A ranking of the personalization features of the best eGift cards from nationwide stores, restaurants and apps in 2019.
Looking for a last-minute gift? Here’s 200.
As egift cards are becoming an increasingly popular choice for last-minute, impromptu and “just because” gifts, I am always looking for features that make egift cards more personal. Five years ago, I reviewed egift cards from top stores and restaurants to see which ones would allow me to personalize the digital delivery with a choice of egift card designs, personal photos or even video messages. I also wanted to know which egift cards would allow me to schedule delivery and choose a custom dollar amount. After launching that first review of the best egift cards available, I discovered that customers had two more basic questions. They want to know what an egift card looks like and where (how) it can be used. So I looked for those things too.
Given that digital delivery is a relatively new gifting style, it makes sense that people want to know how it all works and what the recipient experience will be. For this reason, merchants that offer customers an egift card preview and accept egift cards both in their stores and online rank higher (for me) than those that don’t.
Below is a list of top merchants and how they rank on the digital gift card features that I believe are most important.
eGift Cards for Top Stores and Restaurants
The best places to buy eGift cards, according to the personalization features I value most, are listed below for the following categories:
Find “Top 20 eGift Cards Overall” and “Best in Category” awards in the 2019 eGift Card Review.
Apparel
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Navy | 26-50 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| Gap | 26-50 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| Abercrombie & Fitch | 10-25 | Photo, Video | No | Yes | No | Both | Yes | |
| Banana Republic | 10-25 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| Journeys | 2-9 | Photo | $5-250 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Chico’s | 2-9 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Lands’ End | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $10-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| T.J. Maxx | 10-25 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | No | Both | Yes | |
| Marshalls | 10-25 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Store | Yes | |
| H&M | 26-50 | No | $15-150 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Aeropostale | 2-9 | Photo | $10-300 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| American Eagle | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | No | Email, Text | No | Both | Yes |
| Brooks Brothers | 10-25 | No | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Coach | 10-25 | No | $25-1500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Adidas | 10-25 | No | $10-250 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| DSW | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | No | No | Both | Yes | |
| L. L. Bean | 10-25 | No | $5-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Claire’s | 10-25 | No | $10-50 | Yes | Yes | Online | No | |
| Ann Taylor | 2-9 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Online | No | |
| Under Armour | 1 | No | $10-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Nike | 10-25 | No | $25-500 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Urban Outfitters | 10-25 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| J.Crew | 1 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | Yes | |
| Victoria’s Secret | 2-9 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Express | 2-9 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Footlocker | 2-9 | No | $10-250 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Burlington Coat Factory | 2-9 | No | No | No | No | Both | Yes | |
| Justice | 1 | No | $10-200 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Lane Bryant* | 1 | No | $10-999 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Ralph Lauren | 1 | No | $5-1000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Forever 21 | 10-25 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Men’s Wearhouse | 1 | No | No | No | No | Both | Yes | |
| Columbia | 2-9 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Cole Haan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ross Stores | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* Lane Bryant previously had an established eGift card program both on their website and mobile-enabled site. At the time of this review, both say that gift cards are not available for purchase online.
