The 5 Best Websites to Sell Gift Cards in Canada

Gee, thanks for the gift card. I mean, a gift card is a nice gift to receive but it may not always be the right one. There are many reasons why someone may wish to sell gift cards in Canada. It might not align with your goals, you might not be a fan of the store, or you may prefer cash. If you’re into credit card churning, you may have to buy gift cards in order to satisfy spending requirements. Whatever the reason, it is possible and easy to sell or exchange gift cards online. You only have to find a reliable platform and buyers willing to purchase your gift card.

1. GiftCash – Avoid dealing directly with buyers

You can head to this site and enter the required details to get an immediate offer. GiftCash offers reduced rates between 75 percent and 93 percent based on the retailer. You will find a bunch of Canadian and international stores on the site including Apple, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Ikea.

The minimum value for most cards is $25. In some cases it can go up to $100, such as Petco, Apple, and Air Canada. The maximum value is $2,000 for all brands.

GiftCash accepts both physical and digital cards. The payout for digital cards is quick and you will receive your payment in around 2 hours. You can get paid through an Interac eTransfer or in crypto currencies. For physical cards, however, the payout can be slow. Payouts are processed in 5-10 business days for Canadian retailers and 10-15 business days for US retailers. 

Sellers can also buy a swipe machine to reduce the time from 15 days to 4 days. A card machine isn’t mandatory and you can still sell cards without a swipe machine but the process will be slower. The machine can be bought off Amazon and works by sending card data to GiftCash servers that makes verification easier and quicker, thus speeding up the process. 

Otherwise, you may have to ship the card for verification. 

2. Watermelon Markets – Get paid in crypto

This option is great for people who already have a crypto exchange account. With this site, you will turn your gift card into USDC, a stablecoin. They accept a variety of cards, in Canadian and many other currencies. You should get paid within one day. USDC is fully backed by U.S. dollar assets. Its value is as close to the value of one U.S. dollar as it can get. To cash out, find a crypto exchange that can convert your USDC into the fiat currency of your choice.

Watermelon Markets will ask for the amount of the card, the price you want to sell it and to choose between deposit or verification. Choose Deposit if you don’t want to enter any gift card information beforehand. You will have to put down a 1% deposit using USDC-Polygon crypto. This will secure the process: the deposit will be returned back to you if you deliver a good gift card to a buyer in a timely manner. Choose Verify if you don’t want to put down a deposit. You’ll be asked to enter the full redemption information for your gift card. Sellers are also protected because all buyers pay USDC through the SafeEscrow system which requires buyers to pay upfront.

3. eBay – Get the highest value for your gift cards

With eBay, you will have full control over the price tag. It can be a great pick for people who want to sell at a high price. All that you need to sell on eBay is a card worth no more than $500 and an account on eBay.

The platform is free to join. Plus, there are no listing charges for up to 50 items per month. Posting takes only a few minutes and you’re free to choose the selling price, which can be under or above the face value. 

eBay requires sellers to take quality photos and write short and neat descriptions. In addition, you can ever choose to accept offers from buyers and sell your card to the highest bidder. It can take a week or two to receive payments.

The platform supports PayPal. However, remember that buyers will always have the option to request a refund if they’re not satisfied with the product or service. That is standard for the platform.

eBay is used by more than 9 million Canadians each month. However, competition on the platform is tough. You will have to write top titles and descriptions to attract customers. Remember: the average visitor spends less than 8 minutes on eBay.

4. Kijiji – Sell your gift card fast

The most popular classified advertising website in Canada, Kijiji can help you sell gift cards. The platform is simple: post an ad and wait. You will not have to wait long and if you do, you might want to refresh your ad. A major drawback of Kijiji is that it’s so big your ad will not appear among the first search results for very long.

Prices range between 80 percent and 120 percent of face value. It can, however, be hard to sell cards at a higher price unless it is a rare card or in demand. Still, anything is possible.

Unlike some other platforms discussed here, on Kijiji you will have to wait for buyers to contact you. This means having to provide contact details such as your phone number and responding to text messages. Almost all buyers will negotiate and some may make ridiculous offers.

There is some work to do to unload your card. Get ready to wait to find buyers, especially if you are selling at an inflated price. If you are in a hurry then you can choose to promote your ad for a fee.

Choose this option if you are a good negotiator since most clients will get in touch to reduce the price. If you have good skills, you might be able to make quick sales. However, remember that Kijiji doesn’t offer escrow protection or guarantee and only acts as a bridge between buyers and sellers.

5. Facebook Marketplace – Sell to your own network

Facebook, ever heard of it? The social media platform allows users to sell gift cards online through the Marketplace where you can post ads and contact potential buyers. If you share your location with Facebook, it can help you find local buyers.

It is not hard to use. Consider it an advertisement platform where your main job is to post attractive ads. Since the platform is used by millions, you will have no issue finding a buyer. Do not hesitate to post your ad one many different groups and not only on Marketplace. This will help more people see what you sell. There are groups specifically dedicated to gift card selling.

However, you must have a Facebook account to sell on Marketplace. That means that your public details will be visible for others to see. The process is simple: post an ad, negotiate with buyers, and sell.

The best thing about Facebook Marketplace? Your friends might come across your ad, making it easier to sell gift cards. Every like might lead you to a sale.

How much money can I make by selling gift cards?

It can be hard to answer this question. Selling gift cards is not always profitable. Not everyone sells gift cards to make money; some only want to convert it to cash and use the money to buy what they need. 

Some people sell cards at face value but most will sell unwanted cards at a discounted rate. The demand for gift cards is huge and the market is expected to hit the $4.2 trillion mark by 2032. In most cases, you will be able to recover about 90 percent of the card’s true value. This goes down to 60 percent for unpopular brands.

Selling giftcards: make sure to avoid fraudsters

The biggest scam occurs when you buy or sell stolen cards. Those cards weren’t bought, were not activated and will not work. This may happen if you’re selling a new card that you bought from a third-party. As a customer, always look for the best gift cards and make sure they are activated.

Also, there are risks when using sites or apps that do not offer any guarantee. One risk is asking to meet in person in private. That should be a hard no. Scammers run away with not just the card but also other valuable belongings. So you lost the card, your sense of security, and probably something else valuable.

The best way to avoid such scams is to use reliable platforms that guarantee payments. Alternatively, avoid meeting people you do not know or choose a public place and don’t carry valuable items when you meet someone you don’t know. For digital cards, you can accept payment but don’t provide any details till you’ve verified it; buyers can show fake proof of payment, so be careful.

Should you be re-gifting?

If you don’t feel like selling your gift cards for cash, remember you can always hold onto your old cards and save them to gift to a friend or family member. They make a pretty decent birthday gift and can prove useful during the holidays. You can also trade gift cards. If you’ve received a gift card from a store that you don’t like, ask your friends if they are willing to exchange it for a gift card from a place you do shop.

FAQs for selling gift cards