Gift Card Troubleshooting Tips

Last updated: August 17, 2026

If a customer is having trouble redeeming their gift card—whether it’s not scanning, not being accepted online, or showing an error—here are some common troubleshooting tips and resources:


General Troubleshooting Steps

Encourage customers to try the following:

  • Make sure the gift card is activated. To activate the gift card, the recipient needs to access the gift card link they received by email or access the link in the My Wallet tab on Zingage.

  • Use the actual gift card code, not the Reward ID

  • Copy and paste the code rather than typing it manually to avoid typos

  • Double-check the website (e.g., Amazon.com vs. Amazon.ca) to ensure it matches the card's region

  • If a card doesn’t scan in-store, ask the cashier to enter the code manually

  • Most cards are virtual and are designed to be used for online shopping. If the card does not work in-store, try using it at the merchant website.


🛍 Brand-Specific Support

Merchants prefer that the cardholder contact their support team directly for assistance, as they have security measures in place on the gift cards. If you're having trouble using the gift card, kindly contact the merchant's support team directly or reach out to rewards@tremendous.com for more help.

Unfortunately, we're only able to see the current balance of your gift card on certain gift cards, but we can't see when or where your gift card was used.

If you need details such as the transaction history or where the card was redeemed, the gift card merchant will be the best resource and will be happy to help.

Check out the list of merchant-specific online Gift Card Balance Checkers for brand-specific links to balance checkers online.


🧾 When to Contact the Merchant Directly

If any of the following occur, it's best for the cardholder to contact the merchant (e.g., Amazon, Target) or their support team directly:

  • The card shows as invalid or already used, and you did not or don't remember using it

  • The balance appears incorrect

  • There are technical errors while trying to redeem - if you're having trouble using the gift card on the merchant website, kindly contact the merchant's support team for assistance applying the card details on their platform.


Why These Issues Happen

Gift card errors can occur for a number of reasons:

  • Minor technical glitches from the merchant’s system

  • Confusing the Reward ID with the actual gift card code

  • Supply or processing delays from vendors

  • Brand-specific redemption rules that limit how or when the card can be used


For more information on gift cards, check out these articles: