You can buy American Express Gift Cards online or in-store. I’ll go over all the options and what works out best price wise here.

Must Reads:

• American Express Gift Cards: General Facts
• American Express Gift Card Purchase & Shipping Fees
• Today’s American Express Gift Card Promotional Codes: No Fees

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Buying American Express Gift Cards Online

Simply go to www.americanexpress.com/gift-cards/ to see all your options for buying Amex gift cards online.

Buying American Express Gift Cards In-Store

You can count on finding American Express Gift Cards in just about any brick-and-mortar location that sells a variety of gift cards. For instance, pretty much any drug-store, grocery store, or supermarket.

Here’s a short list of well-known retailers that have them available for purchase:

• Office Depot
• Staples
• Safeway
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• Target
• Pathmark
• Winn Dixie
• Stop&Shop
• Wawa
• Albertsons
• Kmart
• Kroger
• Tom Thumb
• A&P
• Rite Aid
• CVS
• US Post Offices

Use the store locator to find a location near you.

Online Vs In-Store Purchasing Differences

Here are the differences you can expect when comparing buying American Express Gift Cards online or in-store.

Online:

• Shipping Fees will apply.
• Purchase Fees will be a little less.
• Card value maximum is higher. I’ve purchased a $3,000 American Express Gift Card before.
• Promotions exist for waiving Purchase and Shipping Fees.
• More designs and customization/personalization is possible.

In-Store:

• No Shipping Fees to worry about.
• Purchase Fee will be a little more.
• Card value is typically maxed out at $500 per card.
• Limited designs/no customization.

Typical Scenarios:

• Buy 1 $500 Amex gift card
  • Online cost: $3.95 Purchase Fee + $8.95 Shipping Fee + $500 = $512.90 Total (use a Purchase Fee waiver promo code & sign-up for the Free Shipping Trial and it will be $500)
  • In-Store cost: $5.95 Purchase Fee + $500 = $505.95
• Buy 10 $100 Amex gift cards
  • Online cost: $39.5 Purchase Fees + $8.95 Shipping Fee + $1,000 = $1048.45 Total (use a Purchase Fee waiver promo code & sign-up for the Free Shipping Trial and it will be $1,000)
  • In-Store cost: $59.5 Purchase Fees + $1,000 = $1059.50 Total

Typically, the better way to go is to purchase your American Express Gift Cards online. If you only need 1 gift card with a value of $500 or less and you’re in a hurry, buy it in-store. Otherwise, online is the way to go.

Here are all the important things you need to know about American Express Gift Cards. Be sure to check out the other necessary specifics below, especially on how to save money on Amex gift cards with promo codes.

Must Reads:

• Where To Buy American Express Gift Cards: Online Vs In-Store
• American Express Gift Card Purchase & Shipping Fees
• Today’s American Express Gift Card Promotional Codes: No Fees

All The Good And The Bad:

• American Express Gift Cards can be used at just about any merchant who accepts American Express credit cards.
  • Currently you can only use them at any business in the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • They cannot be used at Cruise Lines, ATMs or for recurring billing purchases, such as cell phones or subscriptions.
• They are prepaid payment cards that are issued with a set dollar amount. They are not credit cards, charge cards or debit cards and the total dollar value appears on the front of the Gift Card or Business Gift Card carrier, or on your store receipt.
• There are no monthly fees, no inactivity fees, and funds don’t expire. There is a “valid thru” date on your card (somewhere close to 10 years in the future), and if you ever draw close to that date you can simply call in to get a replacement card or request an issued check.
• American Express Gift Cards are most popular as a Business gift. They are great for employees and colleagues in the office. Family and friends will also appreciate them as well, of course.
• Amex Gift Cards are available as a Business gift card or a Personal gift card, and they are both accepted the same way.
  • Amex Business Gift Cards are available with custom messages or with your business logo on them. Business gift card purchases can total up to $75,000, or even more by calling into 1-800-316-4420.
  • Amex Personal Gift Cards are also available with custom messages and personal photos, and purchases can total up to $5,000.
• American Express Gift Cards can be purchased online or in-store, with some differences discussed here.
  • *When buying online, Citibank credit cards have been notorious for categorizing the purchase as a Cash Advance, resulting in a Cash Advance fee on your Citi card. Most other credit cards won’t categorize them as a Cash Advance.
• There are no fees for the recipient to worry about, making them excellent gifts. Fees are involved in the purchase of the gift card, which you can read about here.
• American Express Gift Cards are a popular way to meet the minimum spending requirements for credit card bonus offers. This allows you to earn your card bonus, and then spend the money on your gift card at your own leisure.
• You can use your American Express Membership Rewards points to purchase an American Express Gift Card. A minimum of 1,000 points is required.
• Pertinent web addresses:
  • American Express Gift Card online store
  • Check your American Express Gift Card balance
  • Physical store locator to purchase Amex gift cards
  • Settlement site for Amex gift cards purchased between January 1, 2002 and September 21, 2011

