How to redeem an Amazon gift card on Amazon's website and mobile app

FILE PHOTO: Amazon.com's logo is seen at Amazon Japan's office building in Tokyo, Japan, August 8, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

To redeem an Amazon gift card, you can transfer your gift card balance onto your Amazon account so it's ready the next time you want to purchase an item from Amazon.
You can also use your gift card as a payment option at checkout when purchasing an item on Amazon.
You'll need the claim code, which can be found on the back of the physical gift card under a protective seal (if you have a digital gift card it will be in the email you received).
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Today you can buy just about anything on Amazon, from a bed frame to a wedding band, so an Amazon gift card makes a great gift for anyone — especially for those friends who are serial gift returners.

If you've been recently gifted an Amazon gift card (lucky you!), there are two easy ways you can redeem it. You can transfer your balance to your Amazon account and save it for a future purchase, a great idea if you don't want to run the risk of losing the physical card, or wait until you've found what you want to buy and enter your gift card information as a payment method.

This guide will cover both ways of redeeming your gift card at Amazon's website and on the Amazon app. Whichever method you use, you'll need the claim code. This can be found on the back of the gift card under a protective coating or label. If you've got a digital gift card, and not a physical one, you'll find your claim code in the email you received. Happy shopping!

Transfer your gift card balance to your Amazon account on Amazon.com

1. Open your web browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) and go to Amazon.com.

2. Sign in and go to the "Your Account" page by clicking on "Accounts & Lists" to the right of the search bar.

3. On the "Your Account" page select "Gift cards."

4. You're now on your gift card balance page, where you can see your current balance and your previous transaction activity. Now click "Redeem a Gift Card." Note: you can also select "Reload Your Balance" if you want to add funds from a bank account or credit card instead of a gift card.

5. Enter the claim code on the back of the gift card and Amazon will inform you how much money you've got left on the card. Click "Apply to your balance" to transfer the money to your Amazon account.

6. Your account gift card balance will be now be updated to include the transferred funds. The money will be available to use the next time you purchase an item from Amazon.

Redeem your gift card when purchasing a product at Amazon.com

1. Go to Amazon.com and sign in.

2. Find the item you want to buy and click "Add to Cart."

3. If you want to buy more items, find the items and add them to your cart. Once you're finished, click the shopping cart icon in the top right corner and then click "Proceed to checkout."

4. Click through until you reach the payment method page. Scroll down to "Gift Cards" and enter your claim code.

5. Click "Apply" and the balance of your gift card will be taken off of your purchase. If the balance of the gift card exceeds the cost of the items in your basket, you'll still have money left over to use at another time.

Transfer your gift card balance to your Amazon account using the Amazon app

1. Open the Amazon app.

2. Click the menu icon (it's three horizontal lines).

3. Scroll down and click "Gift Cards & Registry."

4. At the top of the page, you'll see your current gift card balance. Click on the down arrow to open a sub menu and select "Redeem an Amazon Gift Card."

5. Enter your claim code to find out how much money you've got on your gift card, or use your phone camera to scan the claim code on the back of the gift card.