Gift card, gift voucher, tokens, eGiftcards – what’s in a word?

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Surprisingly Gift cards are called different names depending on where in the world you are.

In the US/North America – they are most certainly gift cards or gift certificates. Whereas in the UK you’re more likely to hear of a Gift Voucher or even a Gift Token.

So - Gift card, gift voucher, tokens, egiftcards – what’s in a word?

As more and more gift vouchers have switched in the UK to being a plastic credit-card shaped item, with digitally loaded monetary value, the UK seems to be changing its name for them too.

Nowadays we are more likely to hear the term Gift Card than voucher.

And, as time moves on – eGiftcard or eGiftVoucher being used quite regularly.

Gift Card itself is an interesting word or phrase to look up – because according to the Merriam Webster dictionary –https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gift%20card the first known use of the word “Gift Card” was in 1991. Apparently that was the same year as the invention of the words:“Brain Freeze”,“SIM Card” and “Cyber Speak”

And yet the Smithsonian magazine claims that the Gift Card was invented in 1994! https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-gift-card-was-invented-by-blockbuster-in-1994-180948191/


Now, Idon’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I was using gift cards w-a-a-y before 1991. But perhaps they were called “Gift Vouchers” at that time? My earliest recollection of the gift voucher was a paper certificate given out. Almost like a coupon. If you have an early gift card or gift voucher – do let us know. We’d love to showcase it.

Top Gift Cards or Gift vouchers

There are different ways to value gift cards or gift vouchers.Highest resale rates, value or quantities sold and available.However here are our top 10 gift cards for 2020, list based on popularity – both of numbers of gift cards that Cardyard buys and sells, and worked out in terms of £££ value. Amazon.co.uk giftcards are the clear winners.

  1. Amazon
  2. Marks & Spencer
  3. John Lewis
  4. Tesco
  5. Sainsbury's
  6. iTunes
  7. H&M
  8. One4All
  9. Currys PC World
  10. Argos

National Gift Card Day

As you’d imagine there is now a National Gift Card Day – created to remind people to either spend their giftcards or to trade them (but not to waste them).This year that day fell on 21st January, being the busiest day of the year for Gift Card Trading.

Not sure what to do with an unwanted gift card?

Even if you’ve already spent most of the cash on a gift-card you can STILL resell the rest of the balance.


Using Cardyard as a safe, secure, trading platform, you can get hard cash for your plastic or e-gift card, so that frees you up to buy what you want.

2nd of March, 2021More blog posts