Amazon Pay Gift Cards and Other Gift Cards: Types, Features, Benefits, and Usage – Bison Knowledgebase
Amazon Pay Gift Cards and Other Gift Cards: Types, Features, Benefits, and Usage
📅 05 Jan 2026📂 General👁 14 views
Gift cards are prepaid digital or physical vouchers that store a fixed monetary value and can be redeemed for goods or services from a specific platform, brand, or ecosystem. In India, Amazon Pay Gift Cards and other brand or wallet-based gift cards are widely used for personal spending, gifting, employee rewards, promotions, and incentives. This knowledge base article provides a comprehensive, technical overview of major gift card types, their features, benefits, usage, and operational considerations.
What Are Amazon Pay Gift Cards?
Amazon Pay Gift Cards are prepaid value cards issued by Amazon and redeemable into the Amazon Pay balance.
Key Characteristics
Available as eGift cards (email/SMS) and physical cards
Fixed or variable denominations
Can be redeemed on Amazon and Amazon Pay partner merchants
Non-reloadable after issuance
Technical Explanation: How Gift Cards Work
Issuance: A unique alphanumeric code is generated and linked to a stored value.
Activation: Code becomes active immediately (digital) or after purchase (physical).
Redemption: User applies the code to their account/wallet.
Ledger Entry: Value is credited to a wallet balance or brand account.
Consumption: Balance is debited during transactions until exhausted or expired.
Types of Gift Cards (India-Focused)
1. Amazon Pay Gift Cards
Usage
Amazon shopping (products, digital content)
Amazon Pay utilities: mobile recharge, DTH, electricity, gas, broadband
Third-party merchants accepting Amazon Pay
Features
Long validity (often up to 1 year; check card terms)
Partial redemption supported
Can be combined with other payment methods
2. Platform / App Store Gift Cards
Google Play Gift Cards
Issued by Google Play Usage: Apps, games, movies, books, subscriptions Benefit: No card required for in-app purchases
Apple App Store & iTunes Gift Cards
Issued by Apple App Store Usage: Apps, music, iCloud storage, Apple services Benefit: Centralized Apple ID balance
3. E-Commerce Store Gift Cards
Flipkart Gift Cards
Issued by Flipkart Usage: Product purchases on Flipkart Limitation: Not usable for cash withdrawal
Myntra Gift Cards
Issued by Myntra Usage: Fashion, footwear, lifestyle items
4. Entertainment & Gaming Gift Cards
Netflix Gift Cards
Issued by Netflix Usage: Subscription payments Benefit: No recurring card mandate required
Steam Gift Cards
Issued by Steam Usage: Games, DLCs, in-game items
5. Travel, Food & Mobility Gift Cards
Uber Gift Cards
Issued by Uber Usage: Rides, Uber Eats (region-dependent)
Swiggy Gift Cards
Issued by Swiggy Usage: Food ordering, Instamart
Zomato Gift Cards
Issued by Zomato Usage: Food delivery and dining
6. Wallet-Based Gift Cards
Paytm Gift Cards
Issued by Paytm Usage: Recharges, bills, QR merchant payments
PhonePe Gift Cards
Issued by PhonePe Usage: UPI-linked merchant spends
1. Log in to your Amazon account
2. Navigate to Amazon Pay → Gift Cards
3. Select "Add Gift Card"
4. Enter the 14–16 digit code
5. Confirm to credit balance
Common Issues & Fixes
Issue
Cause
Fix
Code already redeemed
Used earlier
Check transaction history
Invalid code
Typo or fake card
Re-enter carefully; buy from authorized seller
Expired card
Validity exceeded
Cannot be reactivated
Restricted usage
Category limits
Review gift card T&Cs
Security Considerations
Treat gift card codes as cash equivalents
Do not share codes over email or WhatsApp after redemption
Avoid purchasing from unauthorized sellers
Redeem immediately upon receipt
For corporates, track issuance and redemption logs
Best Practices
Choose brand-specific cards for targeted usage
For flexibility, prefer wallet-based gift cards
Maintain expiry tracking (especially for bulk issuance)
Educate users on phishing and fake gift card scams
Reconcile gift card balances in accounting records
Conclusion
Amazon Pay Gift Cards and other branded gift cards provide a secure, controlled, and flexible payment alternative for individuals and businesses. Selecting the right type depends on usage scope, acceptance network, and validity needs. When managed correctly, gift cards simplify payments, enable budgeting, and reduce dependency on traditional banking instruments.
