It is the beginning of the Holiday season, and many people, including myself, are in the throes of list making and gift shopping. Some of the people on my list are easy to shop for and some get gift cards for shops I know they love. I love to make sure everyone gets something they actually want. The only problem with giving gift cards is actually having to face the crowds and go store to store to pick them up. This year I have found the perfect solution and will be buying all my gift-cards at Cardswap.ca.
Buying Gift Cards
Cardswap.ca allows you to buy and sell gift cards from a variety of popular retailers. When buying a gift card you pay only for the face value of the card itself, just like you would at the store, but you also earn “SwapPoints” on each purchase. SwapPoints can be accumulated and then be redeemed in exchange for more gift cards or cash back.
As an example of how this works see below.
You can purchase this particular Canadian Tire Gift Card for $60.00. It has a $60 value and you pay no fees and get free shipping. On top of that you get 153 SwapPoints added to your account. Keep in mind that the number of points awarded varies from retailer to retailer and increase with the value of the gift card. To give you an idea of the value of SwapPoints, 1000 SwapPoints will get you a $10 gift card from CardSwap.
To purchase a gift card from CardSwap.ca simply login (or sign up) and then click Buy. You can then browse all the available cards or narrow it down by category to find just the right card. I found CardSwap has a really good selection of popular retailers like Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, Winners, HBC, Amazon.ca and many more. Once you’ve found the perfect gift card just select and hit add to cart.
The entire process was quick and easy and I love that they accept both INTERAC online as well as Paypal on top of the usual Credit Card option for payment. Once my card was purchased I received an e-mail confirmation that my order was received and would be shipped within 2 business days. If that isn‘t fast enough for you, some retailers available on CardSwap offer e-codes that are available immediately after purchase.
Sell Gift Cards
CardSwap.ca will also buy unused Gift Cards from you. This is perfect for those cards sitting around your house unused and going to waste. Just enter the details of your gift card and you will receive an offer worth up to 92% of the value of the Gift Card. CardSwap will then mail you a pre-paid shipping label to send them the gift card. Once your Gift Card is received they send you a cheque within 2 business days, or should you wish, credit your account with the amount owed.
Build a Wishlist
Since I buy gift cards fairly often I was happy to find that I could build a wishlist on CardSwap.ca with my favourite merchants. So now, with my wishlist build, I get notifications when gift cards from my favourite retailers become available. Also, I was able to setup priority merchants which will allow me to view and purchase my favourite gift cards before anyone else.
P.S. I ordered my Gift Card Thursday evening and received it Monday morning! Incredibly fast service.
I was provided with the above mentioned products in order to facilitate my review, but as usual this is a personal blog and all thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and m own.
{ 157 comments… read them below or add one }
I’d like to with the Tim Horton’s for hubby.
I would like to give the Shopper’s Drug Mart gift card to my sister.
I would love to win the Tim Horton’s card for a dear friend of mine who has been going to the hospital here for cancer treatments so that she can stop by Tim Horton’s in the hospital and get herself a nice treat whenever she has her treatments
I would like to gift a Cineplex card to my niece
I would give my husband a Timmy’s card because he’s a huge timmy lover and can’t go into the office without a visit to Timmy’s first.
Shoppers Drug Mart for my aunt
plur268 at yahoo dot com
I would go for the Esso or whatever Gas gift cards where available. For the other half.
kevin.linkie@hotmail.com
Amazon.ca for my girlfriend.
I would gift my daughter a Canadian Tire gift card
I would give the Cineplex gift card to my daughter.
I would give a Swiss Chalet gift card to my grandparents.
Jenna Em (@SnyMed)
I think grocery cards to a friend in need or winners card to a friend is indeed are always welcome
I would gift the card to my bestie. I guess I’d get her both!
I would like a Swiss Chalet gift card to give it to my friend Linda who loves their food.
I’d like to win a Starbucks card for my wife
I’d Love a Toys R Us gift card for my kids. They love shopping
I’d love a chapters indigo card for my mom
I’d like a Canadian Tire card for my husband.
