# Amazon gift cards as sort-of legal tender? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 4, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731 "2022-10-04T23:56:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/1 "2022-10-04T23:56:12Z")
Just rambling here: I recently participated in a medical study in which the reimbursement is via Amazon gift cards. I’ve done other things in the past where the reimbursement was, similarly, a gift card (usually just electronic). Do organizations that do this sort of thing get some kind of discount? e.g. a code worth 50 bucks and they can purchase it for 48, or something? If it isn’t redeemed, can the sender be reimbursed after a while? Otherwise, what’s the incentive for an organization to do this? I mean, virtually everyone shops with Amazon, so it’s not like it’s not _useful_… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/2 "2022-10-05T02:29:05Z")
They even call out research participation as one of the use cases. This might shed some light, but I didn’t see any discount information. [https://www.amazon.com/bulk-gift-cards/b?ie=UTF8&node=15243200011](https://www.amazon.com/bulk-gift-cards/b?ie=UTF8&node=15243200011) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/3 "2022-10-05T02:36:10Z")
An Amazon card is almost as convenient as cash, but doesn’t have the same storage/theft/etc. problems as cash. At least the electronic version wouldn’t–and possibly even the physical ones allow late activation (so they’d be useless if stolen). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/4 "2022-10-05T02:43:02Z")
from this site: [How to buy gift cards in bulk for your business](https://blog.wegift.io/how-to-buy-gift-cards-in-bulk-for-your-business) “For even more savings when sending your gift cards through your WeGift account, When the gift cards you purchase through WeGift are not redeemed by their recipients by the expiration date, the unclaimed value is automatically sent back to you. So nothing goes to waste -each and every dollar you spend through WeGift goes toward increasing your employee or customer engagement.” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/5 "2022-10-05T03:54:33Z")
If I got one, I’d have to regift it. I occasionally shop at Amazon, but have no idea how to use a gift card on line. I still think of Amazon as a book store site, and rarely buy physical books any more ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/6 "2022-10-05T03:55:52Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I occasionally shop at Amazon, but have no idea how to use a gift card on line. When you go to check out on their website, all you need to do is select “Amazon gift card” as your payment type, then enter in the code from the back of the gift card. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/7 "2022-10-05T03:57:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > all you need to do is select “Amazon gift card” as your payment type, then enter in the code from the back of the gift card. That does sound easy. Maybe someone will give me one someday ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/8 "2022-10-05T04:08:34Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Otherwise, what’s the incentive for an organization to do this? I mean, virtually everyone shops with Amazon, so it’s not like it’s not _useful_… At the card racks at the store, Visa prepaid cards (which would be ideal for gift cards) have a fee tacked on when you purchase them. All the other cards (Starbucks, Home Depot, Cheesecake Factory, etc) do not. Of all the offered cards, Amazon is the closest to universal currency. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/9 "2022-10-05T04:20:18Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > then enter in the code from the back of the gift card Or when you get the email, click the link, it will take you to Amazon, where you login, and then the card is loaded into your account. Next time you buy something, the gift card will just be there as an option. We still mail checks for subject payments on our research studies. I can see managing electronic gift cards online might be much easier. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/10 "2022-10-05T04:52:58Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > At the card racks at the store, Visa prepaid cards (which would be ideal for gift cards) have a fee tacked on when you purchase them. All the other cards (Starbucks, Home Depot, Cheesecake Factory, etc) do not. Of all the offered cards, Amazon is the closest to universal currency. I’ve fairly certain that Walmart gift cards would be closer to being universal currency. The public spends more money at Walmart than at Amazon. > **[Largest retailers in the US 2022 | Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/195992/usa-retail-sales-of-the-top-retailers/)** > > Walmart topped a list of retail companies in the USA, with sales being twice as high as that of Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/11 "2022-10-05T04:55:13Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > I’ve fairly certain that Walmart gift cards would be closer to being universal currency. The public spends more money at Walmart than at Amazon. These articles indicate that it’s close to a dead heat, and that Amazon may pass Walmart within the next year or two. > **[Amazon And Walmart Are Nearly Tied In Full-Year Share Of Retail Sales -...](https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2021/amazon-walmart-nearly-tied-in-full-year-share-of-retail-sales/)** > > PYMNTS data shows last year's surge in online shopping solidified Amazon’s eCommerce dominance, but closed the gap with Walmart for share of total retail sales. > **[Amazon to pass Walmart as No. 1 retailer by '24; the latter's store-based...](https://www.computerworld.com/article/3663471/amazon-to-pass-walmart-as-no-1-retailer-by-24-the-latters-store-based-tack-is-to-blame.html)** > > A June report from an analytics firm has Amazon knocking Walmart out of its No. 1 retailer slot by 2024. Walmart bet on a store-based approach years ago, but consumers changed their habits and Walmart is soon to pay the price. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/12 "2022-10-05T04:56:42Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > I’ve fairly certain that Walmart gift cards would be closer to being universal currency. Could be, but Walmart isn’t even present within my (large) city limits. Amazon is easily accessible by people who don’t have transportation. As much as I don’t like Amazon, I hate Walmart more. I’m not the only one. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/13 "2022-10-05T06:38:02Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > At the card racks at the store, Visa prepaid cards (which would be ideal for gift cards) have a fee tacked on when you purchase them. Good point! My credit union actually sells Visa gift cards at face value - but you’re right: getting them at a retail store does involve a fee. One can, sometimes, find things like Google Play or Apple gift cards at a slight discount at Costco etc. which is useful. > [@needscoffee](#): > > As much as I don’t like Amazon, I hate Walmart more. One reason to reconsider that: early on in the COVID pandemic, things at Amazon were being hit by price gouging - but not at WalMart. We wanted to purchase some thermometers - which for soooooome reason were a bit hard to find in stores. I got 3 (for 3 different household members) from WalMart for 4.95 apiece. They were triple that at Amazon. WalMart is actually a fair substitute for Amazon, even if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store nearby, since they’ll ship anything you need. Neither of these retailers got where they are by treating their employees generously, to be sure. There’s a lot to hate at both places. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/14 "2022-10-05T16:36:55Z")
In my experience, if both Walmart and Amazon have something, it will be cheaper at Walmart if it is something they stock in the store and is not electronic. The big gains are with Walmart’s generics, especially with food. If Walmart only ships it, then it may be cheaper, may not be. And if Walmart relies on a third party to ship, then it will be more expensive than Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/15 "2022-10-05T22:38:46Z")
WalMart doesn’t have the equivalent of Amazon Prime - well, actually, I think they MAY have something like that now, but I’ve never signed up for it. But it’s pretty easy to get free shipping - as noted, on their own stuff (they, like so many other retailers, have third-party sellers). Early on during the pandemic, my in-laws in Florida were seriously about to run out of toilet paper. I went to WalMart and ordered two large packages (to get the free shipping). Got a lifetime of good karma for that one - apparently it arrived the day they got out their last roll. A couple months back, I ordered a microwave rice cooker from Amazon. It was sold by a third-party seller. It shipped from… WalMart. Bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/16 "2022-10-05T22:59:40Z")
I don’t use Walmart except as a last resort fot prescriptions, and what I buy with Amazon gift cards is books. Not the kind you’d find at Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-gift-cards-as-sort-of-legal-tender/972731/17 "2022-10-06T00:45:07Z")
Last year we noticed that we had the option to get our Federal tax return loaded to an Amazon card. When I mentioned it to a friend, she said it had been an option for a few years now.