Automotive
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiffy Lube | 2-9 | No | $10-300 | Yes | Yes | Store | No | |
| Pep Boys | 1 | No | No | Yes | No | Store | No | |
| Autozone | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Department Stores
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCPenney | 26-50 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Sears | 51-75 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Nordstrom | 10-25 | Photo | $5-2000 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Macy’s | 51-75 | No | $10-1000 | No | No | Both | Yes | |
| Belk | 2-9 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Boscov’s | 10-25 | No | $5-250 | No | No | Both | Yes | |
| Bloomingdale’s | 26-50 | No | $10-1000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Dillard’s | 10-25 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Kohl’s | 51-75 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | 2-9 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Neiman Marcus | 1 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Bon-Ton | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Drug Stores
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVS | 2-9 | Photo | $5-150 | Yes | Yes | Store | No | |
| Good Neighbor | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Health Mart | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rite Aid | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Walgreens | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Electronics and Entertainment
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | 26-50 | Photo, Video | $5-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Amazon.com | 400-500 | Photo* | $1-2000 | Yes | Email, Text, Msg | Yes | Online | No |
| American Girl | 26-50 | No | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| AMC Theatres | 10-25 | Photo | $5-100 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Regal Cinemas | 26-50 | Photo | $10-100 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| QVC | 26-50 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Online | No | |
| Fandango | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | No | Yes | No | Online | No | |
| Barnes & Noble | 10-25 | No | $10-350 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Apple Store | 10-25 | No | $25-2000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| GameStop | 1 | No | $10-500 | No | No | Both | No | |
| iTunes** | 2-9 | No | $10-200 | No | No | Online | No | |
| Xbox | 1 | No | No | No | No | Online | No | |
| Steam | 1 | No | No | No | Game | No | Online | No |
| AT&T | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nintendo | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| PlayStation | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Verizon | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* Amazon.com customers can additionally send “suggested gift” eGift cards. When the eGift card is delivered, it contains an image of the suggested product along with a thought bubble that says, “Thought you might like this.” The recipient can redeem the gift card for that product or for another product on the site.
** iTunes eGift cards must be purchased from the iTunes store on a computer or an iOS device.
Health and Beauty
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sephora* | 26-50 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| Ulta | 10-25 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| The Body Shop | 10-25 | Photo | $5-200 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Aveda | 10-25 | No | $10-500 | No | Email, Text | Yes | Both | Yes |
| Aveda | 10-25 | No | $10-500 | No | Email, Text | Yes | Both | Yes |
| Bath & Body Works | 10-25 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| General Nutrition Center | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Great Clips | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Regis Salons | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sally Beauty | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* With a $50 eGift card purchase, Sephora will treat the gift card recipient to a free custom makeover in addition to the $50 in product.
Hobby and Crafts
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michaels | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Email, Text | No | Both | No |
| Jo-Ann | 10-25 | No | $10-400 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| A.C. Moore | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hobby Lobby | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Home Goods
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bed Bath & Beyond | 26-50 | Photo, Video | $5-300 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Williams-Sonoma | 26-50 | Photo | $25-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Brookstone | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| The Container Store | 10-25 | Photo | $10-100 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Yankee Candle | 10-25 | Photo | $10-250 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Crate and Barrel | 10-25 | Photo | $25-1000 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| HomeGoods* | 10-25 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Ikea | 2-9 | No | $1-1000 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Pier 1 Imports | 2-9 | No | $5-100 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Z Gallerie | 2-9 | No | $5-995 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| World Market | 1 | No | No | No | No | Online | No | |
Home Improvement
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Depot | 26-50 | Photo, Video | $5-2000 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Ace Hardware | 2-9 | Photo, Audio | $5-250 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Lowe’s | 26-50 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| True Value | 26-50 | No | $5-200 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Menard | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Mass Merchants
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart* | 100-200 | No | $5-200 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Target* | 51-75 | No | No | Yes | Email, Text | No | Both | No |
| Costco* | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sam’s Club* | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* Target both additionally sell eGift cards for select retailers. Sam’s Club and Costco only sell discount eGift cards for select retailers. For all stores, however, these third-party eGift cards are emailed directly to the buyer–not to a gift recipient.
Office Supply
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office Depot | 2-9 | Photo | $5-2000 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Staples* | 2-9 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
* In addition to selling their own eGift card, Staples sells eGift cards for select retailers. However, these third-party eGift cards appear to be emailed directly to the buyer. In the checkout process there is a place to enter an email address, but the description implies the recipient will receive complete details for your order–including anything else you may have purchased.
