Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

[Sparkld_NL]

Hello, i am looking to purchase gift cards from a third party, am i able to use them with my current Square system? ty 

[VanKalkerFarms]

You can use these cards from e-card systems.

https://squareup.com/gift-cards

  These are the only ones that integrate with Square for automatic tracking of balances. 

[crystalimages · Accepted solution]

You can use any kind of gift card you like - order from a 3rd party or print your own.

On the payment option screen, select Other Gift Card or Certificate. Be sure the Other Gift Card payment option is turned on within Settings > Checkout > Payment types.

This is a system you will have to track on your own: taking payment for the gift certificate, keeping track of balances, whether it's been used/voided, etc. This only records a payment in your transaction list/reports so you don't forget.

Hence the suggestion to just use the gift cards offered by Square that are integrated in the POS system. It will keep track of your balances, purchase and load right from the app. You can also use the new eGift Cards which are free (minus the normal transaction fee - only paid when card is purchased). No cards to order, stock, store, lose...customers get the card via email and you can even pull it up with the phone number they supply.

I know this post I replied to is old, but I am researching my options for gift cards right now and thought I'd share some info if it helps anyone else.

[MyAddictions]

So if a customer returns an Item I can give them a refund through and ecard I do not have to use a actual gift card and they can pull this up on their phone?

And I can sell them this way to if they want to purchase it for their friend?

[crystalimages]

Yes.

It's all the same, but instead of a piece of plastic, they get an email. Just like your digital airline ticket. You can even scan it. They can purchase an egift card for friends/family and even set the date of delivery. Say, they want to buy a birthday gift as a gift card, it won't deliver until the person's birthday if you set it to the correct date.

You can also make this available to sell on your square online store, so customers can purchase from home.

There are different card face design options they can choose from, and you can create your own.

[bre620]

This is not true

"Only plastic gift cards ordered through eCard Systems can be loaded, sold, or accepted from the Square Point of Sale app or Square Online."

https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5432-use-your-square-gift-cards

[crystalimages]

I don't mean to argue, but this is straight from a square help article.

However, you do have to turn on "Sell eGift Cards in Store" under the settings > Gift Cards on the POS.

 

Redeem an eGift Card

When you’re ready to use your eGift Card with the Square seller, simply provide the cashier the 16-digit eGift Card number to process the payment. This can be found in the original email you received containing your eGift Card.

Note: If no longer have access to the email inbox or did not receive the email, check your junk mail or ask the Square seller to resend the email to you via their Gift Card Dashboard online.

If you’ve added your phone number via your eGift Cards details page, you can also give the cashier your email address or phone number at checkout to search your eGift Card.

 

Reload a eGift Card or Check an eGift Card Balance

You can reload your eGift Card or check your gift card balance online by clicking on the Manage your Square gift cards link in your original email to set up your Square profile.

From there, click on the Gift Card > View gift card details to view the balance, the date and time the funds were loaded, and your transaction history if you have redeemed.

To reload your gift card:

1. From the Gift Card, click Reload card.  

2. Provide your gift card number and PIN, if applicable. If your gift card does not have a PIN, check I don’t have a PIN.  

3. Choose an amount to add to your gift card and add a promo code if applicable, then click Continue.

4. Provide your payment details, confirm your order details, and click Pay with Card. 

Note: Square eGift Cards do not expire.

Learn more about Square Gift Cards.

What’s in this article?

• Send an eGift Card
• Redeem an eGift Card
• Reload a eGift Card or Check an eGift Card Balance

 

[bre620]

Yes I saw that as well and ordered 500 gift cards from a 3rd party source and Square support informed me that 3rd party gift cards are not available to load only to redeem. And only cards with magnetic strips can be redeemed, not the ones with barcode scanner. If you have other information please help me lol. I have 500 gift cards with barcodes that I cannot use.

[crystalimages]

I'm assuming you can't return them? If you can, that's what I would do and just use the eGift cards.

Now that I understand the context, you're right... Square can't directly load the card or take payment from that card....

You have to manage the card balance on your own somehow.

Does the company you purchased them from have a way to load or track a balance? 

