Hello, I was wondering if it is illegal to resell giftcards on a large scale? I mean really make a bussiness out if it. For example make a website to sell amazon gift cards, people pay me and I deliver the gift card via email. Would this be legal? thanks
As BrownTwn says, for individual schemes, read the T&Cs. What I am confused about however is why you are considering doing this under the counter. Excluding the reseller issue, are the gift cards genuine or are you trying to hack the algorythm for them? Certainly Amazon and other retailers have legitimate resellers of their gift cards, almost every card shop (eg Clintons) in the UK will stock Amazon, iTunes, Love Films (plus a whole host of companies you wont have heard of). Unless your source for the vouchers is illegal I would be surprised that you can get them cheaper than buying them as a reseller would get them to you for. Have a look at http://www.highstreetvouchers.com/gift-vouchers/e-vouchers for example of someone selling eVouchers legitimately (including amazon)
all amazon gift cards can only be used on Amazon anyway, so in fact you will help amazon to get more sales..
Hi, I do not think that it is illegal, I know a few websites that selling amazon gift cards, one of them is a private product market where sellers can put their electronic stuff like vouchers and gift cards for sale and buyers can buy instantly, a lot of voip vouchers are sold there as well as paysafecards and ukash vouchers. Take a look at www.cashvouchers.net
Yes, each gift card will have its own rules. Out of curiosity I checked a few cards in my wallet. An iTunes gift card states "not for resale" while 3 for clothing stores said nothing. But I wonder how the First Sale principle effects this? It would seem like if I pay for the gift card that I should have the right to do whatever I want with it, including sell it. Is a "not for resale" actually enforceable?
I think it would depend on a couple factors. State law can override the terms of some cards. Also, some cards may be been purchased for full price while others may have come as a rebate or promo and that could also affect the owners rights to resell. A lot of cards, at least they used to, take a small fee for periods of non-use or inactivity. That is illegal in California and there may be other rights affected by state law. So you can't have a card that charges $2.50 a month or those types of fees, at least here you can't. I've never looked into re-selling specifically, but if it is not restricted by the terms of the card itself, I think it would be allowed. Even if it is restricted by the terms on the card there may be exceptions or state laws that would allow it anyway. As you said, the 'first sale' might also come into play where the card was actually purchased for full price but usually that refers to reselling of copyrighted and trademarked goods.