[Updated 6/12/17]
Amazon now advertises a new way of reloading an Amazon balance with Amazon Cash which allows direct reloads at drug stores, grocery stores, and convenience stores nationwide. Currently, Amazon Cash is available at 7-Eleven, CVS, Sheetz, Gamestop, Kwik Trip, Speedway, Fred’s Pharmacy, Kum & Go, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Cumberland Farms, and VG’s.
Each person has a unique bar code associated with their Amazon account (find your bar code here), and it can be used to add funds to your Amazon account at the register of participating retailers.
Funds in the amount of $15-$500 can be added to your Amazon account in a single transaction, and funds are available immediately. There aren’t any fees to do the reload.
It’s really the same thing as buying an Amazon gift card and applying it to your account, just a bit more direct and saves a minute of your time. Online we have the option of buying a gift card or doing a direct reload, and now those two options are available in-store.
These stores will probably accept credit cards for for Amazon Cash purchases, similar to buying an Amazon gift card with a credit card. At CVS it’s confirmed to work with credit.
So what’s interesting about all this? Not much, but you’ll probably be seeing it around so it’s useful to know what it its. Maybe this will mean the ability to buy Amazon credit at more retailers and rack up category bonus points. In all likelihood, however, these will be sold by the same retailers who sell Amazon gift cards, so not too exciting.
If anyone wants to know what my bar code is, feel free to ask. 😉
If they do sufficiently expand the list of participating retailers, I can see this working really well for Amex Offer redemptions.
No more OOS variable denom GCs or having to do split payments 🙂
I’m always wonder, Jay, your avatar picture is from Rewrite, right?
Btw, guys, there’s lot of Kum & Go in my state Nebraska…..
Chibimoth it is!
I can see a lot of potential for abuse.
“Take this barcode, go to xyz store, and pay your taxes.”
Seems somewhat more legit than scratch off the back of an Amazon or iTunes giftcard and read the numbers over the phone.
Wouldn’t that leave a trail behind? The bar code being unique is tied to the account. So in case of fraud, Amazon could tell the ip addresses, personal information etc that could help in tracing the scamsters.
Much more difficult from a scamster’s perspective than the prepaid gift card route.
At CVS the card reader has a HUGE message that pops up about preventing fraud and scams, etc that you need to CONFIRM before paying. Anyone who reads it and then CONFIRMS they know what they are doing can feel free to be scammed. Honestly it’s their fault for being that stupid. A fool and his money are soon parted.
Really? Speedway, Kum & Go, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare AND VG’s?
More retailers are coming soon, though, like Sal’s Mini Mart.
There’s a store called Kum and Go?
Yep. LOL.
https://www.kumandgo.com/
Hahaha they sell shirts and hats with their logo. I’m liking this company
AKA Jizz and jet, ejaculate and evacuate, etc..
What a horrible name for a store!! I mean, come on, really?? So much innuendo there… and I am trying to be objective and unprejudiced here!
They’re nice stores, too! Like upgraded 7-11’s. Cheap cold fountain drinks in summer, and they even have some edible hot food deals.
My teenage son somehow resisted buying the logoed merchandise. 🙂
One nice benefit of this is that you don’t have to worry about credit being stolen off of gift cards since you’re loading the credit instantly onto your Amazon account. I always worry about that when I’m using Amex Offers to buy Amazon GCs, although fortunately it’s never actually been a problem for me.
well, amazon GC numbers are slightly more complex than eBay… so i find the risk of them being stolen quite low.