Discounted Gift Cards

[Jessann]

Not sure if you guys knew this, but I just found out that Pawn Shops, at least in my area, buy gift cards for half the amount that they are worth, and then sell them for less than they are worth. I just got myself a total of $300 worth of gift cards, for around $200, just thought I would share.

[Jebediah]

Yes there is a website somewhere that does it too, a few actually but not all are reputable. One example that is reputable but doesn't have the best deals is https://www.plasticjungle.com/

[Azuredragoon]

Do they verify the amount right before you buy the gift card?

[wittking9]

I've bought them offline, but I never realized that pawn shops bought them too. I will have to check that one out.

[blmpclrk]

I've used this site too for making some extra cash. http://www.cardpool.com/ I think their rates are comparable to PJ (mentioned in earlier post). Not really too bad in my opinion.

You can look on places like craigslist for people selling gift cards and them then resell them to a reputable site. Sometimes you'll find honest people that just need the extra quick cash.

Of course, buying them on CL and elsewhere can be risky if you're not diligent enough. Yes, there are crooks out there *gasp* that cheat people for a living trying to do this.

I've never thought about checking pawn shops. Seems it would be safer than a lot of other options since you should be able to verify the balance then and there and you shouldn't have to worry about the pawn shop just disappearing after your purchase. Of course, be cautious nonetheless.

[gabby354]

Never thought about pawnshops. I've used plastic jungle many times, and ebay too, but I usually don't get them as discounted. I use them for pet food, groceries, gas, and if I have a home improvement project or any other big purchase, I always make sure to check there first.

[blmpclrk]

I see now that you guys are talking about buying them to use. I was just thinking of them in the terms of flipping to make more money.

[Amentius]

I can't believe this. I swear I'm not street smart at all. It never occurred to me in my wildest dreams that I could check a pawnshop or anywhere for that matter, for discounted gift cards. But it makes so much sense.

Thanks, I am learning something new every hour it seems which well surpasses my goal to learn something new everyday!:o

[Jewels]

So what's a good way to get the original card to "flip"?

[Jebediah]

So what's a good way to get the original card to "flip"?

So essentially ya wanna scalp gift cards? :P Put out an ad: need money? I buy gift card's .50C on the dollar. Got some shopping to do? Birthdays holidays anything ya need I got gift cards 20% off the total on the card.

Or something along those lines.

[blmpclrk]

So what's a good way to get the original card to "flip"?

As I mentioned, I usually get most of mine from cl. Just have to be extra cautious so as to not get ripped off. If you look at plasticjungle or cardpool, you can see how much they will pay for your gift cards. If you find any at pawn shops, just go to the websites to see if you can make a profit, if so, buy then sell. I'm surprised that a pawn shop would not do this themselves, so perhaps the ones they have are not eligible (have expiration dates, not a store/restaurant they buy, etc.). All the info is on their sites.

I don't find a lot that I take chances on (cl) but if you check a lot, you come across some winners. Profit is profit.
You can sometimes find some really good deals when people need quick cash for gas money, food, whatever.

Edit: LOL at your avatar.

[Jewels]

My avatar?



As I mentioned, I usually get most of mine from cl. Just have to be extra cautious so as to not get ripped off. If you look at plasticjungle or cardpool, you can see how much they will pay for your gift cards. If you find any at pawn shops, just go to the websites to see if you can make a profit, if so, buy then sell. I'm surprised that a pawn shop would not do this themselves, so perhaps the ones they have are not eligible (have expiration dates, not a store/restaurant they buy, etc.). All the info is on their sites.

I don't find a lot that I take chances on (cl) but if you check a lot, you come across some winners. Profit is profit.
You can sometimes find some really good deals when people need quick cash for gas money, food, whatever.

Edit: LOL at your avatar.

[blmpclrk]

Sorry Jewels, I had just glance up and saw Jebediah's avatar as it turns out and mistook it for yours. He had replied to your question. My bad.

[taintturk]

It sometimes depends on the card. Amazon cards are always worth the most online. You will almost never find an Amazon gift card at a discount online.
So make sure you know what you have before trying to trade it. Don't sell an amazon gift card at a pawnshop for 50% of what it is worth, people on ebay will actually pay more than face value for amazon cards.

[Jessann]

I call the number on the back of the cards before I buy them, to verify the amount on the card.

[blmpclrk]

So essentially ya wanna scalp gift cards?

Scalping usually has a negative connotation so I hesitate to use that term when it comes to something like this. I guess if you consider buying a car at a lower price just to resell it at a higher price, car scalping, then you are correct. :)


I call the number on the back of the cards before I buy them, to verify the amount on the card.

Of course you need to do that, but even if you do, if you buy them from someone that you don't know, there's no guarantee that they don't go online and spend the balance before you can use it yourself if that's an option (online purchasing), once you've paid them for it. Beware.

[armartin]

Thanks for the tip! I live by a few "hipster" pawn stores, I might check those out this weekend and see what they are all about