Woolworths Have Stopped Gift Cards Being Purchased with a WISH Card

Went to purchase a gift card today from Woolworths using a WISH gift card but it threw an error. Seems Woolworths have stopped the purchase of gift cards with egift cards.

Real shame…

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Comments

      • ebay wanted to use with the 10% ebay plus deal

  • Could it be only quasi-cash type cards are being blocked? If your purchase is directly to a company then it's ok?

    eBay, only1, Opal Recharges..

    • +4

      No, I've been denied for both ebay, only1.

      Opal Recharges still seem okay.

      • yeah i just recharged opal with Woolworths. Pheww it worked!

  • -2

    bitcoin FTW…. NOT

  • BAD news this is.

  • +1

    Hold on. Was it possible to buy Visa Debit Cards, and then buy more 5% off eGift cards with these, and then use these to buy more Visa Debit Cards, and (etc) until you effectively started making money??

    • There is no discounted VISA debit card deal at the moment. 😉

      • There is at Woolworths starting this Wednesday

        • It's at Coles as well.

        • @O O:
          Coles has the $100 Coles Gift Mastercard which has a $5 purchase fee but you get 2000 flybuys points

          Woolworths you don't pay the $5.95 fee.

        • @Rakddon: So…

        • @O O:

          So… at Coles it's $5.95 more

          What's 2000 flybuys points worth?

        • @Rakddon:

          What's 2000 flybuys points worth?

          $10

          At Coles, you pay $105.59 for $100 with $10 Flybuys dollars back. At Woolworhts, you pay $100 for $100. You'll be lucky if you can make use of WISH/Coles gift card.

        • @O O:

          Thanks for letting me know.

          I just purchased the $100 Coles Mastercard.
          It has a $5 fee, I got confused with the Woolworths Issue Fee of $5.95.

    • +1

      yes but I never used it that way. I would get gift VISA cards when on sale and use the gift card to cover the load fee. The use the credit cards to pay my bills.

    • Yes, however you wouldn't make money because there's a purchase fee of $5.95.

      For $100 visa prepaid
      $105.95 total purchase price (paid by eGift)
      $105.95 eGift @5% off needs $100.65 cash to cover it.

      Effectively, you'd be paying 65c premium to convert into a visa prepaid.
      Note the visa cards sold don't have pins on them, severely restricting their usage to online only..

  • Yeah it's crap. Tried to 'swap' $200 of egift cards for Ebay ones today and after 30 minutes of numerous attempts and phone calls by senior staff was finally made aware that buying 3rd party gift cards were now no longer possible.

    Clearly a new rule to my usual Woolies shop staff as I was the first encounter of being rejected.

    What makes me more annoyed is my VISA card was being denied at everydaygiftcards for about 2 weeks to so couldn't purchase ecards earlier and still had chance of doing the 'swap'. VISA card worked fine everywhere else but was 'mysteriously' blacklisted by everydaygiftcards.

    • 'mysteriously' blacklisted by everydaygiftcards.

      Do you have international transactions locked? It may sounds weird but I had similar experience that payment kept failing on me, I randomly tried again after unlocking international transactions and it worked…. Even though the description of the transaction is Bella Vista, I believe they must be channeling it via tax haven to avoid some sort of tax and offer 5% of that to us in rebate..

      • Nah, went into bank and got all okay from them. It was only after more interrogating with everydaygiftcards that 'blacklisted' flagging got acknowledged.
        Besides I think Paypal shows up as from UK on bank statements. Some company I buy through does anyway which gives appearance of dealing as Aussie based but not.

  • This is very bad news, I dont reckon they will block Opal recharges with gift cards though.

    • -1

      I couldn't use egift card to top up my opal at town hall today. Came up error manual entry not allowed.

      • This is a bad news

      • It is possible to happen given the fact that merchants only earn about 2.2% from Opal top-up.

        5% off with credit card fee is definitely a loss.

      • this is definitely a bad news

      • Did you try anywhere else? Sad news

        They will lose my business altogether now

        • I would rather top up in selected Coles to earn bonus flybuys pts,usually get 20%+ off discount.

        • @Neoika: are they considered in the spend $50 get 1000 points type bonus offer?

        • +1

          @tajid:I refer to this comment in the topic.Keep it to yourself.Do not be explicit.