Anything free is always great, especially for a Stay at home dad
I would like to win a Home Depot Card
I’d go for a Boston Pizza card, though for whom is unknown… it would be a gift for either my sister or brother.
ToysRUs for my kids
Starbucks card would be fine
irene_sql@yahoo.ca
cool
I would give a chapters card to my husband
meikleblog at gmail dot com
I would go for Amazon or a Chapters gift card for my husband.
Canadian Tire
TIM Hortons for husband
I’d gift a Chapter’s gift card to my hubby.
I would love the gap card to my wife.
A Canadian Tire GC for my wife
Mark S WEAR warehouse
DOREEN LAMOUREUX
I would love a Chapters gift card for my friend
I would like a Sephora gift card for my friend…
oh my daughter would love a winners card and my son a subway card and my other son a tim hortons card lol there are so many we would love
I would like to gift the Marks gift card for my husband
thanks
a homesense card for my husband
Jan
I would choose Walmart for my sister because I have no idea what to get her for christmas and they have everything
I’d like to get a Chapters gift card for one of my kids.
Tim Horton’s please for my husband
Tim Hortons please for my girlfriend
Chapters for my mom!
breej23 at hotmail dot com
Canadian Tire Gift Card for my husband
frankburcu(at)gmail(dot)com
I’d give a chapters gift card to my mother.
jentam777 at gmail dot com
i’d give a walmart card to my mom
entering in rafflecopter as jen s.
I would love to get a tim hortons gift card for my boyfriend so he can use it to grab coffees on his way to work!@
bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
belinda mcnabb
I would like a Canadian Tire card for my husband…Canadian Tire is his favourite place to shop.
I’d get a Chapters Indigo card for my mother-in-law.
Home Sense for my mom!
I would love to gift the Keg gift card to my best friend, it’s her favorite restaurant!
Would love to win a Home Depot GC for a painting project this winter. thanks Marg (mrsshopper1 twitter name)
I would love to win a chapters gift card form my little book worm daughter.
A Tim Hortons gift card!
Chapters – for my husband.
Oh definitely a Walmart card since it’s so close to Christmas!
toys are us = for my niece
I’d like a Chapters/Indigo gift card.
I’d like to with the Tim Horton’s
contestcrow at gmail dot com
Pizza Pizza card for my friend
I would like Shoppers Drug Mart,and I would give it to myself
I shop there regularly so it would come in handy.
(Karla Sceviour on rafflecopter)
The Keg for a date night or Canadian Tire for home repair.
I would love to buy an Old Navy Gift card for my little sister. She loves to shop there;)
Chapters to buy books for my daughter
Carmen Q
Chapters to buy books for my family. Or Old Navy to buy clothes for my family.
Walmart, I’d keep it for myself to do Christmas shopping
I would get The Keg and give it to my dad and step mom
best buy and I would give it to myself
shoppers drug mart
cineplex and to by son
Old Navy for my daughter
Cineplex for me and hubby
I would like a gift card for hubby and I so that we can have a chapters indigo date.
I would like the Red Lobster gift card for my daughter, for her birthday on December 26 she always wants to go there for dinner!
I would choose a cineplex card for my best friend because she and her hubby could definitely use a date night!
I would get a Mark’s card and keep it for myself
Walmart for me, I’d buy some groceries.
walmart or tim hortons
I would get a Roots card and buy something for my husband with it.
Canadian Tire card maybe…
i’d love a winners gift card, this time for myself. i’ve got everything for everyone else already!
walmart
Canadian Tire GC for my brothers girlfriend.
Walmart
Petsmart.
Donna L.
naloe@hotmail dot com
Winners card.
Marjorie L.
thealoes@rogers dot com
Canadian Tire card.
nick a.
thealoesr@rogers dot com
Tim Hortons and myself lol
I would choose the Amazon, and gift to my hubby so he could buy more e-books, as he loves to read..:-)
I would buy a Tim Hortons card and give it to my mother.
Adina H.
I’d get Best Buy or Future Shop for the hubs.
I would use it to get an Old Navy gift card. I would keep the card for myself to buy my kids some clothes.
Loblaws for sure!
