Everyone knows how to buy a gift card. Walk into a store, grab one off the rack, load it with money, and boom—you’ve got yourself a perfectly acceptable last-minute birthday present.
But what happens when you don’t actually want that gift card? Maybe you got one for a store you never shop at. Maybe you need cash more than you need another Starbucks latte. Or maybe, just maybe, you realized that selling gift cards is its own strange little economy.
Let’s talk about it.
### Why People Sell Gift Cards
There are two types of gift card sellers:
1. **People who just want to get rid of them** – They got a $100 Macy’s gift card but haven’t shopped there since 2013.
2. **People who flip gift cards for profit** – They treat it like a business, buying discounted cards and selling them at a slight markup.
Both groups exist for the same reason: gift cards are basically **store-locked money**, and sometimes people would rather have real cash.
### The Resale Market: Where and How to Sell Gift Cards
So, you’ve got a gift card you don’t want. Where do you sell it?
#### **1. Online Gift Card Marketplaces**
There are entire platforms dedicated to buying and selling gift cards. You enter the card details, set a price (usually a bit lower than the balance), and wait for a buyer. Some sites offer instant cash payouts, but they take a cut of the sale.
The upside? You get money fairly quickly. The downside? Fees can eat into your profit, and some platforms take a while to process payouts.
#### **2. Peer-to-Peer Selling**
This is riskier but can be more profitable. You sell directly to a buyer—on Facebook Marketplace, Reddit, or Telegram groups—cutting out the middleman. You might get a better price, but you also have to **trust that the buyer isn’t a scammer**.
(Pro tip: Never send a gift card code before getting paid.)
#### **3. Local Pawn Shops & Check-Cashing Stores**
Some places will buy gift cards for cash on the spot. They won’t give you full value—expect 50-70% of the balance—but if you need cash instantly, it’s an option.
### The Business of Flipping Gift Cards
Some people don’t just sell gift cards—they **flip** them.
Here’s how it works:
1. Buy discounted gift cards from people who just want quick cash.
2. Resell them at a smaller discount.
3. Profit.
The best resellers know which brands sell the fastest and at the highest resale value. They also keep an eye on **store promotions**—sometimes retailers sell gift cards at a discount or offer bonus deals, creating instant profit opportunities.
### The Dark Side of Selling Gift Cards
Like anything involving money, the gift card trade has its share of scams. Some common ones:
– **Chargeback scams** – A buyer pays with PayPal or Venmo, then claims they never got the gift card and disputes the transaction.
– **Stolen gift cards** – Some cards for sale were originally purchased with stolen credit cards. If you end up with one, it could be deactivated at any time.
– **Fake balance claims** – A buyer insists your gift card has no funds and refuses to pay, even though you know it does.
If you’re selling, use platforms with protections in place. And if a buyer seems shady, walk away.
### Selling Smart: How to Get the Best Deal
Want to maximize how much cash you get for your gift card? Here’s how:
– **Sell high-demand brands** – Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Visa gift cards hold value better than niche retailers.
– **Avoid selling to middlemen when possible** – Direct sales to individuals can get you a higher payout.
– **Check for gift card promotions** – If a store is running a deal on gift cards, buyers may pay closer to face value.
– **Be cautious with payment methods** – Stick to trusted platforms or insist on safe transactions.
### Final Thoughts
Selling a gift card isn’t complicated, but it is part of a bigger ecosystem—a trade that exists because money gets locked into stores and people want a way to free it up. Whether you’re selling just one unwanted gift card or trying to make a profit flipping them, the trick is knowing where to sell, who to trust, and how to avoid getting ripped off.
Because at the end of the day, a gift card is only as valuable as the cash you can turn it into.
