As Paypal continues to split away from eBay, Paypal Digital Gifts now began selling Amazon e-gift cards. Since PPDG has been working to earn 5x with INK (even PPDG-direct without eBay), this another easy way to earn 5x UR on all Amazon purchases without getting up from the couch.
Direct Link to buy Amazon e-gift cards from PPDG (non-affililate)
There are two Amazon credit cards which earn 5% back on all Amazon purchases, including gift cards, but obviously 5x UR is much more valuable than that for a lot of people. It’s now possible to earn 5x UR by purchasing Amazon gift cards from PPDG. Note: They only carry $100, $50, and $25 denominations.
Another option is to buy Amazon gift cards from Gyft which also earns 5x when paying with Paypal. This option is better for those seeking higher denomination cards since they allow up to $500 cards. And Gyft is usually instant while PPDG usually takes a few hours.
A third option has also surfaced in the form of the Swych app which allows Amazon gift cards in the amount of up to $2,000 and earns 5x on INK when paying with Paypal. This option is instant as well.
It was always pretty easy to earn 5x INK on Amazon by purchasing Amazon gift cards at Staples or Office Max/Depot, but now we have an additional option for earning 5x UR online without stepping in a store. Always good to have additional options.
Quick view to get 5x UR on Amazon:
- PPDG online (max $100 cards)
- Gyft online (up to $500 cards)
- Swych app (up to $2,000 card)
- Staples store (up to $500 cards)
- Office Depot/Max store (up to $500 cards)
[For real Amazon heavy-hitters, you might find it interesting that you can get 3% cash back on Amazon gift cards with Seashells when paying with a checking account or 1% back when paying with a credit card. No category bonus there, unfortunately.]
Related posts:
- Best Credit Cards For Amazon Purchases – Up to 5x Points/5% Cash Back
- Complete Guide To Saving Money On Amazon (Save 8% – 25%+)
datapoints; this worked for me several times in the summer (as late as August 3rd) — the last time, in Sept it’s earning only 1x points. amazon cards bought from giftcard mart, with ink cash, through paypal.
Has anyone else had PayPal tell them flat out to stop purchasing gift cards, that it looks like fraud and you will be shutdown? I called in with a technical issue after 2 $100 Amazon GC purchases from PPDG, and the guy on the phone bluntly told me to “stop doing that”.
I’m needing to purchase some parts off of Amazon for my truck ($950 worth), so I naturally like getting 5x UR any chance I get, and I’d never done this before so I figured I’d give it a shot; so I started with Swych (can’t get a purchase to go thru), spent over a day to get 3x$50 gc from Gyft and 2x$100 from PPDG. I’m kind of needing the part to get my truck going so I may just punt, but I honestly didn’t dream of having this much trouble…
Will any portal pay out? Say Ibotta via Ebay (PPDG)? or Staples online via Chase portal?
ink preferred definitely doesn’t give 3x through paypal as you can see below. I paid giftcardmart via paypal and only got 1 point. I would love to know if anyone knows a way to get 3x for gift cards with ink preferred
6/25 PAYPAL *GIFTCARDMAR $94.50 94.5 –
Pending Rewards
+ 1 Point per $1 earned on all purchases 94.5
Transaction Date:6/25
Statement Post Date:6/26
Total Rewards 94.5
giftcardmart is not listed on this page as giving any bonus on any ink card through paypal…
Hi,
I recently bought $15 Amazon GC (on Gyft) via Chase Ink Plus, and some how got only 1x points… Tx date : 6/7, posted on 6/8
Thanks,
Sam.
Did you pay with Paypal?
Did not use Paypal. I paid using Chase Ink Plus on Gyft card website.
Now I realized the mistake.. some how I forgot to read “… when paying with PayPal”.
I have a Citi Amazon credit card that gives me 5% on all Amazon purchases. You have to be prime, but that’s a given for me. Why bother with gift cards then?
There are a couple of other 5% options too. Some people find it worthwhile to go the gift card route so as to earn 5 flexible UR points instead of 5% cash.
The Ink Cash would be eligible for all of these as well, right?
Yes
I’m sorry if I’m just confused but to clarify, Ink cash is 5% back on office supply, and somehow the MCC for PayPal digital gifts, Gyft, and Swyp runs as a Office Supply code?
Thank you.
INK Cash is 5% cash back. Those three sites earn 5% when paying with Paypal since it’s considered Utilities (for reasons that aren’t entirely clear).
Thanks Chuck.
Having a UR earning card, such as Sapphire Reserve, should allow my 5% back to transfer into UR though, right? Sort of forgot to mention that to me the 5% CB hardly ever feels like cash back anymore.
And I see, somehow Paypal codes at Utilities and therefore somehow also qualifies for the bonus category for the old INK and the Ink Cash. Correct me if I am wrong.
Yes
Thanks a million for this post. I’ve been a reader for a long time and DOC has gotten me thousands via bank bonuses, which has helped with tuition.
My question: I was denied for Chase INK but was just approved for the simplycash…will the Amex Simplycash get 5% off as well on gyft, giftcardmall, PPDG, etc?
Nope, SimplyCash only works at U.S. office supply stores and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
If you buy Gyft GCs for somewhere local like Target how do you use the GC in a store?
Some e-gift cards can be used in store and some can not. In the case of Target, you can input the cards in your Target app and use them in store.
What about Walmart? Gyft says they can be used in store but not how they can be used in store.
I print mine and show them to the cashier, who types the number in. I’m pretty sure that you or I could do it without a paper copy, but that involves handing my phone to someone I don’t know. 😉
I’ve tried multiple times to purchase through ppdg, but the purchase never goes through. I just get and error saying, “Sorry, we can’t complete your purchase at this time” and directs me back to the home page. Any ideas?
PPDG is like that sometimes. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/paypal-digital-gifts.png
Try verifying your PP account if you haven’t already https://www.doctorofcredit.com/the-various-levels-of-paypal-accounts/
I have had the same issue. It started to work again after I made some normal purchases on eBay – not gift cards. I think I ran up over $2500 in a couple weeks on PPDG when they put the brakes on. Took a couple months to start again after verifying.
I tend to buy my Amazon gift cards with AMEX offers, like the recent one at Office Max ($10 back on $50 purchases). Five percent seems pretty marginal to me, and probably only interests resellers doing big volume. Is the USPS “change of address” trick still working?