However, there are additional steps you have to take to prevent your card from being rejected by the merchant. The problem with using Visa (or any other bank issued) gift card online is that there is no verifiable name and address associated with the card. When buying things online, most merchants want your name and billing address to match the name and address you have on file with your card (credit, debit, or bank gift card) issuer.

Therefore, before you use your Visa or other bank issued gift card, call the merchant/financial institution that issued the card or go to their website and add your name and address to the card. This will ensure that when you use the card online, the name and address you provide to the merchant for billing will match the name and address on file for the card. Once you have registered your card, you can use it online just like you would use a regular credit card.

If your information (name and address) has changed since you registered your Visa gift card, call the card issuer or go online and update your information before you use the card online.

Url of this article:

http://tpservice.org/blog/2009/06/how-to-use-visa-or-american-express-gift-cards-to-shop-online/

1. The Visa Gift Card is not “reloadable”. Once the initial value on a Visa Gift Card is spent, the plastic becomes worthless. On the other hand, the Visa Reloadable Prepaid card can be reloaded with cash several times over until the expiration date listed on the card.
2. The Visa Gift Card can be purchased at many grocery stores or supermarkets without any precondition, such as age requirement or proof of ID. However, to purchase Visa Reloadable Prepaid Card, you must be at least 18 years of age and must provide a government issued ID.
3. You can use a Visa Reloadable Prepaid Card to get cash at an ATM while the Visa Gift Card does not allow you to get cash at the ATM.
4. The Visa Reloadable Prepaid Card also allows you to add money to the card through direct deposit of your wages, tax refunds, or other disbursements, such as social security, child support, welfare or other payments. This feature does not exist with the Visa Gift Card.
5. The Visa Reloadable Prepaid Card can be used for online bill payment, including recurring bills and subscriptions while the Visa Gift Card does not usually work for recurring bills and subscriptions.

The Visa Gift Card and the Visa Reloadable Prepaid Card have a few things in common, including the following:

1. As mentioned earlier, both cards are accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted-including supermarkets, pharmacies, drug stores, retail stores and online merchants, as well as mail and phone orders.
2. Both cards can be replaced when lost (you need to provide your Card number for a replacement card to be issued).
3. Both come with fees, so be sure you understand all the fees that will be assessed and when they are charged before buying either card.

Url of this article:

http://tpservice.org/blog/2009/06/difference-between-visa-reloadable-prepaid-card-and-visa-gift-card/

One of the nice features about the Vanilla Visa gift card is that they are replaceable when lost. Just contact Vanilla Visa online at Vanillavisa.com and a new card will be issued. There is however a $5.95 Re-Issuance Fee for replacing a card. The cards are not reloadable or returnable once purchased.

The Vanilla Visa gift card is activated by the cashier at the time of purchase. All you need to do is sign the back of the card and you can use it immediately. There is no need to call a special number to activate the card.

Like other bank issued gift cards, the Vanilla Visa gift card comes with fees, including activation fees that are paid when you purchase the card. They range from $4.95 to $6.95 depending on the value of the card. There is also a monthly service fee of $2.50 that is charged from the 7th month after purchase. If you use the entire balance of the card before the 7th month, you will not be charged the service fee.

A note of caution: Some have had trouble using the Vanilla Visa card online, even after registering the card with Vanilla Visa. Other issues reported include the inability to link the card to PayPal or use it on eBay. In addition, some merchants do not accept bank issued Visa gift cards in general, so be sure to check with the merchant before buying the card.

A prepaid credit card account is opened by depositing money into that account, much in the same way you would make a deposit to open a checking or savings account. Once you have money in your account, you’re issued a prepaid credit card that can be used anywhere one would use a regular credit card. The best part of the prepaid credit card is that you can charge to your heart’s content and you won’t be in debt. The money is yours and once it’s gone, you can’t spend any more until you make another deposit. There are no bills and no interest charges. It’s the same principle as using a debit card linked to a savings or checking account.

So what’s the catch? First, you’ll have to pay a fee to set up your account. The amount varies, but you can probably expect to pay about US$5 to $10 to open a prepaid credit card account. In addition, you’ll have to pay additional fees every time you deposit more cash into your prepaid credit card account. For those with bad credit, the benefits of a prepaid credit card far outweigh the risks. They’re able to reserve rental cars or hotel rooms, and don’t have to worry about credit card bills and interest payments later.

Those who are planning to use the prepaid credit card to pay for a monthly Internet subscription, or to purchase an item where a fixed amount is deducted from their card each month, might be dismayed to learn that this might not be possible. Many of these businesses don’t want to do business with a prepaid credit card because there’s always the risk that there won’t be any money in the account when it comes time to pay the bill.

If you’re frustrated because a credit card is necessary to get by in today’s world, but can’t apply for one because of bad credit, you might consider a prepaid credit card. You’ll have most of the advantages of a credit card, and you won’t have to worry about interest charges. Sounds like a prepaid credit card is a pretty good deal.