Selling Gift Cards: The Art of Turning Store Credit into Cash
12 March 2025
5 Mins Read
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A gift card is supposed to be just that—a gift. But what if it’s a gift you don’t want? What if that $50 card to a steakhouse is useless because you’re a vegetarian? What if your well-meaning relative gave you a Home Depot card when you live in a tiny apartment with no space for DIY projects?
Instead of letting that card collect dust, you can sell it. And not just in a “desperate for cash” kind of way—there’s an entire economy built around buying and selling gift cards. Whether you’re offloading a single unwanted card or looking to flip them for profit, selling gift cards is more of an art than you might think.
Why Do People Sell Gift Cards?
Not every gift card sale is a one-time thing. People sell them for all kinds of reasons:
- They need cash more than store credit. A $100 Best Buy card is great—unless you need to pay your rent.
- They got a gift card for a place they’ll never shop. If you’re not a coffee drinker, a Starbucks card might as well be a coaster.
- They want to game the system. Some people buy gift cards at a discount, then resell them at a smaller discount for a quick profit.
- They use them for financial workarounds. People without credit cards sometimes sell store-branded gift cards to get cash for other expenses.
- People with gift cards usually spend about 20% to 50% more than the average amount.
- Gift cards are the number 1 requested gift during the holiday season, for more than 10 years.
- The best time of the year to sell gift cards is during Christmas, birthdays, and Mother’s Day.
- On an average, holiday shoppers spend about $213.49 on gift cards.
- More than 50% of gift card recipients usually don’t redeem their gift cards on one shopping trip.
- 20% of adults usually reload on their gift cards.
- The gift card industry is approximately a $100 billion industry, increasing yearly.
- January is the most popular month for redeeming gift cards, and that trend extends to the entire holiday season.
- Teens are the ones who request gift cards the most during the holiday season.
How To Sell Gift Cards: The Many Ways of Selling Gift Cards
Selling a gift card isn’t as simple as handing it over and getting cash. There are different ways to do it, each with its own pros and cons.
1. Online Gift Card Marketplaces
Platforms like CardCash, Raise, and Gift Card Granny allow you to list your card and sell it for slightly below its value. Some even offer instant cash-outs if you’re willing to take a slightly lower payout.
Pros:
– Safer than dealing with random buyers.
– Some sites guarantee the sale and protect against fraud.
– You don’t have to do much work.
Cons:
– They take a cut of your sale.
– It can take a few days to get paid.
– Not all cards sell at full value.
2. Direct Selling to Individuals
Some people prefer to sell gift card directly to buyers on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or Reddit’s gift card exchange groups.
Pros:
– You set your price and can negotiate.
– Potential to get more cash compared to selling to resellers.
Cons:
– You have to find a buyer yourself.
– There’s a risk of scams—buyers claiming the card doesn’t work, chargeback fraud, or fake payments.
3. Pawn Shops and Check-Cashing Stores
Some brick-and-mortar locations buy gift cards for cash, usually for a percentage of their face value (typically 50-75%).
Pros:
– Immediate cash in hand.
– No dealing with online scams.
Cons:
– You’ll get significantly less than the card’s full value.
– Not all pawn shops accept gift cards.
4. Trading for Something You Actually Want
Some people trade gift cards instead of selling them for cash. For example, if you have a $50 Target gift card but really need an Uber card, you might be able to swap with someone who is looking to make the opposite trade.
Pros:
– You get full value instead of selling at a discount.
– Great if you just need a different kind of store credit.
Cons:
– Finding someone willing to trade can take time.
– Still some risk of scams when dealing with individuals.
Maximizing Your Gift Card Sale
If you’re going to sell a gift card, don’t just offload it at the first opportunity. With a little strategy, you can get a better deal:
Sell high-demand brands. Amazon, Walmart, and Visa/Mastercard gift cards are worth more because they are universally useful.
– Check multiple platforms. Prices vary depending on demand—what one site offers might be lower than another.
– Beware of scammers. If someone asks for the code before paying, run. No legit buyer will do this.
– Consider partial sales. Some platforms allow you to sell part of a gift card balance, letting you keep some for later.
The Ethical Gray Area of Gift Card Flipping
Some people don’t just sell unwanted gift cards—they buy them in bulk and resell them. This can be a legitimate hustle, but it can also dip into questionable territory.
Retailers don’t love when people buy gift cards just to flip them, so they put restrictions in place. Some limit the number of cards you can buy in a single transaction. Others prevent you from using a gift card to buy another gift card (a common trick resellers use to consolidate balances).
But where there’s money, there’s always a workaround. Some resellers have multiple accounts or even use bots to grab high-value cards before the public can buy them.
The Bottom Line
Selling a gift card isn’t just about getting rid of store credit—it’s about understanding how much cash you can squeeze out of it and where to do it safely. Whether you’re just looking to offload one card or thinking about getting into reselling, knowing your options makes all the difference.
Because at the end of the day, a gift card is only as valuable as what you can trade it for.
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