I double checked square to be sure you couldn't create a gift card using your own number (which you could take from the plastic card), but it has to be registered with square, so you can't create your own number.

Below is my previous reply from above. You can record a 3rd party gift card sale in square, but it doesn't manage the balance, etc.
It's just a way to keep all your records in one place. 

You can use any kind of gift card you like - order from a 3rd party or print your own.

On the payment option screen, select Other Gift Card or Certificate. Be sure the Other Gift Card payment option is turned on within Settings > Checkout > Payment types.

This is a system you will have to track on your own: taking payment for the gift certificate, keeping track of balances, whether it's been used/voided, etc. This only records a payment in your transaction list/reports so you don't forget.

Hence the suggestion to just use the gift cards offered by Square that are integrated in the POS system. It will keep track of your balances, purchase and load right from the app. You can also use the new eGift Cards which are free (minus the normal transaction fee - only paid when card is purchased). No cards to order, stock, store, lose...customers get the card via email and you can even pull it up with the phone number they supply.

[bre620]

Thank you for looking into this. I may be able to return them.

But as an eco friendly gift shop I really would like a biodegradable physical gift card and square does not have that option. 

I will have to go back to my previous POS system to use them 

[MisterSoftee1]

I am lost, I have used square for 4 years, and now I need to add gift cards, I prefer the plastic gift cards, but to order through square with shipping is very expensive. to pay almost $2.00 per gift card seems ridiculous. I don't know what to do. I may just buy the old fashion gift certificate tablet at staples. 

[VanKalkerFarms]

they do get cheaper as you buy more.  And they are reusable.  Yes, it is expensive, but gift certificates are a pain to keep track of and the gift cards look much more professional.  I'm still cycling thru the first 1,000 I bought when gift cards first launched.  Some have been used over a dozen times.  So that is a really nice plus, just have to train your employees not to throw them away but to clean them and reload them for a later customer.

[MayaP]

Good Morning @MisterSoftee1 ,

I see this is your first post, welcome to The Seller Community! There currently is no workaround for gift cards. I do understand the cost of being a factory in your decision to move forward but as @VanKalkerFarms mentioned you can reuse and reload the gift cards so you won't have to always keep purchasing more. If you did use the "other gift or certificate" option that we have available it will not actually keep track of the gift card and balances and that would be your responsibility. I hope we helped answer you questions, if you need anything else please let us know!

[Stump]

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: Gift card from different supplier

Can I use and sell gift cards purchased from a different supplier other than the one Square uses?

[Helen]

@Stump I've added your post to this thread where other sellers have answered this question! You can load and process Square Gift Cards with eCard Systems.

If you buy 3rd party gift cards you'd have to manage loading/activating the cards outside of Square, and you'd have to record the sale as 'Other Gift Card or Certificate'.

[Beth]

I've tried 4Xs now to buy gift cards through eCard Systems and actually called them as well. There is a glitch with their website and they said to keep trying, which takes at least 5 minutes each time. Can you guys find a new provider. This is ridiculous!

[Arie]

I'm sorry you had this frustrating experience @Beth! I'll pass your feedback on to our Giftcard team. 

Which browser, and device are you using when going through the checkout? There might be some other troubleshooting steps you can try, such as using a supported web browser e.g Google Chrome, and clearing the cache on your browser.

Please let us know how you go!

[KylaK]

I am still having this issue still over a year later.

[JJ_]

Thank you for taking the time to share your interest in this feature @KylaK. At this time, third-party Gift Cards cannot be used at Square. I recommend you submit a Feature Request here. This will help our product team get visibility and track other Sellers with similar interest in your request. 

Important: When submitting a request, make sure to include the desired feature, and provide the details of how this feature will help your business succeed (how would you use it and what you expect from it).

[smallcakesssi]

Yes, it's very frustrating. Try doing it without the graphic, and then emailing it later. That's what I'm having to do. I'm thinking there might be a file size limit, but the website just isn't telling you when you've exceeded it, and instead it just doesn't add it to the cart and therefore you have to start over.

[JJ_]

I recommend flagging your concerns in our Ideate board so the Square Gift Cards product team is aware of the sentiment @smallcakesssi