complete their Expanded Use enrollment process in order to activate your credit card. Expanded Use verification means PayPal will charge your credit card a small about. Next to the charge will be a unique, randomly generated 4-digit Expanded Use code. If you have online access to your credit card activity, the charge and code will appear on your card activity in approximately 2-4 business days. If you do not have online access, you must wait until you receive your statement in the mail to get the 4-digit code. If you are adding a debit card to your PayPal account, your 4-digit Expanded Use code will be printed on your bank statement next to the charge. Once you get the 4-digit code, you have to return to your PayPal account to enter the code per instructions from PayPal. Once completed, and PayPal confirms that you entered the correct code, you will now be able to use the card for PayPal transactions. The Expanded Use verification process is designed to protect you against fraud by verifying that the person attempting to use the credit card actually owns the card. PayPal will later credit the amount charged to your card to your PayPal account. Now, here lies the problem with using prepaid or bank issued gift cards. If PayPal is unable to verify your address with the gift card issuer, then you may be asked to go through the Expanded Use process. Since most prepaid gift cards do not issue monthly statements or provide online access to gift card transactions, it will be impossible to complete the Expanded Use process. Also, it is not a good idea to call the credit card or gift card issuer to get the 4-digit Expanded Use code. If PayPal receives a complaint from your card issuer that you called them to get the 4-digit code, PayPal will close your account permanently. So, the first step to attempting to use a prepaid gift card on PayPal is to make sure the name and address (billing address) on your PayPal account matches the name and address on file with the gift card issuer. If you just purchased your prepaid gift card, call the card issuer and add your name and address to the card. If your information (name and address) has changed since you registered your card, call the card issuer or go online and update your information before you use the card on PayPal. Once this is done, you just have to hope that PayPal is able to successfully verify your address with the gift card issuer. If they are able to verify your address, then you are all set. If they cannot verify your address with the card issuer, then you probably will not be able to use that gift card on PayPal.

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How To Pick Out The Perfect Gift Card

2011-06-27T18:40:00.002+01:00

Gift cards are becoming more popular every year, with even local stores and regional restaurants offering them. In fact, they are more frequently given for special occasions and celebrations than almost any other kind of present. People enjoy giving and receiving them because they offer flexibility and freedom of choice. You can also save time by purchasing gift cards online.
Some people hesitate to use these as presents because they don't think they are personal enough. However, since there are so many to choose from, you can tailor your presents to each person's interests. Anyone who gets one for a specialty store or favorite restaurant can tell you that gift cards can be very personal, providing you take the time to match it with the person's activities, job, or hobby.
What Does The Recipient Like To Do?
Take some time to think about what each person on your present list likes to do. Most people fall into at least one of the groups below, making buying the right gift cards online relatively easy. Also take a look at some sites that offer gift cards online; you may discover the perfect present while browsing these sites.
Do-It-Yourselfers - If he loves to putter around the house fixing things or is always looking for new projects involving tools, he's a do-it-yourself kind of guy. He may spend his weekends on remodeling projects or doing woodworking. This is the type of person who would love a voucher from any of the chain home improvement centers or his local hardware store. He can then pick out that new power tool he's been dreaming about or use it to stock up on supplies like lumber or hardware fixtures.
Electronics Nuts and Computer Geeks - Whether your loved one is into online gaming, the latest computer software, or electronic gadgets, they'll love a gift card from an electronics store. This person on your list may be saving up to purchase a new laptop, in which case your donation will be a welcome contribution, or may simply want to pick out a few new movies on DVD or Blu-Ray. Either way, giving a voucher means they can pick out exactly what it is they want. You can easily by gift cards online from major electronics or computer stores for these types.
Foodies - Does someone on your holiday list love eating out? If you have a person who enjoys good food, give them a gift card that lets them dine out on your dime or order gourmet foods for dining at home. Restaurant vouchers, whether from the local seafood place or a major chain, are always appreciated since they give the recipient a special evening out that he or she doesn't have to save up for. Look for restaurant gift cards online; some offer incentives at the holidays that can save you money.
Sports Lovers - If he loves a pick-up game of basketball, belongs to a softball league, or is preparing for his next triathlon, a voucher from a sporting goods or athletic store is a great idea. He can get a new pair of running shoes or some athletic gear for his favorite sport and you don't have to worry about finding the right size.
Fashionistas - For the fashion lover, a gift card to a favorite department store or specialty apparel shop is the way to go. She can also wait a few months if she likes and use the gift card toward spring or summer clothes, since she'll probably get some new clothes from others at Christmas. When she uses her card to buy a great new outfit for her summer vacation, she's sure to think of you. If she's a shoe fanatic, consider buying gift cards online from her favorite shoe store.
What Is The Right Amount?
The dollar amount is a personal preference based on your budget, but a good rule of thumb is to choose cards worth at least $25 so that the recipient won't have to supplement his or her gift card with cash. If you can afford it, a gift card worth $50 to $100 gives the recipient plenty of choice. If you really want to wow someone, or the present is for a once in a lifetime occasion such as a wedding, consider splurging on a gift card over $100.
Wrapping Your Presents In Style
Personalize the gift cards you give even more by taking the time to wrap them in unique ways. Instead of using the standard, boring card holder, consider these unusual wrappings:
1. Tuck a clothing voucher into a pair of new gloves or mittens. You could also use a sturdy pair of work gloves for a home improvement voucher.2. If you're giving a voucher for a photography shop or you know the recipient loves to hang family photos, put it in an attractive frame.3. Kids love getting small, stuffed animals that are holding them in their paws. 4. Tuck one into an oven mitt if the recipient loves to cook.5. A small box of chocolates is another great way to wrap it.6. Put a coffee voucher into a travel mug for the perfect present for commuters.

