Visa Gift Card Should Be Registered
Registration usually involves linking a name and billing address to the prepaid card. Though you generally are not required to register a gift card in order to use it in stores or restaurants, the process is fairly important if you intend to use the gift card online.
To make it harder to use a stolen credit card online, many websites use a procedure called Address Verification System to ensure the card number being used for payment matches the billing address on file with the bank. Since the Visa gift card number is entered into the same field used for a Visa credit card, the website will look for an AVS match even though it is less applicable to a gift card payment.
Registering the gift card allows you to update the address linked to the card. If the system will not let you update the information, you may at least be able to see what generic name and address has been associated with the card already.
If you have a Visa gift card or Mastercard gift card from Giftcards.com, activate your card and then look for a second step to register the card as well.
Register Your Visa Gift Card
Registering your Visa gift card is a very similar process as activating it. Call the 800 number or go to the website associated with the gift card and put in the card information. But this time youll also have to include your personal information: name, address and phone number.
You have to go through this process because many online merchants use a security procedure called AVS when accepting debit or credit cards online. Since your Visa gift card is an open-loop gift card, its processed and dealt with as if it were a debit card.
Can I Use A Visa Gift Card On Amazon For Partial Payment
You can use a prepaid Visa gift card to make purchases on Amazon, but you have to work around the system to make it happen. Amazon will not allow split payments between gift cards loaded onto an account and other payment methods, so you have to line up the price of your purchases with your gift card balance.
Also Check: How To Use An Online Visa Gift Card
What Online Card Payment Looks Like
When you get to the online payment processing portion of checkout, enter the gift card number, expiration date and Card Verification Number into the fields you typically use for debit and credit card payments. Do not enter a Visa gift card number into the gift card field. That field is reserved for retailer-specific card numbers.
Below is an example of what online payment often looks like. This example shows many payment options including bank-issued debit and credit cards, store credit cards, PayPal, PayPal credit, a payment plan, store gift cards and even Bitcoin.
Most online shopping carts do not have this many ways to make a payment, but nearly all have a place to enter a credit card that is different from the area in which you would enter a gift card .
Other Online Payment Factors To Consider

Consider these factors when shopping online to make your payment experience even safer.
- Saved card details. Internet browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari may prompt you to save your details. While this can be convenient, it means your card information will be stored by a third-party service which could be compromised if that account is ever hacked.
- Incognito mode. Use the browsers incognito mode if youre using a public computer to make a purchase. This will ensure the computer doesnt save any of your personal information or Internet history during your session.
- For whatever reason, if your payment is declined or a payment error message appears, the transaction will not be processed. Your items may remain in your shopping cart so you can complete the purchase in the future.
- Currency conversion fees. Most credit cards apply a fee of 2% to 4% of the transaction when you make a purchase from an overseas merchant. If you regularly shop with international retailers online, you may want to consider a card with $0 foreign transaction fees to save money on this cost.
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Buy A Visa Gift Card Online Within Seconds
Need a fast and secure way to pay all across the internet? Buy your Visa Gift Card online and receive your code straight to your inbox. Shop online with added security in seconds, anywhere where Visa Debit Cards are accepted or at any U.S. merchant that accepts Discover® Cards. Simply redeem it immediately, or within 6 months at MyPrepaidCenter to receive the card number, security code and expiration date of your virtual Visa Gift Card instantly. Start shopping safely and conveniently in seconds.
How To Buy Something Online Without A Credit Card
This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 522,340 times.
Shopping online is an easy and fun way to buy items. It can be a pain if you don’t have a credit card. There are many online store that accept different payment options. Here are some of the alternative options to paying with a credit card when you shop online.
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Pending Transactions Are Affecting The Balance
Every time you swipe or enter your Visa gift card number into a payment system , the system checks to see if the card has sufficient funds to complete the transaction. During this authorization check, the system will place a hold on the funds needed for the purchase. If the transaction is cancelled or later declined, then the pending amount is released. If the transaction is completed, then the pending amount is finalized and the card balance is reduced by the dollar amount of the final purchase.
Sometimes holds are not released immediatelyit can take several hours or several days to remove a pending charge depending on how each merchant system works. During that time, your gift card may decline if pending charges are tying up a portion of the gift card balance that you know should be available.
If your card is not working and pending charges are still affecting the card balance, wait a few days and try again. If you want to understand the process more, heres an article on why it takes so long for charges to clear.
S To Buying Gift Cards With Paypal
If you select the Gift option , you will be prompted to enter the recipients name, email address, title, and message. Note that all gift cards are delivered v electronically, whether you purchase one for yourself or as a gift.
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What Is The Difference Between A Pending Transaction And A Posted Transaction
Pending transactions are authorized transactions with a hold for the purchase amount until the transaction clears. Posted transactions are purchases that have cleared on your card. There are some pending transactions that are more or less than the amount you actually spent. Some retailers place a pre-authorization amount to ensure the account is active and that you have enough money to cover the purchase. Once the transaction posts to your account, the pending transaction will be removed within a few business days, and you can use the funds again.