Pets
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PetSmart | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Petco | 10-25 | Photo | $10-200 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
Restaurants
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domino’s | 26-50 | Photo, Audio | $5-100 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Subway | 26-50 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | No | Both | Yes | |
| Pizza Hut | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $10-200 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | 51-75 | Photo, Audio | $10-250 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Maggiano’s | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $10-100 | Yes | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Olive Garden | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $10-250§ | Yes | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Dunkin’ Donuts | 2-9 | Photo | $5-100 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Chili’s | 26-50 | Photo, Audio | $10-100 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Red Robin | 26-50 | Photo, Audio | $5-150 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| O’Charleys | 26-50 | Photo, Audio | $10-100 | Yes | No | Stores“ | No | |
| TGI Friday’s | 2-9 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Stores | Yes | |
| Buca di Beppo | 2-9 | Photo | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Stores | Yes | |
| Starbucks | 51-75 | No | $5-100 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Cracker Barrel | 10-25 | Photo | $10-300 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Boston Market | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $5-250 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| On The Border | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $5-100 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Panera | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $2-200 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Landry’s | 10-25 | Photo | $20-499 | Yes | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Chipotle | 26-50 | Photo | $10-250 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| P.F. Chang’s | 2-9 | Photo, Audio | $5-500 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Macaroni Grill | 2-9 | Photo, Audio | $10-500 | Yes | No | Stores | No“` | |
| Papa John’s | 10-25 | No | $10-100 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| IHOP | 10-25 | Photo | $10-200 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Bonefish Grill | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Eddie V’s | 1 | Photo, Audio | $25-1000§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| The Capital Grille | 1 | Photo, Audio | $25-1000§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Cheesecake Factory | 10-25 | Photo | $5-500 | No | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Outback | 10-25 | Photo | $5-250 | No | No | Stores | Yes | |
| Fleming’s | 2-9 | Photo | $5-250 | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Carrabba’s | 2-9 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Applebee’s* | 10-25 | No | $10-200 | Yes | No | Store | No | |
| Longhorn | 10-25 | No | $10-250§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Bahama Breeze | 10-25 | No | $10-250§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Yard House | 2-9 | No | $10-250§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Burger King | 2-9 | Photo | $10-100 | No | No | Stores | No | |
| Seasons 52 | 1 | No | $10-1000§ | Yes | No | Stores | No | |
| Roy’s | 2-9 | No | $5-500 | No | No | Stores | No | |
| Arby’s | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Baskin Robbins | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chick-fil-A | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| KFC | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| McDonald’s | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sonic | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Taco Bell | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Wendy’s | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
§ While not completely flexible, these restaurants allow load values in $5 increments within the specified range.
Sporting Goods
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DICK’s Sporting Goods | 10-25 | No | $10-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| REI | 10-25 | No | $10-1000 | No | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Golf Galaxy | 2-9 | No | $5-500 | Yes | Yes | Both | No | |
| Cabela’s | 26-50 | No | $5-2000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Bass Pro Shops | 10-25 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Modell’s Sporting Goods | 1 | No | No | No | Email, Text | No | Both | No |
| Hibbett Sports | 1 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Academy | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Big 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Overton’s | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Supermarkets
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Lion | 10-25 | Photo, Audio | $5-500 | Yes | No | Store | No | |
| Whole Foods | 10-25 | No | $20-500 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Stores | No |
| H-E-B | 1 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Albertsons | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Aldi | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BI-LO | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Giant Food | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Giant Eagle | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Kroger | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Meijer | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Publix | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Safeway | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ShopRite | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Travel
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 76-100 | No | $50-1500 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Hyatt | 10-25 | No | $10-2000 | Yes | Yes | Stores | No | |
| Marriott | 10-25 | No | $25-2000 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| Delta | 1 | No | $5-1000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Southwest Airlines | 1 | No | $10-1000 | No | No | Both | No | |
| Disney World Resorts | 1 | No | No | No | No | Both | No | |
| Hard Rock | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| JetBlue | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| MGM Resorts | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Travelocity | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| United Airlines | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Universal | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Value Stores
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lots | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dollar Tree | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Bonus: Online Gift Card Merchants
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eGifter.com* | 100-200 | Photo, eGreeting | $5-2000 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | Yes |
| GiftCards.com‡ | 100-200 | Photo, eGreeting | $10-500 | Yes | No | Both | No | |
| GiftCardMall.com† | 1 | No | No | Yes | No | Both | No | |
* eGifter exclusively sells eGift cards for major retailers. Unique from any other merchant I’ve found, this website allows the user to find contacts on Facebook and Google+. Delivery, however, is via email, text or Facebook.
