The Benefits of Using Visa Gift Cards
Prepaid Visa gift cards have become increasingly popular over the years and continue to be one of the most sought out forms of digital payment. The standard retail gift cards you are used to seeing near the check-out line at the grocery store have their charms and novelties, but they aren’t quite as versatile and convenient as prepaid Visa gift cards. Visa gift cards can be used as payment online, over the phone, and in all of your favorite retailers and restaurants where credit cards are accepted.
If you are interested in learning more about Visa gift cards, how they work, and what makes them so popular with consumers, then keep reading this article to find out all there is to know about these awesome gift cards. Some key points we will be discussing include:
- Why people decide to purchase prepaid Visa gift cards
- All of the benefits associated with Visa gift cards
- Where you can purchase a prepaid Visa gift card online
Why Do People Buy Visa Gift Cards?
Visa gift cards are undoubtedly popular and widely available, but what makes these gift cards so special? While there are plenty of retail gift cards for various stores and restaurants available for purchase and subsequent gift-giving, you have many folks who go out of their way to procure prepaid Visa gift cards. If you are unfamiliar with how prepaid Visa gift cards work, then it’s probably difficult to understand how such a boring-looking card could be so appealing to so many. It mainly comes down to the flexibility that Visa gift cards offer in regards to how and when the gift card will be redeemed by the user.
If you have any familiarity with typical retail gift cards you see in the check-out aisles of your favorite department stores or offered on the websites of brands you love, then you are well aware of the fact that these types of gift cards are not anywhere near as versatile as cash. Gift cards for specific retailers or brands are what’s known as “closed-loop,” meaning you can only use those gift cards at the issuing merchant or place of initial purchase, such as popular franchises and small businesses. This kind of gift card is a fantastic concept that can help drive up the sales of various local businesses in your area by encouraging customers to shop there, but when it comes down to it these gift cards are quite limited in their capabilities.
When you purchase a store-issued retail gift card for somebody else, you have to make sure you choose a gift card for a retailer they are actually interested in shopping at. Since these gift cards are locked to specific businesses, you aren’t giving your gift recipient any choice in where they can use the gift card funds at. This can put you in an awkward and potentially stressful position if you choose a gift card for a place that your recipient isn’t a fan of. After all, who wants to ruin a perfectly good gift exchange by giving something that isn’t well-received?
To avoid the potential unfortunate mishap by ensuring that it never has a chance of happening at all, you can bypass the retail gift card options entirely and go with a different type not limited by location or specific merchant. Prepaid bank gift cards, which are issued by verified companies like Visa and Mastercard, stand distinct from their retail counterparts since they function as “open-loop” gift cards. Unlike closed-loop cards, open-loop gift cards give users way more freedom in the types of purchases they can make, where they make them, and businesses they choose to support. When it comes down to it, these are qualities that a basic retail gift card just can’t beat.
Many folks choose to buy prepaid Visa gift cards instead of retail gift cards with restricted usage to eliminate any possible chance of getting someone a gift that they don’t actually want. Since Visa gift cards function similarly to your standard credit card, you can treat them almost the same and use it to make purchases at retailers that accept all major U.S. banks. This means your gift recipient can use their Visa gift card on a variety of goods and services including restaurants, fashion boutiques, bookstores, gas stations, supermarkets, and so much more. Of course, you don’t have to buy a Visa gift card for someone else – purchasing a prepaid Visa gift card for yourself has its perks as well.
There are a lot of benefits associated with prepaid Visa gift cards, for both the buyer and the recipient. From setting budget limits to extra financial security, Visa gift cards have a lot of positive qualities to fall in love with.
Prepaid Visa Gift Card Benefits
So, why use Visa gift cards? We already discussed many of the advantages that come alongside shopping with a prepaid Visa gift card, but let’s take a moment to appreciate the full scope of perks that are associated with Visa gift cards.
Some of the questions we will be addressing include:
- How do Visa gift cards work?
- Can Visa gift cards be used online?
- Can Visa gift cards be used anywhere?
It’s a Super Convenient Way to Pay
First of all, prepaid Visa gift cards are extremely convenient for everyone involved. Paying with a Visa gift card is no more difficult than paying with a credit or debit card, so in as little as a tap or a swipe you’ll be good to go. You can use Visa gift cards as payment pretty much anywhere!
Visa gift cards are also convenient for the one making the initial purchase. All they need to do is select a card in-person or online, load on their desired amount, and the card will be ready to be sent out. There is no required paperwork or additional fees outside of the initial activation fee to worry about later on, which is sometimes the case with certain credit cards.
