SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR EXCHANGING GIFT CARDS

摘要

The present disclosure is directed a gift card exchange server and associated systems and methods that are configured to receive information about a gift card that a user would like to sell. The gift card exchange server determines an offer for the gift card and transmits the offer to a computing device for presentation to the user. In one embodiment, if the offer is accepted, the user is queried to see if they would like the proceeds from the sale to be applied as a credit to an account, such as an on-line retailer account. If so, the server sends a message to the account indicating that a credit is to be given to the user along with an indication that the credit is conditioned upon completing a transaction and/or draining the purchased gift card of funds. The user can use the credit to purchase goods or services. However, the purchase transaction will not be consummated or the goods and services will not be shipped until the exchanged gift card is redeemed or the server computer otherwise confirms that the server system has received the value from the gift card. Once the server computer receives an indication that the card value has been received, the server computer sends a message to release a hold on the credit.