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- Few of us ever use all the gift cards we receive. Instead of letting them go to waste, you can sell them for free on an online marketplace called Raise.
- You'll be able to set your own selling price, and after Raise takes a 15% commission from the sale, the rest of the money is yours.
- You can also buy discounted gift cards to the places you really want. They're shipped to you for free or made available in your account instantly.
- The well-designed website decreases your gift card clutter and helps you spend your money more productively.
There's a drawer in my house that's unofficially known as the Gift Card Graveyard: It's where all the gift cards we've received over the years go to die. On the off chance we remember we have a gift card for that coffee chain we haven't visited in years, it attracts some attention, but for the most part it remains untouched and hundreds of dollars go to waste.
Gift cards aren't useless. They're easy, last-minute gifts for anyone in your life and a convenient way to pay at your favorite stores. The problem, however, is when you receive a gift card for a store, restaurant, or website that you don't intend on visiting and is of no use to you.
A website called Raise is the best way to get rid of your Gift Card Graveyard and make some extra money, with little effort. Raise is an online marketplace where you can sell your unwanted gift cards for cash at whatever price you choose and buy discounted gift cards to the places where you actually shop.
Here's how Raise works
To sell a card: Visit the Sell page and enter the name of the store. You'll be taken to a page that looks like the below, where you'll enter all your gift card information and set your selling price.
It's free to list a card, but once it sells, Raise will take a 15% commission from the selling price. Raise tells you what your total earnings will be after the commission cut, so you know exactly what to expect.
After you submit your listing, it takes up to 24 hours for the gift card to be verified and approved. Once it's sold, you can get paid out through three different methods: ACH Direct Deposit, PayPal, or check ($30 fee).
Raise
To buy a card: Visit the Buy page and search for your desired store, or filter by price, category, and sale specials. Raise offers thousands of brands that you shop regularly, including Target, Macy's, Nordstrom, Wayfair, Sephora, Airbnb, Starbucks, and Chipotle.
If you don't see a price you like, you can set up Brand Alerts that will notify you when a card in your desired price and discount range is available.
Physical gift cards are shipped to you for free in three to 14 business days, while most electronic gift cards are delivered instantly (processing can take up to 24 hours).
You can buy and sell with confidence because of Raise's one-year money-back guarantee.
Every order is backed for one year after the purchase. Raise will cover:
- Cards that are not active
- Cards with an inaccurate balance
- Cards delivered as a different brand than ordered
- Physical cards not received within 30 days from the date of purchase
Other than the desktop site, Raise also has iOS and Android apps, which let you instantly use your gift cards online or in-store through the Raise Wallet.
Since 2013, Raise has attracted more than 2 million buyers and sellers, and saved its users a total of $150 million. Though the savings on each gift card might seem minimal, the platform is still a smart way to find cash in unexpected places and save money where it matters.
Buy and sell gift cards at Raise here
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.