Your gift card is from another country. Now what?
A relative abroad sends you an Amazon card, or you buy a PlayStation code from the wrong store. Then it won't work. That's normal: most gift cards are tied to the country where they were sold. You still have options.
Updated 2 min read
Why it doesn't work
Big brands run a separate store per country, each with its own prices and currency. A card is credit for one of those stores. An Amazon.com card is for Amazon.com, not Amazon.com.mx, and a UK PlayStation code is for the UK PlayStation Store.
What usually doesn't help
- Changing your account to that country. Many platforms block it or attach conditions; Apple, for one, asks you to spend your remaining balance before you can switch.
- Using a VPN to look like you're abroad. It can break the platform's rules and put your account at risk.
- Asking the store to convert it. Stores almost never exchange a card for another country's.
What you can do
- Give it to someone in that countryA friend or relative who shops in that store can use it straight away.
- Swap itTrade it with someone you know who has a card for your own country.
- Sell itBuyers who take cards from many countries pay for it in the card's own currency and send you money the way you prefer.
If you sell it
Choose the country of the card, not your own. That's what the buyer checks. If the card's country isn't on the list, look for an "other country" option: those cards are checked by hand, so the price is lower.
And as always, keep it unredeemed. A card added to an account can't be sold.
Questions
How do I know which country my card is from?
Look at the store web address printed on it (amazon.co.uk, for example), the currency, or the receipt and email it came with.
Is a card from another country worth less?
It depends on the brand and the country. You'll see the exact amount for that country before you share the code.
Can I sell cards from different countries together?
At SpareCards, yes. Put them in one order and you get a single payment.