So there's been some deals recently where I ultimately received Mastercard pre-paid debit cards ($24 from Bundaberg Ginger Beer, $10 from BWS).
I'm a bit unsure how to actually spend them. Can I use these cards at most retail shops then pay the remaining value with my actual bank card? Looks like most online stores will only accept gift cards + 1 credit/debit payment. Does anyone know of exceptions to this?
Appreciate any advice.
I just ran into issues with online stores and multiple card payments, so wanted to check if it was the same in store.
The reason that you’ll run into issues trying to redeem prepaid Mastercard or Visa gift cards at a lot of online stores is that these cards do not support security features that a lot of payment processors require before they can complete any transactions where you’re not physically present at the merchant.
The main security feature is 3D Secure. This allows a payment processor to request the issuer of your card to send a one-time code to your email or mobile number (or request a code from a token) to verify you are the cardholder.
3D Secure is mandatory in the EU for card-not-present transactions (i.e. transactions where you are not physically present when you want to redeem a card at a merchant). It is not mandatory here for card-not-present transactions, but you’ll find a lot of payment processors will require it anyway as a way to reduce their exposure to fraudulent transactions.
Prepaid gift cards do not (and cannot) support 3D Secure, because they are not tied to a specific cardholder, which makes it impossible for the payment processor to carry out any verification activities. That’s why a lot of payment processors will not accept your prepaid gift cards.
3D Secure does not need to be used for in-store purchases, because 3D Secure is only required for card-not-present transactions. You can use these prepaid gift cards in-store at a merchant, because you’re physically present at the merchant.
Others have already mentioned about how you can split payments in-store, but keep in mind that some merchants have limitations on split payments:
ALDI only permits split payments if one payment method is an EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard card, and the other is cash. You can only redeem one EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard, then you’ll be asked to pay the remainder in cash.
Coles does not permit split payments if you’re purchasing any gift cards (e.g. Coles Group & Myer gift card, Ultimate gift card, TCN gift card) at self-service checkouts, unless you first partially pay for the amount owed in cash, and then use one debit/credit/prepaid card to pay for the remainder owed. You can do split payments for purchases of gift cards at serviced checkouts though (i.e. the checkouts where a Coles staff member bags your items for you).
Kmart does not permit split payments if you’re purchasing any gift cards (e.g. Coles Group & Myer gift card, Perfect EFTPOS gift card) at any checkout. I tried this once at a self-service checkout and a serviced checkout (i.e. a checkout operated by a Kmart staff member), but I only got error messages.
I have also gone into more detail on this topic here (and you’ll find this topic has already been discussed a number of times here in the past!).
Fantastic, thanks for the detailed reply!
If I went to ALDI and asked to pay $24 on an EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard card and the rest on another EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard card, the checkout person would say no.
I have asked a number of ALDI staff about split payments, and all of them have told me that split payments are only possible if you use one EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard to pay for part of the transaction, and you pay for the remainder using cash. You cannot use a second EFTPOS/Visa/Mastercard to pay for the remainder, and this is a limitation baked into the point-of-sale system.
Additionally, if you went to a Coles self-service checkout to purchase any gift cards, as soon as I press Mixed Payment on the payment screen, you’ll get an error message. You can only pay for that gift card if you partially pay for the amount owed using cash, then used the prepaid gift card to pay the remaining amount owed. You need to go to a serviced checkout at Coles if you want to use more than one card to pay for a gift card.
I don’t think it’s a silly question for the OP to ask.
Wookie do you know whether I can get physical $12 denomination Woolworths/Coles gift cards. I realised I have 2 left over from when the MYY app was giving away the James Squire and Byron Bay $12.
Yes, it should be fine. If I remember correctly, the minimum you can load onto a Woolworths/WISH/Coles gift card at a store is $5.
@WookieMonster: Tysm!!
The POS at woolies/coles should work with GPay, right? I tried it at Nandos a couple months ago and the machine could recognise my phone
@HairyChickens: Google Pay should work at Coles and Woolworths.
I’ve personally had problems using a Samsung phone with Google Pay at Coles and Woolworths in the past, but that’s probably because of my phone or something. I cannot use Google Pay at any retailer I’ve tried (Coles, Woolworths, Ampol, BIG W…)… I’ve used Google Pay with a non-Samsung phone at Coles and Woolworths in the past and it worked fine.
@WookieMonster: Righttttttt I used my spare Galaxy S7 at Nandos. I'll probs do $10 Prezzee and spend the rest with $1 frozen drinks or something haha
Unless there's a similar Prezzee site that can do $12?
@HairyChickens: Prezzee sells a $12 Spotify gift card (which is equal to one month of Spotify Premium).
I’m struggling to think of other online merchants that accept Google Pay and would be useful for you. I can think of some examples, but I doubt they’re useful:
Card.Gift - they are operated by TCN, but they have a tendency to cancel orders paid for with prepaid gift cards, so I doubt this route would work. It’s always worth a shot, I guess…
eBay - they stopped selling gift cards over a year ago, so I doubt that’s a viable option.
I’m assuming you are unable to see the card number, expiry date and CVC2 of the prepaid gift cards? If I remember correctly, MYY app stopped allowing people to see the card’s details… However, if you can see the full card details, let me know and I’ll give you some more suggestions.
I’m also assuming it’s not possible to add those prepaid gift cards to Samsung Pay? Samsung Pay works everywhere for me in-store, except Ampol.
Keep in mind that other retailers sell Woolworths/Coles gift cards, and you may be able to get your S7 to work at one of them (although no guarantees it will work):
WISH: BIG W (but it didn’t work for me), EG / Caltex Woolworths1
Coles Group & Myer: Kmart, Target, Vintage Cellars, First Choice Liquor, Liquorland, Myer, Officeworks, Coles Express
I have visited 10+ BWS locations within the last year or so, and they no longer sell WISH gift cards in their stores, most likely due to Woolworths Group spinning off BWS and Dan Murphy’s into its own company. I presume Dan Murphy’s no longer sell WISH gift cards too, although I don’t recall… ↩
Supermarkets at the very least allow split payment, choose mixed payment, it will ask to what value and what method. Can then pay the remainder with a different card or payment type.
otherwise, put them on your water or electricity bill, you can usually just top up your account by specifying a certain amount through your provider's payment gateway
is this a joke? you go to any store (generally bigger is easier), and when its time to pay you say there is $24 on this card, can i pay the rest on this card.
If you're doing self checkout, choose mixed payment, enter card, 24, then continue as normal.
I generally recommend using the entire card at once, then you dont have to follow the balance. "oh theres 17.18c on this card"