Besos, Sarah
Tim Horton card
Toys r us for my nephews in ontario
I would get an amazon card for my cousin so she can buy books. She has kids and never gets stuff for herself. That would be a real treat!
Tim Hortons for my husband
I would like the Canadian Tire gift card for my husband.
Amazon.ca for my Mom
Old Navy for me
I’d buy a LuluLemon gift card and give it to my bff!
I like giving a Tim Horton’s card as part of our sponsored Xmas family gift package, so I’d likely do that!
i’d get an amazon card for myself!
rafflecopter – Yan Deng
I would get myself a chapters/indigo gift card since it has been a long time since I treated myself to a new book
I would want the Express gift card!
I would get a Cineplex Gift Card and give it to my brother-in-law and his girlfriend, they could really use a date night and this would be perfect!
American Eagle Outfitters for my daughter.
Walmart!~
Amazon.ca for my mom!
I would like a Canadian tire gc for myself!
Amazon.com and give to my niece to find nice toys for her kids. Or get herself something nice since she deserves it.
Shoppers Drug Mart
I would grab a Starbucks card
I’d get hubby a Canadian Tire card.
I would like the indigo gc
Indigo
toys r us, for my kids.
Indigo for my dad
I would buy indigo for my wife.
mikeg70 at telus.net
I’d like the Sephora card.
2dogs5catscrew@att.net
Canadian Tire for my brother!
I’d get a Walmart card
I’d get myself a Claire’s card.
Amazon.ca for myself
ontariohappychick at gmail dot com
I’d get a Red Lobster gift card for my husband and I to use on our anniversary (which happens to fall at the same time as Endless Shrimp, yes!
amazon would be nice
Canadian Tire GC would be ideal for my family, they sell the best dog beds!
Winners!!
jmbarata21@hotmail.com
I would love to get a cineplex gc for my daughter for xmas — she loves going to the movies
Home Depot. We just bought our first house and there is a never ending list of things that leak or squeak and make my knees weak with the threat of breaking down.
I would get the Canadian Tire gift card for my father-in-law!
I would get the Canadian Tire Gift card for my step dad! thanks for the chance
i would get the amazon card for my mom. she is saving her swagbucks cards for something big
canadian tire
Canadian Tire for my Hubby!
Red Lobster/Olive Garden
I would buy a Lush gift card for myself!
id buy a walmart,which is coming soon to the site. id give to my daughter
I’d love a Starbucks card, I’d share it with my hubby!
I’d get a Canadian Tire gc.
HomeDepot please
Ted Kooper
fwdsd45 @gmail.com
I want a Tim Card, and it be for ME! LOL
The INDIGO card – for my son, who never has enough books!
Chapters Indigo, for my daughter the bookworm!
Canadian Tire, for my partner
I am torn between Chapters and Old Navy. I LOVE Old Navy’s comfy PJS and lounge pants and shirts, but I also ADORE reading! What would totally rock would be getting both, and being able to curl up with a great book while I am dressed in my new comfy O.N pjs! LOL
Yes, I live in a fantasy land
And I’m going to be selfish this year , and keep the card for myself, since only my 4 boys will be getting gifts this year (thanks to my hubbys lay off last week
It would be nice to shop for myself for a change too, without feeling guilty, and wanting to return the products soon as I get them home..because I felt bad for spending money on myself.
Oh the joys of motherhood! (lol)
-I am also a follower of yours on Facebook-
Christa
I would like an Amazon gift card. s2inamug at aim dot com
I would choose Amazon or Home Depot
Amazon.ca or ToysRUs
Tim Hortons for my husband!!
Either amazon (for books) or yummy Tim Hortons for the hubby
I would choose chapters or walmart and I would give it to my mom because she always shops at both!
A Timmy’s for me
A Chapters Indigo card for my daughter.
I would pick Whitespot for my teen’s February birthday…she loves to eat out.
i would get an amazon.com gift card
Tim Hortons card for my hubby cuz he goes there all the time!
I would love to win a Chapters/Indigo gift card. I am sooo behind on my reading.
Winners- my daughter LOVES this store……….
bailey dexter fb