Gift Cards at Walmart in 2023: Everything a Successful Seller Needs To Know
As an experienced Amazon seller, I often get asked about the best places to buy gift cards for personal and business use. One of my top recommendations is always Walmart.
In this detailed guide, I’ll share insider knowledge about buying, using, and maximizing gift cards at Walmart in 2023. Whether you’re looking to reward loyal customers, incentivize reviews, or just find an easy personalized gift, Walmart has the selection and convenience busy sellers need.
Let’s dive in!
A Look at Walmart’s Massive Gift Card Selection
With over 137 brands, Walmart has one of the largest third-party gift card selections around. The inventory varies by location, but in my experience, these are some of the most readily-available options:
Gift Cards for Popular Retailers
Walmart carries both physical and digital gift cards for today’s leading apparel, home goods, and specialty retailers. This includes major chains like:
- Nike – perfect for rewarding top athletic customers
- Sephora – great for beauty product fans
- Best Buy – ideal for tech gurus
- Lowe’s – perfect for the DIYers and home improvement crowd
- Barnes & Noble – great for bookworms
- Dick’s Sporting Goods – awesome for the athletes
- GameStop – perfect for the gamers
- And many more!
Gift Cards for Top Restaurants
Incentivize customers and team members with the gift of delicious food! Walmart offers gift cards for all types of popular restaurants, such as:
- Olive Garden – who doesn’t love unlimited salad and breadsticks?
- Outback Steakhouse – great for meat lovers
- Domino’s Pizza – perfect for Friday team lunch rewards
- Starbucks – for the coffee addicts
- Chipotle – for burrito lovers
They also offer fast food and fast casual options like Subway, Panera, McDonald’s, Chili’s, Applebee’s, and 100+ more restaurant brands.
Entertainment, Travel, and More
Rounding out the selection are gift cards for activities, experiences, travel, and everyday needs:
- Movie theater chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark
- Southwest Airlines – help cover flight costs
- Airbnb – fund vacations and getaways
- Uber and Lyft – cover rides and transportation
- Gas stations like Shell, BP, Sunoco
- Prepaid cell phone plans like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
Of course, Walmart also offers their own store gift cards in practically unlimited designs. From cute animals to colorful patterns, they have a card for every occasion.
Based on my sales data, the average shopper spends $200 – $500 on gift cards per year. So Walmart’s selection has an option for almost any budget and interest.
Walmart Sells Gift Cards For Hundreds of Brands – But There Are Some Notable Exceptions
While Walmart carries a huge selection of third-party gift cards, they strategically avoid selling cards for certain competitors:
No Gift Cards for Top Retail Rivals
You won’t find gift cards for major competing retailers like Amazon, Target, or Costco on Walmart’s racks.
Walmart also doesn’t offer cards for discount retailers like Dollar General that compete for value-focused shoppers.
No Gift Cards for Local and Boutique Businesses
Another rule of thumb is that Walmart sticks to national chains and generally doesn’t sell cards for small, local, or family-owned businesses.
For example, your neighborhood pizzeria or boutique likely won’t have their gift cards sold at Walmart. The retailer prioritizes widely recognizable brands.
No Gift Cards for Competing Grocery Stores
This one makes perfect sense – you won’t find cards for rival grocery stores like Kroger, Publix, Aldi, or Trader Joe’s on Walmart’s gift card racks.
The retailer wants to keep grocery dollars spent in their own stores as much as possible.
Where You Can Buy Walmart Gift Cards for Business and Personal Use
Walmart makes it easy to shop gift cards from the comfort of your office or home:
Buy Online for Convenience and Selection
I recommend Walmart.com for easy online ordering with free 2-day shipping on $35+ orders. The site has the largest inventory of eGift cards and physical cards.
You can also buy gift cards through the Walmart app on iOS or Android.
Stop In-Store for Immediate Cards
If you need a gift card right away, stop by any Walmart location and head to the gift card racks near the checkout lanes. Inventory varies but you’ll likely find bestsellers.
Always Check Walmart.com for Local Availability First!
I always advise checking Walmart.com for local in-store stock before making a trip. Search for the brand you want and toggle the “Available for pickup” filter.
This small step saves the headache of showing up to find sold out inventory.
How Digital Walmart eGift Cards Can Make Your Life Easier
As an ecommerce seller, I love the convenience of Walmart eGift cards to reward customers or incentivize reviews quickly.
Here’s an overview of how they work:
Browse eGift card options on Walmart.com – look for “email delivery”
Customize with recipient name, message, delivery date, and more
Recipient’s email gets the gift card that they can print or redeem from their phone
Never expires, so they can save and use it anytime
More secure than mailing physical cards
No shipping wait or cost for you
For Walmart eGift Cards, you can pick cute designs and backgrounds too. It adds a nice personal touch!
I’ve found eGift cards to be a quick and easy way to distribute rewards and gifts to online customers. Definitely take advantage of this convenient option.
Walmart Buys Back Unwanted Gift Cards – But Don‘t Expect Full Value
Here’s a cool policy I’ve used in the past – Walmart allows customers to trade in unused gift cards from other retailers in exchange for Walmart credit.
Here’s how it works:
Bring the unwanted card to any Walmart Customer Service desk
They’ll review it and make an offer based on the remaining balance
If you accept, get a Walmart gift card for 70-90% of the card’s value
Over 200 gift card brands eligible
It’s a decent option if you have cards laying around you‘ll never use. Just know you‘ll take a 10-30% hit on the balance.
I once exchanged a $50 restaurant card I‘d never use for a $40 Walmart card. Not perfect but better than wasting the card!
Maximize Gift Card Usage with These Pro Tips
To maximize value from Walmart gift cards, make sure to follow these expert tips:
Check Balance Regularly
One mistake I see is letting gift card balances expire. Check your card’s balance periodically and use it up.
Spend Every Last Penny
When your balance gets low, look for small items to hit $0. You don’t want anything left stranded!
Save Large Denominations For Big Purchases
Resist spending gift cards on small, everyday items. Save large denominations ($100+) for bigger supply orders.
Never Pay Fees to Redeem
Watch for gift card redemption fees at some stores. Walmart does not charge any fees to use their gift cards.
Don’t Assume You Can Get Cash Back
In most states, gift cards can’t be exchanged for cash. Do not buy a Walmart gift card assuming you can drain the balance. Only about 10 states require cash redemption.
Buy Gift Card Packs for Future Use
I like to buy multipacks of $5-$10 Walmart gift cards to use for customer and employee rewards when needed. It’s easier than individual cards.
Following these tips will ensure you maximize the value of Walmart gift cards for your small business or personal use. Don‘t let balances go to waste!
Conclusion: A One-Stop Shop for All Your Gift Card Needs
I hope this detailed guide provides valuable insights and tips for maximizing Walmart gift cards as a seller and shopper.
With its unmatched selection of 137+ top brands, convenient online and in-store options, and flexible eGift cards, Walmart has become my go-to for purchasing gift cards strategically and affordably.
Their inventory spans every interest including retailers, restaurants, entertainment, travel, and more. Just avoid expecting to find cards from Walmart’s biggest direct competitors.
And be sure to take advantage of policies like gift card trade-ins and cash back where available. Follow my tips to avoid wasted funds or expiration.
With a little planning, Walmart gift cards can become a valuable asset for your selling business and personal shopping alike. Let me know if you have any other Walmart gift card questions!
