thread Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square? in Payments Troubleshooting

Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

Sparkld_NL — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 19:25:17 GMT

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

Re: GIFT CARDS

VanKalkerFarms — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 04:05:02 GMT

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.

Re: GIFT CARDS

crystalimages — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:10:49 GMT

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.

Gift card from different supplier

Stump — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 22:07:30 GMT

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?

Re: Gift card from different supplier

Helen — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 22:06:18 GMT

@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'.

Re: GIFT CARDS

MyAddictions — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:08:34 GMT

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?

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

Beth — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 20:33:17 GMT

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!

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

Arie — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 02:25:13 GMT

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!

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

ChalkShop — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 19:18:06 GMT

eCardsystems is saying free shipping over $50, yet it’s charging me $22 for shipping. Don’t you think $22 is a bit excessive for shipping? We’re forced to use 1 company only and then have to spend $22 on shipping? I want to order 125 gift cards bringing my total to $17o.~ so now I’m losing an additional $1.41 on each gift card, plus square transaction fees. Come on.

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

Valentina — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 17:56:16 GMT

Have you tried contacting eCard Systems yet, @ChalkShop?

They should be able to give you a hand with the order issues you're experiencing.

You can contact them by email or phone using the info on this page!

P.S. Welcome to the Seller Community ✨

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

koanga — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 20:32:04 GMT

Such a bad business model forcing customers to order gift cards from ONE vendor. The most annoying part is that ecardsystem takes like a month from the time you place and order to receive them. Square should definitely look adding more vendors for gift cards. Just switch to square couple of months ago from a different pos vendor and I already start to look for a different POS vendor.

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

crystalimages — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 18:55:49 GMT

Have you considered using the eGift Card option?

There's nothing to order, no upfront cost to your business in ordering physical cards.

More eco-friendly. Don't have to worry about lost cards, etc.

You can even print them yourself if you wish, but it doesn't have a magstripe, just enter the card manually.

If you use a lot of these, I guess I could see the manual entry being an issue, but it's pretty simple.

You can also scan them with the device camera. The customer can open the eGift Card on their phone and scan from that.

Other features with these, you can now refund to an eGift Card, so you don't lose your money, but the customer can make another purchase. In-Store Credit.

Customers can add more funds to the card right from the card on their phone.

If you have customers who shop with you regularly, they can add funds at their convenience for future purchases, rather than keeping a card on file or paying for services in advance and you having to keep track of it.

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

NaturalWineGuy — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 23:33:18 GMT

Square doesn't want to make anything easy for the retailer. They want to steal as much money as they can from you. It's an absolute rip-off to charge so much for gift cards. Either way, you're 🔩'd! If you tell a customer to use the website to order a gift card they charge a higher percentage fee. So to make up for this in person they charge a ridiculous fee for ordering gift cards.

I wish I'd never started with Square and I'm extremely vocal telling other retailers to avoid it like Covid!

Square wants all of your money and will fee you out the 🍑 for such a 💩ty service that can't even add a third decimal!

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

Complainer — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 05:45:17 GMT

Try ordering from Canada, 325$ for the cards, 75$ for the shipping! criminal

Re: GIFT CARDS

crystalimages — Wed, 11 May 2022 19:31:48 GMT

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.

Re: Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

crystalimages — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 20:32:41 GMT

You can sell eGift cards from the POS. You just have to turn it on in settings.

In the Dashboard, go to Gift Cards under the menu, eGift Cards, configure, make sure in store is turned on.

Re: GIFT CARDS

bre620 — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 19:57:10 GMT

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

Re: GIFT CARDS

crystalimages — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 20:15:47 GMT

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:

From the Gift Card, click Reload card.
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.
Choose an amount to add to your gift card and add a promo code if applicable, then click Continue.
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?

Re: GIFT CARDS

bre620 — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 21:59:17 GMT

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.

Re: GIFT CARDS

crystalimages — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 00:11:51 GMT

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.