How to Use an eBay Gift Card, and What It Cannot Buy

Summary: To use an eBay gift card, add items to your cart on eBay.com, open Gift cards and coupons at checkout, enter the redemption code and select Apply. You need an eBay account registered in the US with a US shipping address. eBay is phasing out new gift cards, but cards already sold keep working, do not expire and carry no fees.

• Codes are redeemed only at checkout on eBay.com, never anywhere else.
• After its first use, the card is tied to that eBay account.
• eBay gift cards cannot buy gift cards, coupons, coins or bullion.
• New eBay gift cards are being phased out, so remaining stock is limited.

How to Use an eBay Gift Card

• Sign in to an eBay account registered in the US.
• Add the items you want to your cart and go to checkout.
• Find the Gift cards and coupons section and enter the redemption code.
• Select Apply, check the new total, then select Confirm and pay.

If the card does not cover the whole order, pay the rest with another payment method in the same checkout. If it covers more than the order, the remaining value stays on your eBay account for next time, as long as you use the same account.

Where to Find the Redemption Code

On a digital card, the code sits behind the Redeem Now button in the delivery email. On a physical card it is on the back under a scratch-off coating, so scratch gently to avoid damaging the characters. A newly bought card can take up to 4 hours to activate, so a code that fails straight after purchase may just need time.

How to Add an eBay Gift Card to Your Account

You do not have to wait for checkout. eBay's Add gift card page lets you enter the code while signed in and saves it to your account. The value then appears in the Gift cards and coupons section at checkout and in the Payments area of My eBay. A PayPal account is no longer needed to use the card.

What an eBay Gift Card Cannot Buy

eBay gift cards work on almost everything listed on eBay.com, with a short list of exceptions. According to eBay's gift card FAQ, they cannot buy:

• Other eBay gift cards or third-party gift cards.
• Gift certificates and coupons.
• Coins, paper money and virtual currency.
• Bullion, such as gold or silver bars and coins.

If any of these is in your cart, the gift card cannot be applied to the order at all, so buy excluded items in a separate checkout.

Good Uses for an eBay Gift Card

Ordinary goods are all fine, and electronics are one of the most popular uses, whether that is a replacement charger, a used console or wireless earbuds. The card only works on eBay, though, so if you would rather buy headphones direct from a brand such as Cowin Audio, that needs a different payment method.

Why Your eBay Gift Card Is Not Working

• The account or shipping address is outside the US. eBay gift cards need a US-registered account and a US shipping address.
• The card was already used on a different eBay account. After the first use it is locked to that account.
• The card is still activating. Allow up to 4 hours after purchase.
• The cart contains an excluded item, such as another gift card or a coin.
• You have reached eBay's redemption limits, which cap how much gift card value can be used over set periods of time.

Are eBay Gift Cards Being Discontinued?

Yes. eBay says its gift cards are being phased out. You may still find digital or physical eBay cards at some retailers while supplies last, but physical cards will not be restocked once they sell out. Cards already bought keep working: you can still add them, redeem them and use them at checkout, and eBay says they never expire and carry no fees.

Shopping Marketplaces Outside the US

Because eBay gift cards only work with US accounts, shoppers elsewhere need a different route. In Poland, for example, Allegro.pl is the leading online marketplace and fills much the same role, with its own payment options.

eBay Gift Card Scams to Watch For

eBay is clear that its gift card codes should only ever be entered at checkout on eBay.com. Anyone who asks you to send them an eBay code, read it out over the phone or use it to pay outside eBay is running a scam, whoever they claim to be. Our guide to gift card scam red flags covers the common scripts. If you are targeted, contact eBay Customer Service and keep the card and the receipt.

One Account, One Checkout Field

An eBay gift card is simple once you know its limits: one US account, one field at checkout and a short list of things it will not buy. With new cards being phased out, the ones still in circulation are worth using rather than leaving in a drawer. While supplies last, you can check eBay gift card availability.