† GiftCardLab.com and GiftCardMall.com sell eGift cards for select retailers that can be delivered via email or text to a gift recipient.
‡ GiftCards.com sells personalized Visa Gift cards and eGift cards for major retailers that can be emailed to the gift recipient. Animated videos or personal images can be added to the delivery.
Bonus: Gift Card Apps
| Merchant | # of Designs | Add Images | Flex. Amount | Schedule Delivery | Delivery | Print at Home | Use Online/ In store | eGift Preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOYA§§ | Unlimited | Video, Audio | $5-1000 | Yes | Text | No | Both | Yes |
| Gyft* | 1 | No | No | Yes | Email, Text | No | Both | No |
| Yiftee‡ | 1 | No | $10-250 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| GiftRocket§ | 2-9 | No | $1-1000 | Yes | Yes | Both | Yes | |
| Giftly** | 1 | Photo | $1-1000 | Yes | Email, Text | Yes | Both | No |
| GiftYa‡‡ | 26-50 | Wrapper | $5-100 | Yes | Text | No | Both | No |
* Gyft is a mobile gift card app and website that helps you organize your gift cards. You can also send eGift cards for select retailers via email, text or Facebook. The recipient must download the Gyft app to use the gift card or log into the web-based site on a mobile phone or desktop to access it.
‡ Yiftee is a mobile app and website that allows the giver to send a virtual gift card that can be used wherever Mastercard® is accepted. The giver buys a Yiftee for a merchant and specifies whether or not the Yiftee must be used at that store, exchanged for another store or donated to charity. The recipient claims the Yiftee, receives a mobile eGift code (called a “Virtual Gift Voucher”) and has 90 days to use the card at the specified merchant. Unspent credit is returned to the sender. There is a fee for egift delivery.
§ GiftRocket also delivers a gift credit with a suggestion of where to spend it, but the recipient essentially receives money to use wherever. The gifted money can be accepted as a bank transfer, credit card payment, check in the mail or PayPal deposit.
** Giftly is a mobile app and website that delivers a Visa gift credit with a “suggestion” of where to spend it, but the recipient is free to use the credit however he or she wants. To spend a Giftly, the recipient claims the credit and has it deposited into his or her own credit card account, then uses that credit card to buy a product or service.
‡‡ GiftYa calls itself “the Venmo of gifting.” The giver sends someone a gift credit to be used at a designated merchant. The recipient downloads the GiftYa app and links it to a credit or debit card. When the linked bank card is used at the designated merchant, the money is transferred from GiftYa to the bank card in 1-3 business days.
§§ KOYA is a mobile app where you choose a friend from your contacts, pick a place they are likely to visit (like their favorite coffee shop), record a personal video or audio message (“I was thinking of you so have a coffee on me”), add a gift amount and press send. Your friend gets notified they have a KOYA waiting to be discovered. Before finding the KOYA, the sender and receiver can send or request “hints” to where the location is. Once the friend enters the location, they are notified they have discovered their KOYA and can view the message. At this point the gift amount is confirmed from the sender’s PayPal account to the receiver’s PayPal account. The receiver is prompted to record a personal thank you.
eGift Card Ranking Criteria
Top merchants in each category have been evaluated based on the criteria below, which includes features that make it easy for consumers to send thoughtful eGift cards and feel good about the experience. eGift cards that I think are best are listed first, followed by egift cards with fewer features.
