(Update: Reader Jason points out that Prime Video subscriptions (affiliate link) can now use your Amazon gift card balance too. Just check the box to ‘Use your gift card balance when available’. Cool.)
Amazon now allows using your gift card balance (affiliate link) to pay for or renew your Prime membership. I was able to edit my payment preference for my existing Amazon Prime membership as well by checking off that I’d like to use gift card if available. Neat little addition.
Hat tip to reader BA
Is there any way to opt out of using my gift card balance for purchasing movies? I wanted to use the no-rush digital rewards I earned instead.
I had $133 in credit when my account was due for renewal. Amazon attempted to take the payment from my credit card. My bank advised that they declined the Amazon payment request as it was flagged unauthorized and suspect. Amazon then refused to use my $133 credit to pay the $59 annual fee. A month later I received an email stating my account had been suspended and then they cancelled my subscription. Resulting in the loss of access to all Amazon services, I also lost my $133. Amazon you are an untrustworthy company and I for one will never use them again.
I was just told by someone that works with Amazon that they do not allow Gift Card balance to be used for Amazon Prime even after I told them they were wrong as politely as I could & they continued to argue about it. I was trying to get them to change the date to which my payment is due from the 14th to the 1st as it makes my paying bills much easier but I guess I got this agent in a pissy mood. I really wish they would create a balance for Prime so that you could just charge to it for future payments would make things so much easier being that you are forced to use your gift card balance every time you place an order instead of asking if that is what you want to do because honestly all I use it for is Prime.
I went to use my gift card balance for something special and it was $0 bc Amazon used it to pay PRIME without my permission!! I didn’t even know that was a thing. I’m angry.
I don’t see an option for using gift card balance to renew subscription. Is it only available in the U.S? I’m in Canada….
Im in the US, idk what ppl are talking about, ive had prime for years and this is not available then nor now. Only allows debit/credit to purchase subscription and prime channels. No option ANYWHERE other than when you purchase items on amazon. No prime no channels subs.
I agree 100%.
I just discovered something so annoying with this option. I deleted a credit card from my account and the gift card balance option for paying prime got unchecked. This happens every time you update your default payment method. So my membership fee did not come out of the gift card balance even though I have more than enough there.
Does it work for video rentals? I don’t see any option to include gift card as a payment option for video rental/purchase.
I saw an Amazon Prime membership offer where you get 10% off on certain prepaid plans every month as long as you purchase the prepaid plan thru Amazon and remain a prime member. (You have enroll in the provider’s auto renewal and 10% will be added monthly to your Amazon gift card balance).
I saw Cricket’s $55 plan and a couple more MVNO providers.
After canceling my Prime I don’t see it anymore.
If this is useful, I believe you can look up under Prime and then Prime Offers. If you’re a Prime member I believe it’ll show up.
Interesting. I can’t seem to find it on my Prime account.
Thank you very much, DsOC, for this helpful and actionable info! I really appreciate you both (all)! Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!
Amazon: thank you for implementing this; it was stupid (?criminal*) for not allowing it sooner. Now, how about you all fix your incompetent website? I know 4th graders who could program it better than your current employees (and who are your total imbeciles of managers/execs who’ve allowed/promulgated this incompetence and dereliction for years??). *One spent real money to buy your gift card which then could not be used as payment for your services. Re-read that sentence, slowly if you need to. Bunch of geniuses there, eh?
This was possible to do before by letting membership lapse and then gifting yourself Prime that you bought with a gift card.
Thanks for the reminder. I believe I’ve done this in the past but can’t remember if/when. Any suggestions on what I would search for in my emails for the Amazon Prime gift membership?
Not everybody wants to pay full price for stuff. I read a guy on here I think paid $11 twice a year to access campus gym at local school, then used those bills to save $240 off 4 years of Prime membership. Possible now to stack that with discounted gift cards, but certainly saved more than gift of Prime.
Alternatively, amazon could choose not to be incompetent criminals.