Article Tags: Gift Cards Online, Gift Card, Gift Cards, Cards Online

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Buying Cheap Gift Card Boxes

2011-06-27T18:39:00.000+01:00

Gift card boxes offer a novel way to store all of your gift cards, instead of using a standard box or basket. With a gift card storage unit you have a very decorative way of keeping all those precious cards and gift tags. You can use these boxes to store wedding cards, Christmas cards, birthday cards, christening cards or any other type of card or gift tag that you want to keep as a memento.
These boxes are more commonly made from cardboard. Cardboard is a relatively strong product that is made from tree pulp and in order to make it stronger, several layers are compressed together. You can have specially made boxes or you can recycle an old shoe box. You could also use a wooden box as a storage unit for your gift cards as these boxes will last longer and keep your contents safer.
Most gift cards are a standard size, which means that the boxes that are used to store them reflect this. Obviously you might receive bigger cards, so you might want to choose one of the larger card boxes. The standard size of box that is used is an oblong shaped box, but if you are using your own box then it could be any shape including a circular hat box.
You can purchase gift storage units that have been pre-designed with patterns or pictures on them to reflect the occasion that they could be used for. Alternatively you could also buy a standard plain box or use an old shoe box, hat box etc and decorate it yourself with an assortment of colors and fabrics in order to add a creative touch. By decorating the box yourself you will benefit from having a box that is really unique and personal to you.
You can buy gift card boxes from many card shops or office depots, but if you are looking for a wider selection in these boxes then you look to shop online. By shopping online you will find a larger choice of box designs from many different stockiest worldwide. You will probably find the whole shopping experience much easier and definitely more convenient. In addition to these great advantages, you will probably discover that by shopping online you will most likely save money and find some rather exclusive discounts.
If you have a stack of card and want a keepsake storage unit, then you need gift card boxes. These boxes can be both practical and decorative.

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Gift Cards - Why Gift Card Fees and Expiration Should be Eliminated

2011-06-27T18:37:00.000+01:00

I have not yet come across a sound reason why there should be fees or expiration on gift cards. First, by buying gift cards, consumers are essentially giving the card issuers an unsecured loan, on which they earn no interest, even if the card is not redeemed for a year or more. Second, if the company goes bankrupt, there is very little chance the money will be returned (except in a few cases, like recently with Linens and Things). So, if consumers are taking on these risks by buying gift cards, why should they then be subjected to fees and expiration? They might as well change the gift card fee disclosures to read like this:Dear Gift Card Buyer,We really appreciate the unsecured loan you gave us. Together, you all gave us $97 billion in loans in 2007, up from $83 billion in 2006. You know we could use the extra cash, given all the talk of a recession. We thank you for not charging us any interest or fees on the loan. We will put your money to work immediately and generate great returns on it. You may even hear about all the kudos we will get from Wall Street due to our outstanding earnings (which will be helped by the money we get when your gift card expires). Heck, our CEO may even buy his third McMansion in the Hamptons after we reward him for making good use of your loan. A few house cleaning items: 1. If you purchased the gift card from our website, we may charge you a processing fee, separate from the shipping charge, in order to get you the card that shows that we owe you money. Feel free to buy stuff in our store up to the amount of the loan (gift card value). But if you don’t hurry, we will punish you every month by charging you ridiculous fees. These fees can start as soon as six months into the loan. We may even start your fees as early as a month into the loan if we so desire. And remember, the fees will continue until the balance on your gift card reaches ZERO. Why? Because we can. Yes, your state legislatures are all complaining about this because it is an election year. Do you really think they will do something about this? 2. Also, we have noticed from experience that some of you like to wait a long time, and we mean a long, long time to redeem your gift card. It takes a while for us to get your $100 gift card to ZERO if all we are charging is $2.50 each month. So, we now have a better idea. We will charge you the $2.50 for sometime and if you still don’t redeem your gift card by a certain date, say within two years, your card will expire. Once your card expires, we will get all the money left on the card. You are probably wondering if this is legal. Well, no one has told us it isn’t. 3. And don’t even think about losing your card. We reserve the right not to replace lost or stolen gift cards. Yes, we know that if you lose your Savings Account Statement or CD Certificate, the bank will replace it, but we are not a bank, so we can do whatever we want. If we feel generous, we may replace your gift card, but we will charge you a fee, up to $15 to teach you a lesson. 4. Lastly, if you bought a bank issued gift card (like Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), then you better read the fine print and become familiar with fees like Transaction or Statement Copy Fee, Foreign Currency Conversion Fee, Check issuance Fee, and Transaction Fee / Balance inquiry Fee. And one last thing; Don’t call the FTC because they may be willing to push for laws to limit fees on retail gift cards but they have not been willing to touch us, the bank issued gift cards. Why? Because our lobbyists are doing an excellent job. We hope you enjoy your gift card. It is my belief that gift card issuers will be better off and make more money if they remove fees and expiration from gift cards since the negative publicity around gift cards from both state lawmakers and the news media has led some consumers to stay away from gift cards. This is particularly true during the holiday season when every local news station and newspaper seem to run a story about the dangers of gift card fees and expiration.

