Difficulty with Visa gift card and Amazon [Solved]

Esh

So, for Christmas, my mom sent me a $200 Visa gift card that she received from Wells Fargo as a gift incentive. You know, use your credit card so much, cash in the points for gifts.

Anyway, so it shows up, I activate it. I decide to buy myself the complete Battlestar Galactica on Blu-Ray from Amazon. Enter in all the information on the card. It asks for the name on the card. The card, in that spot, reads "Your Gift Card". I punch that in with all the rest of the relevant information and submit the order. Amazon doesn't like it. It wants me to edit the information. It's not specific either about what it wants.

I've tried various things. Changing the billing address to my mother's address, etc..., but nothing is working. It's been over a day since I activated the card, so it's not that and it's not denying it for funds or what not.

Anyone had any luck getting these to work on Amazon? Google isn't helping much at all, but maybe your skills there are better than mine?

Inquisitor77

In my experience the newer credit company gift cards (Visa, AMEX, etc.) tend to work exactly like credit cards, except the name and billing information can be whatever you want. If you can't get yours to work, I'd call the help line on the back of the card and see if they can assist you. Alternatively, you could also email/call Amazon support and see if they can input your order directly.

Just to ask the obvious question: are you sure you're inputting the card information correctly? I recall that sometimes the "security code" can be in a less-than-typical place, such as behind one of those scratch-off things.

Esh

Inquisitor77 wrote:

In my experience the newer credit company gift cards (Visa, AMEX, etc.) tend to work exactly like credit cards, except the name and billing information can be whatever you want. If you can't get yours to work, I'd call the help line on the back of the card and see if they can assist you. Alternatively, you could also email/call Amazon support and see if they can input your order directly.

Just to ask the obvious question: are you sure you're inputting the card information correctly? I recall that sometimes the "security code" can be in a less-than-typical place, such as behind one of those scratch-off things.

It doesn't ask for the security code. And it's pretty obvious where it is. There's nothing to scratch off either. Amazon just wants the number and expiration, name and billing address. I'll probably end up just calling them if nothing surfaces here.

Inquisitor77

Are you inputting it like a normal credit card? I'm having a hard time believing that Amazon is not requesting the security code for a credit card purchase...

finalflight89

Most of these gift cards, when you recieve them will let you log in online and register them with an address you choose. That way you'll have a billing address for cases like this.

Esh

Inquisitor77 wrote:

Are you inputting it like a normal credit card? I'm having a hard time believing that Amazon is not requesting the security code for a credit card purchase...

I've been using Amazon for years. It's not asking for the security code.

finalflight89 wrote:

Most of these gift cards, when you recieve them will let you log in online and register them with an address you choose. That way you'll have a billing address for cases like this.

I'll give this a shot, thanks!

Essee

Yeah, you need to visit the site on the back (or front) of the card and register it with your address/ZIP code. The most common issue people have with these cards is needing a ZIP code associated with the card before they can buy anything online-- this is usually an FAQ about the card. I think in-person purchases with these cards don't even require that, just online/possibly phone purchases. That said, I do seem to recall I once had an issue where I could never get a particular card to work with Nintendo's Wii Shop (even after calling the card company, I think), no matter what I did, but Amazon's site is way less temperamental and that was a couple years ago anyway.

Esh

Essee wrote:

Yeah, you need to visit the site on the back (or front) of the card and register it with your address/ZIP code. The most common issue people have with these cards is needing a ZIP code associated with the card before they can buy anything online-- this is usually an FAQ about the card. I think in-person purchases with these cards don't even require that, just online/possibly phone purchases. That said, I do seem to recall I once had an issue where I could never get a particular card to work with Nintendo's Wii Shop (even after calling the card company, I think), no matter what I did, but Amazon's site is way less temperamental and that was a couple years ago anyway.

Yeah, registering it online with my address worked. Thanks everyone!

Siska

Strange, I did not have to do any of this with my Crescent State Bank visa gift card for my Amazon purchase a week ago. In the name on card field I simply put "visa gift card". Perhaps it has to do with how much you are spending?