# Amazon Gift Cards..... Australia



## Moosh (Dec 22, 2009)

Hello,

This may be a stupid question but.... can I email an Amazon Gift Card to myself and use it even though I'm outside of the USA? It doesn't say you can't but I just wanted to check before buying one! I figure it's easier to buy say $50 and use that rather than Amazon charging my credit card for each book purchase. Also, does it work similar to Itunes in that the $50 sits in your account and decreases as you purchase?

My Kindle hasn't even arrived yet (hopefully Tuesday) but I want to be prepared!


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## Dianne (Oct 22, 2009)

Hi I am in Australia also and I have purchased a couple of Amazon Gift Cards for myself and then credited them to my account. This avoids getting a lot of small charges on your credit card. Not long after I got my Kindle I got a call from my credit card provider to check on the number of purchases that I had made from Amazon for small amounts. Other Australians have reported that they have been contacted as well and I read of one person who had their credit card stopped after purchasing kindle books from Amazon.
When you purchase any books as long as you have enough credit in your gift card balance the price will be deducted from there first before your credit card is charged.
This makes it easier to keep track of how much you have spent.


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

yes it works like itunes, it's perhaps better to open 2 accounts and have one sending the gift cards (for various reasons). but otherwise, it is possible, works like itunes gift cards and better than having amazon charge your card every book


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Welcome Moosh to kindleboards!  A lot of us use the gift cards to avoid those little charges on the credit card.  I don't know why it would not work for you and it appears Dianne has done it so go for it.

When you get a chance head over to the Intro section and tell us a little about yourself, i.e., where in Australia are you? and other questions that I am sure scarlet will ask.


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## Moosh (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks for the replies everybody, I will order a gift card today so I'm all ready for Tuesday!

Just out of curiosity, why would I not want to order the card from my own account?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Moosh said:


> Thanks for the replies everybody, I will order a gift card today so I'm all ready for Tuesday!
> 
> Just out of curiosity, why would I not want to order the card from my own account?


I don't know. . . did someone say you shouldn't? I purchase them. . .using the KB link. . . .and pay for 'em with my regular credit card on my Amazon account. When the email comes with the gift card code I go to my Amazon account and enter it in the "Your account" section. I don't think it would be different or problematic from Australia, but can't be sure, of course.


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## Sandy K (Dec 26, 2009)

Moosh said:


> Thanks for the replies everybody, I will order a gift card today so I'm all ready for Tuesday!
> 
> Just out of curiosity, why would I not want to order the card from my own account?


I think people have two accounts if they are trying to get around US only book purchases. Otherwise, I see no reason to not purchase a gift card from your own account.


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## Dianne (Oct 22, 2009)

I just purchase the gift cards from my normal amazon account with my credit card.


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## Moosh (Dec 22, 2009)

Yup that's what i did Dianne. Haven't tried to purchase anything yet but it redeemed fine.



Ann in Arlington said:


> I don't know. . . did someone say you shouldn't? I purchase them. . .using the KB link. . . .and pay for 'em with my regular credit card on my Amazon account. When the email comes with the gift card code I go to my Amazon account and enter it in the "Your account" section. I don't think it would be different or problematic from Australia, but can't be sure, of course.


anivyl (further up the post) mentioned that it might be better to have 2 accounts... not sure why.


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## anivyl (Nov 12, 2009)

yeah it is for the workaround (so you can have more choices of books). although, if you are like most people, whatever we have a choice of is usually more than sufficiently. I just don't like to be restricted


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## Moosh (Dec 22, 2009)

Okay cool, thanks for clarifying. I've read of a few work-arounds. Hopefully won't need to use them but we'll see!


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## Pushka (Oct 30, 2009)

I have purchased my own gift cards and used them in my normal amazon account which has a legitimate US address registered in 1click. Prior to registering the US account as my default address I had registered an Australian credit card, which was used to purchase the kindle and get it to Australia.  I thought I still had some gift card credit when I made purchases from the US store but then realised the charges had been put to the Australian credit card even though from the US store. So it seems that as long as there is a proper US address then any method of purchase will work.


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