Activate Your Visa Gift Card:
First, you have to make sure youre Visa gift card is activated. If you bought it in a brick and mortar retail store then your gift card was most likely activated when you bought it at the cash register.
If you bought your gift card online it is possible that you have to activate it. Normally all you have to do is go to the website thats printed on a label stuck on the card and enter the 16 digit number along with the security code. You may have to call the 800 number printed on the gift card if there is no website.
Not sure if youre Visa Gift Card is already activated?
Just go through the process of activating your card again. It wont hurt and youll know for sure if its already activated or not.
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Why Choose A Prepaid Visa Gift Card
While this virtual Visa Gift Card is a great solution for any online buyer, it is especially useful for young people, frequent travelers and for those abroad. A few primary benefits are that your card is:
Usable online wherever Visa Prepaid Cards are accepted.
This prepaid card is not a credit card, thus not affecting your credit rating, nor is it attached to your bank account.
Issued immediately, without an application process. Simply buy your non-reloadable card online, enter your current billing address and receive the card details immediately.
Important information is all in one place. Once registered on MyPrepaidCenter, you can easily check your remaining credit and transaction history in your account.
Are There Any Restrictions When Paying With An Instant Visa Gift Card

Your card should be accepted on any website that accepts Visa Debit Cards as a payment method. It cannot be used for recurring bill payments, memberships, subscriptions, hotel and/or car rental reservations, or getting cash at ATMs. Depending on the merchant, split tender payments may be declined, extra fees or restrictions may apply. Be sure the prepaid balance of your card can cover the total amount of your order.
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How To Use A Prepaid Visa Card To Shop On Amazon
July 9, 2019
Valuable share: How To Use a Prepaid Visa Card to Shop On Amazon. You know those Prepaid Visa Cards that might only have $4.56 left on them? THOSE! And larger amounts too of course. And bonus: its a way to split payment on Amazon so that you can deplete that prepaid Visa card entirely. This is a little life hack which will make life easier
The bonus of Prepaid Visa Cards
Prepaid Visa cards are easy to give for birthdays, teacher gifts, etc You can buy them at the drug store, grocery store, heck even online and send it as an e-card! And practical too . However, they can be a bit of a pain to use.
Say you have a $50 card. You either buy something for $40 and have a bit leftover on your card. Or you find a store which will split payment and put $50 towards your buy + use another method of payment to top up the amount paid. It can be tricky.
But I found a way to use the card on Amazon in its entirety without even having to spend the total amount in one go!
Here is how to use a Prepaid Visa Card To Shop on Amazon
Short story: buy an amazon gift card with the Prepaid Visa Card. It saves in your account and will be used towards any future purchases. Its that easy.
How to add a Prepaid Visa Card to your Amazon account
The amount shows up in your account as an Amazon Gift Card balance.
Using Your Bank Account
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Waiting Period On The Card
Gift cards ordered from Giftcards.com are usable as soon as the card is registered. But some drug stores and gas stations sell gift cards that are not usable for a specified waiting period .
Because thieves sometimes use stolen credit cards to buy gift cards, the waiting period gives banks, stores and victims a moment to detect and report compromised cards. If the theft is reported before the gift cards are used, the gift cards can be cancelled before the funds are depleted.
If you purchased a gift card at a store and try to use it immediately, but find that the card doesnt work, check the receipt or gift card packaging to see if a waiting period is specified.
How Do I Use My Visa Debit Card Online
How to Use a Debit Card Online?
Also Check: Can You Get Refunds On A Visa Gift Card
How To Get A Visa Gift Card
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If you’re not a fan of credit cards, can’t get credit cards because of poor credit, or just want to give a versatile, useful present, Visa gift cards may be the ideal solution. Most Visa gift cards work exactly like a prepaid Visa debit or credit card, except that Visa gift cards don’t affect your credit score and cannot be reloaded with more money later on.
Video Transcript: Visa Gift Cards How They Work
Hi, Im Shelley Hunter, Gift Card Girlfriend here at Gift Cards.com, and heres what I love the most about Visa gift cardsthey can be used anywhere in the U.S. Visa debit cards are acceptedwhich to me, means pretty much everywhere. From little mom and pop restaurants to national retailers, if a Visa debit card is accepted, then the gift card will be too.
Heres a tip
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Where To Buy The Stores Egift Card
Sometimes you do not know the transaction is going to exceed the gift card balance until the shopping cart gets loaded up with shipping charges and taxes. When that happens, there are two ways to quickly get an egift card to use:
1. Empty the Cart and Start Over When the total purchase is greater than the value of the gift card, one solution is to cancel the items in your cart and buy an egift card instead. When the egift card arrives, you can start over.
2. Buy the eGift Card Elsewhere Another option is to buy the egift card from a different website. If you want a , for example, you can buy that here at GiftCards.com.
Here are all the egift cards we sell plus a list of top store and restaurant egift cards.