 | 1. Electronic DeliveryAlthough many merchants sell plastic gift cards online (and will mail them to you or to the recipient), I’m looking for a digital gift card that can be delivered electronically, such as through email, text message, social media or a smartphone app. |  | 2. Choice of DesignOne way to personalize an eGift card is to select a design that resonates with both the giver and the receiver. From the company’s iconic logo to seasonal designs that trigger emotions, having a variety of designs available is a must. |
 | 3. Personal ImageEven better than canned images is the ability to upload your own. I guarantee there will be an uptick in mom’s psychological response to getting a digital gift when she opens an eGift card containing a picture of her grandkids versus someone else’s. |  | 4. VideoIf you really want mom to open an eGift card and feel loved, then choose to embed a video that she can watch over and over again. Few companies currently offer this feature, but it will become more and more popular as digital gifting takes over. |
 | 5. Flexible Dollar AmountAlthough I expect to see plastic gift cards sometimes only available in predetermined dollar amounts, eGift cards should be completely flexible, allowing the giver to choose any dollar amount (within a realistic range) that fits his or her budget. |  | 6. Schedule DeliveryeGifting isn’t just for the forgetful. Sometimes instantaneous delivery is too fast. It’s nice when a merchant allows customers the ability to schedule an eGift card delivery for a later date and time. |
 | 7. Choice of TechnologyGift cards can be sent quickly through email, social media, text message and mobile apps. Giving customers the choice of which technology to use means they can pick the option that is most convenient for the recipient. (In the matrix below, FB = Facebook, TW = Twitter.) |  | 8. Print at Home OptioneGift cards that can be printed at home give customers quick access to gift cards while enabling in-person presentation. (Yes, you can send an eGift card to yourself for printing, but actual “print at home” cards come presentation-ready.) |
 | 9. Mobile OptionsWhile you can open websites on a smartphone browser, mobile-enabled websites and merchant apps that are customized for egift card delivery and use make the process easy. For this feature, I’m looking for a gifting experience that can be initiated on a smartphone and received just as easily. |  | 10. Where UsableCustomers want to know where eGift cards can be used. Although ultimately I believe all gift cards will (and should be) redeemable at every outlet associated with a merchant (online, in stores, in outlet stores and so forth), we aren’t there yet. Merchants should clearly state where their digital gift cards can be used, especially if there are limitations. |
 | 11. Customer PreviewConsumers want to know what the eGift card looks like. Is it just an email? Does it have a bar code on it? Is the recipient required to log in to your website to see the eGift card? Although most merchants have a product selection type of preview (meaning I could see the egift card design selected), only a few show a true preview of what the receipient will get. |
For more information on eGift cards, read Gift Card Girlfriend’s Complete Guide to eGift Cards.
2019 eGift Card Summary
After another year of reviewing the best egift card programs and using egift cards, I have to say that although we are doing better, the transaction still isn’t totally seamless just yet–no matter which merchant you use. In fact, it seems even the merchants are still trying to figure things out. Several merchants removed social connection from their egift card programs and a few removed texting as well, making email the predominant egift card delivery method.
Also, though I wouldn’t accidentally give a plastic gift card to someone I don’t know, I have sent egift cards to the wrong email address. I sent my daughter a quick egift card from Starbucks, but got alarmed when she said she didn’t receive anything. Would you believe I entered her email address incorrectly? I pulled her email address straight from the contact list on my smartphone where I had apparently entered it wrong months earlier. (We typically text and Snapchat each other by phone. Never email. Obviously.) Thankfully, Starbucks was able to recover it and re-route the card, but not all merchants have that capability. So be extra careful when entering details and reach out after you send a gift to be sure the recipient got the surprise.
Despite the pitfalls, this electronic gifting and mobile wallet thing is really happening. So I’m here to help us all get through it. Did I miss a favorite merchant of yours that has a really great egift card? Has your egift card program been updated? Reach out to me in the comments below, on Twitter (@GCGirlfriend) or on Instagram (@Gift.Card.Girlfriend).
Happy Gift Carding!
~Shelley Hunter, Gift Card Girlfriend