  • Still working at Gosford. Hoping it stays that way. But stocked up on Ebay & Netflix cards just in case.

    • Yeah, some stores seem to have been 'missed' by the updates!

  • I hear its still working at the self checkouts, a staff member at my local store was saying they have an IT glitch trying to solve. Handy as there's a VISA gift card promo in this week's catalogue

    • Where can you find this week's catalogue?

  • Merged from Woolworths Now Blocking Gift Card Purchases Made with eGift Card as Payment

    I went to buy an eBay $100 card last week at my local Woolies, and pay for it using an eGift card as always, and the POS terminal reported "Item not allowed". I queried this to Woolworths via their Facebook page and they've confirmed they've now blocked it from their registers. I assume all gift card purchases that could previously be made have now been blocked.
    Anyone know any other way to get eBay, JB Hifi etc. cards consistently for 5% off now?

    • Anyone know any other way to get eBay, JB Hifi etc. cards consistently for 5% off now?

      Check the Wiki. It's frequently updated.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/discounted_egift_cards

    • Anyone know any other way to get eBay, JB Hifi etc. cards consistently for 5% off now?

      eBay is now impossible.
      JB Hifi you can get through entertainment book

  • Well I just bought iTunes cards with my e-gift cards seems to be no problem at all.

    • Where and how self checkout or staff counters?

    • +2

      Well I just bought iTunes cards

      Paying your tax, I bet.

  • +1

    And what about using Physical Wish gift cards…any issues there?

  • +2

    This is a crisis!! Makes me sad

    • yes - so sad

  • I tried yesterday at Marrickville at self-serve, was advised by attendant "gift cards haven't been working maybe you should go to service desk", so I figured the game was over and rather than comply, I simply asked her not to worry and to just void it from my cart please as I was in a rush. She did so. Then the whole system crashed after the card was voided from my cart. So much for being in a rush, the terminal was completely frozen and non-functional, and I had already scanned and packed all my bags. I had to go to the service desk and pay the balance. It was fun while it lasted, but I wont be trying that again. Can anyone confirm does this still work at Coles?

    • You should have taken up the offer to try your luck at the Service Desk.. Might be your last chance!

  • +4

    Very sad news. Initiating deletion of number 62800055500 from memory…

  • +1

    Was able to purchase Visa Gift cards using an eGift card(split payment) and paid the balance on AMEX.
    Should've purchased more Gift cards via Cashrewards using Amex.

    • You still can. 😉

    • I can confirm it still works in NSW(non-regional area).Bought 2 Only1 VISA cards with some fruit.Split paid with 2 eGCs plus staff discount.It did take longer to finalise the transaction than normal.

      • +1

        I found a store that worked and did 5 in one txn and it took literally 10 mins to activate the cards and print the receipts.

        • +1

          Did the same but the issue is as it stayed several minutes in the activation screen, the store assistant thought it froze and rebooted the self checkout. Once rebooted, it does not allow them to login anymore.

          Now not sure if any of the gift cards are active and money was deducted from my wish card. I need to go back tomorrow to the store to sort this out :/
          Heads up for others, dont let them reboot the system while it’s activating even if it’s taking 10 min as mentionned by singingwolf above.

        • @Rosace: Do you keep the Only 1 VISAs? 😉

        • @Rosace: I had the same issue once last year,only buying one Myer giftcard.It take nearly 10 mins before I left.Nevertheless,giftcard was activated upon checking balance.

        • @O O: yes, took them all home to be safe otherwise they will chuck them back on the shelves.

        • @Rosace: Do you verify them online to see if there are any value left behind? 😉

        • +2

          @Rosace:

          DO NOT LET IT REBOOT.
          5 mins mark, the machine will either time out here or continue.
          If you make it past this time, you will be fine.
          10 cards at self serve take exactly 19 minutes to activate from payment to receipt print out

        • @O O: Will try to resolve it with the store first as if few are not active they may ask why I opened them.

        • @cwongtech: I wish gift card I knew this.

  • Egift card worked at self checkout Glen Huntly (Mel) yesterday 1st Sept. Bought $100 eBay gc with groceries

  • Bought 5x $100 using egift card at Melton Vic on 01/09

    • Did you go through self checkouts?

  • Just bought a $100 eBay gift card using Woolworths e-gift card at my local Woolies… No issues.