Article Tags: Gift Card Fees, Gift Cards, Gift Card, Card Fees

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Credit Card Gift Cards - 3 Advantages

2011-06-27T18:26:00.000+01:00

Using a credit card or a debit card with a credit card symbol for daily purchases has become standard practice today among most consumers. Plastic is often preferred over cash because they are accepted by the vast majority of merchants around the country and around the world. And, relying on them means relying less on carrying paper money and coins.
Of course, traditional cards require that the user apply for the card through the issuing financial institution. During this process, the consumer's credit history is checked, and an interest rate is determined based upon their credit score and other factors. Translation: they can be a hassle to obtain and are costly to use.
Alternatively, a way to use credit cards while avoiding the hassle of the whole credit check and monitoring process is through the use of prepaid gift cards. Also sometimes called prepaid debit cards, each card carries the symbol of one of the major issuing organizations - such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
The convenient thing is that you get to use these cards while skipping the application process. The cards are purchased (or reloaded) with a certain dollar amount and then can be used until that amount has been depleted. And, they can be used to make purchases anywhere that a regular card is used - including online or in-store.
Lots of Ways to Use Them
Credit card gift cards can be purchased for all sorts of uses, including:
* giving one as a gift in lieu of cash
* purchasing one for yourself or your significant other before going on a trip in order to avoid carrying cash around on your person
* giving one to your college student child as a way to make purchases while managing their money while in school
* using it as sales incentive tool or to reward customers or partners
If you are thinking about buying credit card gift cards for someone you care about, here are 3 advantages to using them instead of traditional credit cards or cash:
1. They are safer than cash:
Carrying around cash can be just plain dangerous. If you lose your cash, it is gone. And, carrying cash in unfamiliar places has the tendency to attract crooks. With a prepaid gift card, you are covered against lost or stolen cards and unauthorized purchases.
2. Purchases have all of the protection advantages of a regular credit
card:
If you make a purchase and the item breaks or gets damaged within a certain period of time (e.g., 90 days), the issuer will cover those purchases. (See issuer agreement for details)
3. Getting one does not require a credit check and usages is not reported to credit agencies:
These cards are very easy to get. There is no application process to go through. Because the card is not issued in anyone's name, you just purchase the card and use it yourself or give it as a gift to someone you care about or want to reward. And, since it is technically not a credit card, the use of the card does not get reflected in the credit reporting system. It's the easiest-possible way to get the convenience of having a major credit card without having to apply for one.
The ease-of-use of credit card gift cards make them ideal for use by you, people you care about, or people you know.