You may also be wondering, “Are Visa gift cards reloadable?” Yes, they are! If it makes shopping easier for you, there’s nothing stopping you from adding funds onto your Visa gift card balance.
A Highly Secure Way to Pay Whenever You Shop
Visa gift cards offer an extremely secure way to pay for things both in-person and online. Whereas personal information pertaining to your credit and debit cards may be stolen when entered onto unsecured websites, Visa gift cards are not linked to your bank account, so there is no way to put your funds at risk. As a matter of fact, Visa gift cards do not require the recipient to have a bank account at all. This makes online shopping as secure and stress-free as ever, and is particularly great for folks who prefer not to enter sensitive information when making a purchase.
If you want to learn more, you can always ask the retailer you are purchasing your prepaid Visa gift card from about replacement fees and any fraud protection they may offer.
A Great Gift that Everyone can Appreciate
One of the best factors of prepaid Visa gift cards may very well be their versatility when it comes to shopping at different merchants. Since general retail gift cards are close-loop, they can only be used at issuing merchants or locations that fall under the same brand. However, since gift cards are predominantly purchased as gifts for others, you are essentially gambling on a present that may not be what your recipient wants. There’s no use purchasing a gift card for a retailer that your recipient has little interest shopping at, and there is a good chance those funds will remain unused for a long time, potentially even expiring after years of inactivity.
Flexible, prepaid Visa gift cards make for an excellent present no matter who you are shopping for. Since these cards are bank-issued cards, the funds on the card can be used similarly to a credit card. This means you can use Visa gift cards as a form of convenient payment anywhere where major credit cards are accepted, regardless of brand name or retailer. Gift recipients love to receive gift cards that don’t force them to do business at locations they do not normally frequent. Furthermore, Visa gift cards help relieve much of the anxiety associated with buying gifts for other people since you know without a doubt that they will be happy with what they receive.
You Don’t Have to Rush to Use Your Visa Gift Card
Do Visa gift cards have an expiration date? This question is likely on the mind of anyone who is thinking about buying a Visa gift card. While the answer is yes, know that the Visa gift card expiration date will be at least five years since the date of initial purchase. Any remaining money left on the card after it expires can be paid out in the form of a check, though processing fees may apply.
Keep in mind that Visa gift cards should not expire within a year of being activated, but there may be certain inactivity fees that accrue after an excessive period of dormancy. Be sure to go over the terms and conditions applicable to the retailer you purchase your Visa gift card from.
Use a Prepaid Visa Gift Card for Yourself
Good news: there’s nothing stopping you from purchasing a prepaid Visa gift card for yourself! Now, why would you do this? It may seem a little silly to go out of your way to buy a gift card when you could simply use your own money instead, but purchasing a gift card for personal use has become quite popular among consumers due to an array of benefits.
From setting spending limits to keeping your personal information secure, getting a Visa gift card for yourself can be pretty useful. You don’t even need to have a bank account linked to your card, which is extremely helpful for folks who may not have open bank accounts for a variety of reasons. Plus, a little extra security can go a long way; if you happen to lose your prepaid Visa gift card, you won’t have to worry about notifying any banks about the loss.
Purchase a Prepaid Visa Gift Card with Gift Card Granny
Though Gift Card Granny offers a cash back incentive on an abundance of retail gift cards for popular chains and brands, you can shop for prepaid Visa gift cards on our website to send to anyone you know. Whether you want to personalize your Visa card or choose from a list of preselected designs offered by Gift Card Granny, the choice is completely up to you.
Custom Visa gift cards are great for when you are buying for someone who is important to you, such as a parent, grandparent, best friend, sibling, and step-parent. These gift cards give you the option to upload your own pictures of moments special to you, as well as write out a custom message of up to twenty characters.
Make sure to specify your recipient’s name on the card, along with other relevant information. Visa gift cards can be shipped out in plastic form or may be delivered via digital delivery, so pick an option that works best for you and your recipient.
When ordering a prepaid Visa gift card from Gift Card Granny, keep in mind that the amount you load onto the gift card falls within the $10 to $500 range. There is also an activation fee that corresponds with the total value of the card, so the more you load onto the card, the higher the activation fee will be. Some retailers set their own activation fees that will differ from the official amount set by Visa, but know that Gift Card Granny keeps our fees at the minimal amount so you don’t have to worry about overspending.