  • +1

    I tried today at my local Wollies (Sydney's Northern Beaches) where it has been working fine until last week and it was rejected :(

  • Working fine in north Brisbane.

  • Confirmed not working at Devon plaza Doncaster VIC store. Went too the pines store and found it doesn't work at the normal registers but works at self checkout. Staff didn't know the new change

  • +1

    Still works using egift card at Woolworths cranbourne the avenue, self checkout bought ebay gift cards with other stuff. As of this morning there were heaps ebay $100 and $50 cards left.

    Tried earlier at Casey Central normal checkout and didn't work and self service had stickers saying gift cards can't be purchased there.

  • How do you buy a gift card using a self checkout? Scan the barcode & the card will be activated automatically?

    • Yes and the machine prints out the activation receipt

    • +1

      You will need the self checkout attendant to approve the transaction, all the message says is "Please verify the gift card has been activated successfully".
      That's all.

  • Inner north brisbane stores (around Everton Park) still happily accept eGift Cards, tried in two different stores tonight and didn't have an issue :)

  • I purchased 2 x $100 Visa 1 cards and paid via WISH eGift Card & WISH Physical Card this morning at Town Hall, NSW via self checkout.

    • Very naice.
      How were the stock levels?
      And did it take approximately three minutes to activate as opposed to the normal 12 seconds (for 2 cards)?

      • I bought 6x $100 Only1's this morning north of Brisbane with eGiftcards and it took about 15 minutes.

      • Stock levels is good, still plenty left.

        I did 2 separate transactions.

      • +2

        Just advance notice, townhall has patched its self service register.

        Went there on thur & worked fine but Friday, not anymore.

        • that's sad news

        • @spk: That's the power of ozbargain. Letting companies know about loopholes so they can patch them.

  • Bought some more eBay gift cards today from the Kew Victoria store. Egift cards work fine at the self serve checkout.

  • -4

    I went to buy some and they came up as $105.95.

    • +1

      Special ended last night. There is a $5.95 card fee now as usual.

      • This was yesterday. Still within the special dates.

  • +1

    my only store now doesn't allow eGift cards anymore. Loop closed.

    One good side effect is that you no longer need a store person to approve gift card purchases.

    • Which is your only store? So saves other people’s time from going there.

      • Narrabeen was the last one on the Northern Beaches. Now all NB Woollies now don't accept eGift card.

  • Anyone had luck with this recently?

    • +2

      Bought $200 of eBay cards in North Brisbane yesterday.

      • +1

        Just purchased 4 SCA card today, they didn't activate on the Self Service Checkout, but the service desk did it no questions asked.

  • Any stores in NSW that still do this? Willing to compensate for this info :)
    (Only if it still works within time of message and is within driving distance of me)
    PM me

  • Has anyone noticed on their AMEX MR points history for egiftcards transaction?
    I had only received 0.5 points per dollar under "EVERYDAY GIFT CARD 6673 BELLA VISTA"

    Has it changed?

    • Wait really. I thought that was just a glitch. Can someone else confirm?

  • +1

    Have tried 5 stores that previously worked a few days ago.

    All as of last night cannot use egfit to buy another gift at self serve.

    Am in Vic.
    Looks like the window has closed permanently.

    Was buying visa cards btw

    • -2

      Which area of VIC was this?

      • East and bayside
        1 still works but they've sold out of everything. Plus the staff make it difficult

  • Merged from Can We Use WISH eGift Cards to Buy Other Gift Cards?

    Can we still buy them to use on other gift cards like JB? or is there any place that sells 5% off jb gift cards?
    I remember I did it fine last year with selfcheck out but not sure if things have changed since than??

    • no

  • +1

    I bought $400 of Jetstar GCs via self service in Melb last week with egiftcards. Staff member had to authorise activation. Funny 2 cards didn't activate, so i had to goto the service desk and get two new ones activated. No one batted an eyelid.

    Jetstar sale, 7% off giftcards, no CC surcharge. I had chicken for dinner!

    FYI i alao buy Bunnings cards at Coles too via self service.

    • Winner winner!

    • -1

      Did you shop at Coles or Woolworths? This thread is for Woolworths but you mentioned Coles?

      • Sounds like
        Jetstar GCs @ WW
        Bunnings @ Coles

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