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Gift Card Question - Using Visa Or American Express Gift Cards On Paypal

2011-06-27T18:23:00.000+01:00

One of the most popular gift card questions online is whether one can link prepaid gift cards like the Visa gift card to a PayPal account. The short answer is Yes and No.
Now, the long answer: Yes, it is possible to link a prepaid gift card like the Visa or American Express gift card to a PayPal account but for this to happen, you need to pray and hope that PayPal does not require you to go through their Expanded Use verification process. To better understand why, you first need to be familiar with the process for linking a credit card to a PayPal account. When you link your credit card to a PayPal account, PayPal will attempt to confirm your address with your credit card company. If the credit card company is not able to confirm your address, then you may be asked by PayPal to complete their Expanded Use enrollment process in order to activate your credit card.
Expanded Use verification means PayPal will charge your credit card a small about. Next to the charge will be a unique, randomly generated 4-digit Expanded Use code. If you have online access to your credit card activity, the charge and code will appear on your card activity in approximately 2-4 business days. If you do not have online access, you must wait until you receive your statement in the mail to get the 4-digit code. If you are adding a debit card to your PayPal account, your 4-digit Expanded Use code will be printed on your bank statement next to the charge.
Once you get the 4-digit code, you have to return to your PayPal account to enter the code per instructions from PayPal. Once completed, and PayPal confirms that you entered the correct code, you will now be able to use the card for PayPal transactions. The Expanded Use verification process is designed to protect you against fraud by verifying that the person attempting to use the credit card actually owns the card. PayPal will later credit the amount charged to your card to your PayPal account.
Now, here lies the problem with using prepaid or bank issued gift cards. If PayPal is unable to verify your address with the gift card issuer, then you may be asked to go through the Expanded Use process. Since most prepaid gift cards do not issue monthly statements or provide online access to gift card transactions, it will be impossible to complete the Expanded Use process. Also, it is not a good idea to call the credit card or gift card issuer to get the 4-digit Expanded Use code. If PayPal receives a complaint from your card issuer that you called them to get the 4-digit code, PayPal will close your account permanently.
So, the first step to attempting to use a prepaid gift card on PayPal is to make sure the name and address (billing address) on your PayPal account matches the name and address on file with the gift card issuer. If you just purchased your prepaid gift card, call the card issuer and add your name and address to the card. If your information (name and address) has changed since you registered your card, call the card issuer or go online and update your information before you use the card on PayPal.
Once this is done, you just have to hope that PayPal is able to successfully verify your address with the gift card issuer. If they are able to verify your address, then you are all set. If they cannot verify your address with the card issuer, then you probably will not be able to use that gift card on PayPal.

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How to Use a Gift Card - 5 Tips

2011-06-27T18:21:00.000+01:00

A gift card, also known as a prepaid debit card, is a lot of fun to receive as a gift. They make great gifts because they allow the recipient a lot of freedom about exactly the type of item he or she will buy. And, they are a lot more exciting to receive as gifts than cash.
If you have received one of these cool cards in recent days or weeks - or if you are considering giving one as a gift to somebody you know and care about - you may be wondering just exactly how people generally use them.
Learn how to use a gift card with these 5 tips:
1. Determine whether it is of the credit card or targeted brand variety:
In general, there are two main types of gift cards. The first type is sometimes called a prepaid credit card or prepaid debit card. These carry the logo of one of the major credit card issuing organizations, such as American Express, Visa, Discover, or MasterCard. You can basically use these as you would a regular credit or debit card, and they look the same as their more traditional cousin types of cards to the casual observer.
The second kind of gift card is the type issued by popular online stores, major department stores, and restaurants. In the case of these cards, they only be used to purchase the products from the particular brand or company represented by the issuer. They are a bit more limited in use, but then again they can also be fun to receive because the recipient is "forced" to use them on something fun for themselves.
2. For online purchases when using the credit card variety, select the credit card option whose symbol appears on the card:
If you have a gift card that features the symbol of a major credit card, simply visit any website that accepts that card as a method of payment (most do). Then, when you check out, simply enter the card number as if it is just a regular credit card.
3. For online purchases on targeted brand websites, you will see a gift card option during the checkout process:
On the other hand, if you have a card that is labeled as being for a particular company or brand's products only, go to their website, select a product and go through the shopping card checkout process. When you get to their payment page, you will see a text box that says something like "Use gift card or gift certificate." Just enter the card number into that box and proceed with your checkout.
4. If you lose your gift card, report it stolen immediately:
Your card carries a balance until you deplete (spend) the entire original amount. While most of these types of cards do not require the user to enter a password to use them, in all cases the issuer will keep track of your balance. You can find out the balance by calling a special, toll-free number or visiting online.
If you lose your card or it is stolen, you may be able to get a new one issued for the remaining balance. When you discover that you no longer have it in your possession, immediately contact the issuer. Important: when your first purchase the card, be sure to write down the card number and issuer phone # and keep them somewhere safe.
5. Some cards can be refilled or reloaded with value:
Once your card's balance is depleted, you are done with the card. In some cases, the issuer will allow you to reload or recharge the card with more value either online or by phone. However, many do not. In that case, just throw it away.
Gift cards make excellent gifts. Take these 5 tips into account as you use your gift card or so that you can buy one for someone you care about.

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