How to use an American Express gift card online

How do you use an American Express gift card online?

Use an American Express gift card for online purchases like your normal credit card. Enter your Amex gift card number, expiration date, and CSV number at checkout. Use your personal address, including zip code, for the billing information.

Purchasing items with an American Express card doesn’t have to be complicated. Fortunately for you, I will show you everything you need to know about Amex online purchases.

Key Takeaways:

• Using an American Express gift card online is like using your credit card. Enter your Amex card number, expiration date, and CSV number on the checkout screen. You will enter your personal information for address, zip code, and billing information.
• There is no American Express gift card pin. Instead, the card comes with a four-digit Card Identification Code (CID) on the front.
• Common reasons you can’t use your American Express gift card online include insufficient funds, wrong information entered, the merchant doesn’t take Amex, or you’re outside the accepted area.
• Online merchants widely accept American Express gift cards in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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How do I pay online with an American Express gift card?

Making purchases with an American Express gift card is the same process as using your credit cards. Enter your card information during the checkout process. Your Amex card will provide the card number, expiration date, and CSV number for security purposes. Your billing information is your address, which includes the ZIP code.

In the example above, the red box is where you’ll find your card number. In purple, you’ll find the expiration date. 

The blue box is the four-digit Card Identification Code (CID), NOT the CSV number. You will not need the four-digit CID number when making an online purchase.

A CSV number is a three-digit number used for security purposes during checkout. You can find the CSV on the back of the card.

Use the card number, expiration date, and CSV number during checkout for payment. Select Credit Card and American Express if given the option for payment method. You should enter your home address for the billing information.

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What zip code do I use for American Express gift cards?

The zip code used for American Express gift card purchases should be your zip code. Generally, you’ll enter the zip code for your primary residence. Do not try and enter the American Express headquarters zip code!

Why can’t I use my American Express gift card online?

There may be many reasons you cannot use your American Express gift card online. Check your available balance, you’ve entered your information incorrectly, or the vendor does not accept Amex. You shouldn’t need to activate your card and can call the number on the back of the card for more information.

Most people cannot complete online purchases because their available balance is insufficient. Check your American Express gift card balance and add funds before completing your purchase.

Check you entered the card information correctly. Verify you’ve entered the correct card number, expiration date, and CSV number. Remember, the CSV number is the three-digit number on the back of the card, not the four-digit on the front.

Verify the online merchant accepts Amex cards. Remember, Amex’s slogan is “Don’t live life without it,” not “Everywhere you want to be,” like Visa. Make sure American Express is accepted before proceeding.

American Express can only be used in specific locations. You may only use Amex gift cards in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Some services do not accept prepaid cards. Services that might be used for illicit activities require payment methods linked to your name. Examples of services include hotel rooms, car rentals, and some subscriptions.

What online stores take American Express gift cards?

Online merchants widely accept American Express gift cards in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The easiest way to determine if a store accepts Amex is to go through the checkout process. Otherwise, you can view a list of 250 stores that accept Amex gift cards.

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Summary: How to use an Amex gift card online

As you can see, using your American express gift card online is easy. Use your Amex gift card like a credit card. If given the option of debit or credit, run the card as credit.

During checkout, enter your Amex card number, expiration date, and CSV number. The CSV number is the three-digit number on the back of the card. Do not enter the four-digit number on the front of the card. Use your address and zip code for the billing information.

There are several reasons your American Express gift card cannot be used online. Common reasons include:

• You have insufficient funds.
• Your card information was entered incorrectly.
• The merchant does not accept American Express.
• The purchase is outside of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Anywhere else and American Express is not accepted.
• The service does not accept prepaid cards.

American Express is widely accepted. However, the easiest way to verify that a store accepts Amex is through the checkout process.