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You can't buy coins with an Amazon.com gift card

David1940David1940 Posts: 64 ✭✭✭
edited March 30, 2018 11:08AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Maybe everyone knows this already, but I've found that you can't buy coins with an Amazon.com gift card. I wanted to get some proof sets, and at checkout, I get this message that says that the items in my cart are ineligible:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=3122091

Comments

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I did not know that..... I have purchase many other items with Amazon gift cards...never tried coins though. Cheers, RickO

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 30, 2018 10:45AM

    Gift cards are horrible for consumers and great for Big Business.

    Never ever buy a gift card for anyone, EVER! Give them cash and they will be very happy. Tell them what to buy with it if you must.

  • CameonutCameonut Posts: 7,293 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Seems strange to me that collectible coins are verboten. I can understand bullion, but not coins.

    Anyway, I get an Amazon gift card each year when I take my loose change jar to the Coin Star machine. Usually about $100 or so. Best thing is that you get full value and since i use Amazon a lot, I feel I am getting a good deal.

    “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

    My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!

  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,120 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think, but I'm not sure, that a similar policy is in effect on eBay applicable to their g.c.'s

    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • TommyTypeTommyType Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You kind of have to wonder if it's all due to an interpretation of the usual prohibition of getting CASH for gift cards?

    "Coins are money....You can't trade your gif cards for cash....Therefore you can't get coins with gift cards."

    (?)

    Easily distracted Type Collector
  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What retailers count on with gift cards is non-redemption of the card, or a balance being left on it.

    In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
  • daltexdaltex Posts: 3,486 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SaorAlba said:
    What retailers count on with gift cards is non-redemption of the card, or a balance being left on it.

    Don't many/most/all states have laws about that? Unclaimed property that must be turned over to the state after, in some cases, a very short time.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,781 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TommyType said:
    You kind of have to wonder if it's all due to an interpretation of the usual prohibition of getting CASH for gift cards?

    "Coins are money....You can't trade your gif cards for cash....Therefore you can't get coins with gift cards."

    (?)

    I have no idea but you can get cash for gift cards at the pawn shop here, IIRC :smile:
    I'll have to check.

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "Gift cards" are much like the small denomination paper money state banks issued before the Civil War. The issuer knew that a significant percentage would be lost or forgotten, and then the issuer could always repudiate them.

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,954 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's stupid.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • Batman23Batman23 Posts: 4,999 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder why they have a restriction such as that? Money is money, they were bought with money. What difference does it make if I use a gift card balance, credit card or cash, they are still getting the same money... maybe even more if you consider the CC fees.

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,055 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OPA said:
    I think, but I'm not sure, that a similar policy is in effect on eBay applicable to their g.c.'s

    And it's everything in the category including books and supplies.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • privatecoinprivatecoin Posts: 3,379 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I discovered this a few months ago. Last time i ever use my hotel points for amazon gift cards.

    Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc

  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @daltex said:

    @SaorAlba said:
    What retailers count on with gift cards is non-redemption of the card, or a balance being left on it.

    Don't many/most/all states have laws about that? Unclaimed property that must be turned over to the state after, in some cases, a very short time.

    Well, obviously. States are not going after this, but I can guarantee if they did, gift cards would disappear quickly.

    In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,154 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SaorAlba said:
    What retailers count on with gift cards is non-redemption of the card, or a balance being left on it.

    This is true, but it doesn't apply the same way to Amazon "gift cards". The gift card becomes a digital balance that then functions the same as cash on a soup-to-nuts E-commerce site. Unless you simply don't use Amazon, it's kind of hard to lose the "gift card" balance.

  • BackroadJunkieBackroadJunkie Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Batman23 said:
    I wonder why they have a restriction such as that? Money is money, they were bought with money. What difference does it make if I use a gift card balance, credit card or cash, they are still getting the same money... maybe even more if you consider the CC fees.

    Many times gift cards are discounted, probably with the intent that a purchase of goods will make up for the discount. (For instance, right now, my grocery store chain has a "Buy $50 of qualified gift cards, and get $10 off your next purchase."

    Should you be able to redeem the GC for cash or equivalent, it would be a direct loss, and quite the lucrative business. The above offer would get you a 20% return. I'm not sure if there's a limit, but I'd buy all sorts of gift cards, cash them in for cash, and get my groceries free...

  • BackroadJunkieBackroadJunkie Posts: 3,745 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Cameonut said:
    Seems strange to me that collectible coins are verboten. I can understand bullion, but not coins.

    What is the definition of a collectable coin? I could argue that a bullion ASE is a collectable. A policy of no coins solves that problem.

    Anyway, I get an Amazon gift card each year when I take my loose change jar to the Coin Star machine. Usually about $100 or so. Best thing is that you get full value and since i use Amazon a lot, I feel I am getting a good deal.

    Yep. Especially since so many banks want a percentage now. Although I found out a friend has a bank that still counts for free, so I may launder some change through her bank... :)

  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,287 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Never shop there. Then again, I don't tweet, either.

  • AzurescensAzurescens Posts: 2,744 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I run the package sort at UPS and am a shifter for driver. The amount of "Damagezon" packages I see every day is ridiculous. I bet UPS loses more money on packing tape than they do contracting USPS out to the Surepost program. I'd never buy anything worth any value on Amazon.

    The last two gift cards we got, we bought 200 bucks in junk, canceled immediately, took the balance on our account and transferred to our bank then to PayPal. Not sure if you can do this anymore.

  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,540 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @SaorAlba said:
    What retailers count on with gift cards is non-redemption of the card, or a balance being left on it.

    This is true, but it doesn't apply the same way to Amazon "gift cards". The gift card becomes a digital balance that then functions the same as cash on a soup-to-nuts E-commerce site. Unless you simply don't use Amazon, it's kind of hard to lose the "gift card" balance.

    If I don't use the balance on Amazon, my wife will. I have put Coinstar money onto Amazon then my wife spent it - she uses for everything. I only use it for books.

    In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
  • AzurescensAzurescens Posts: 2,744 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Oh nice, I can turn in this 96 bucks of verdigris bent worn-ragged "memorial cents" bag and get amazon money? Good. I've got a balance and you can buy stamps cheap for below postage and write off full post paid.

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