I’ll go over all the fees involved with purchasing American Express Gift Cards here. The fees will differ depending on whether you buy them online or in-store.

Must Reads:

• American Express Gift Cards: General Facts
• Where To Buy American Express Gift Cards: Online Vs In-Store
• Today’s American Express Gift Card Promotional Codes: No Fees

Shipping Fees Apply Only To Amex Gift Cards Purchased Online

Shipping Fees for American Express Gift Cards bought online are as follows:

• Standard USPS Shipping: $5.95
• Express 2nd Day Shipping: $8.95
• Express Next Day Shipping: $15.95

It’s best to combine as many orders as possible to save on shipping.

*Get the latest Free Shipping promo code here, or take the following steps to get free Next Day shipping:

• Sign up for the Premium Shipping Plan and you’ll get a Free Next Day air delivery trial. The 90-day trial is free – you just have to remember to follow the steps below to cancel before the period is over:
  • Log into your account via “My Card Account”/Gift Card Account portal
  • Scroll to the bottom and click “Gift Cards”
  • → Manage your orders
  • → Shipping address
  • → Your Premium Shipping Plan free trial will end in xx days – Click “View”
  • Hit “Cancel”

This offer is valid for “new enrollees” of the Premium Shipping Plan only.
Customers may enroll in the Premium Shipping Plan via the American Express “My Card Account”/Gift Card Account portal on americanexpress.com and receive unlimited shipping for one year.
During this promotion, customers who have enrolled in the Premium Shipping Plan may use the Plan at no cost for the first ninety (90) days after enrollment (“Trial Period”).
The Premium Shipping Plan membership fee of $99 per year will be charged to customers ninety (90) days after initial enrollment if customer does not cancel membership through the Gift Card Account portal online prior to the expiration of the Trial Period.
If the free trial is not cancelled, the Premium Shipping Plan Membership term of twelve (12) months will continue immediately after payment of the membership fee and shall terminate twelve (12) months after the initial date of enrollment. No notification of termination will be sent to the customer.
If the free trial is not cancelled, the new enrollee will be sent a $25 Gift Card to the shipping address used in the initial order in which the customer first enrolled.
Customers may renew membership in the Premium Shipping Plan by paying the membership fee after their current membership expires or is cancelled. Customers who renew membership will not be eligible for another free trial or free $25 Gift Card.

The Different American Express Gift Card Purchase Fees

Purchase Fees for Amex Gift Cards will differ depending on whether you buy them online or in-store. The Purchase Fee applies to EACH AND EVERY gift card, whether you purchase them online or in-store. You can not combine orders to save on Purchase Fees.

• Online Purchase Fees: $3.95
• In-Store Purchase Fees: $5.95 (verified at various drugs stores and supermarkets)

Always check for new promotional codes to waive the Purchase Fees here.

Aside from the Purchase and Shipping Fees involved in acquiring them, American Express Gift Cards will have no fees after purchase(which makes them awesome gifts of course).