Target RedCard Frustrations - Am I Just An Idiot?

[fabfemmeboy]

I got a RedCard earlier this year with the plan of getting gift cards to pay for our trip - yay savings. I knew from this forum that I couldn't get all the cards at once, so it's been in small batches (usually between 500-1000) at once, mostly digital cards ordered online.

BUT

For some reason, 99% of the time I try to make a purchase, it gives me an error message:

• Can’t process card
  Verify your card info and try entering it again. If you keep getting this error, contact your card provider.

I've called card services several times, and each time I've gotten a different explanation:
* There was a hold for the PIN but it's cleared so it should be fine (it wasn't 5 minutes before the call, but it was after the call)
* It's because the previous transaction hasn't cleared the bank yet, which usually takes 48 hours from the time the purchase is made (but the transaction cleared 2 business days ago, plus the weekend)

Is this a common problem? I'm getting really sick of calling every time I want to make a purchase, and I'm getting antsy because I really can't afford to only buy 1K worth of cards per week....when I need to pay off my room/etc. in 5 weeks! This was supposed to be done by now. Is this something you guys have seen before? Would switching to a different bank account speed things up? Do I need to start going and buying 500 in physical cards at a time at the stores, or will I run into the same problem? Help!

 

[Woth2982]

I have heard there is a $300 limit on purchases of gift cards at Target. I don't know if there is any truth in this, but maybe try and lower your order total?

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I have heard there is a $300 limit on purchases of gift cards at Target. I don't know if there is any truth in this, but maybe try and lower your order total?

I've definitely been able to purchase more than that at a time - $500 worked fine, etc. I'll see if a lower number works; it'll be annoying but less-so than this!

Edit: I tried $200 GC and that worked. $500 isn't working now. Oy. This may take awhile...

 

[brockash]

I have heard there is a $300 limit on purchases of gift cards at Target. I don't know if there is any truth in this, but maybe try and lower your order total?

No...you should be able to purchase up to the amount of your credit line...I used to always get 3 $500 disney gift cards each transaction until I finally put in to up my credit line and now can do more each transaction.

 

[starry_solo]

Go to a physical location?

 

[fabfemmeboy]

No...you should be able to purchase up to the amount of your credit line...I used to always get 3 $500 disney gift cards each transaction until I finally put in to up my credit line and now can do more each transaction.

Mine's the account linked to the bank account instead of being a credit card. Maybe that's the difference?

 

[figaro2tigger]

It's your bank and/or the "hold" put on your debit card. Banks put a $ limit on debit card purchases, some businesses put a "hold" on transactions that "drop off" after a few days. Think about buying gas with a debit card, you may only put $25 worth of gas in your vehicle, but there is a "hold" of $50 or $75 on your debit card funds until the debit card purchase "clears". Hotels put a "hold" of over a $1000 sometimes on a credit card. You are running into something like this.

It could be "just" Target putting a "hold", but it could also be your bank trying to limit the potential fraud liability. Try calling your bank and explaining what you are doing and see if they have an automatic max on your linked account. They may be able to change it. When I am going to do a larger than normal transaction or a major shopping spree, I call the one credit card company. They've been known to call me to check if I am "really" spending that much OR a transaction will be declined (embarrassing) because they are "protecting: me when their system detects unusual spending.

When you call Target, they may be changing the "hold" amount and/or checking with you bank.

hth

 

[supersnoop]

I believe Target has a limit of three gift cards per order. How many cards are you ordering?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Try to buy just 1 GC and see what happens

 

[ADisneyFamilyof5]

So I just had an issue using my RedCard tonight. When I was trying to check out, it said I needed to verify my card. I put the number in, then it sent a code to my email and I put that in. After I did all of that, it said it could not verify my card. It was a vicious cycle. I was doing it in the app. Even going into my wallet and trying to verify my card. It would act like I verified it, then a message would pop saying it could not verify. I finally switched over to the Target website. I was able to go to check out cart, enter the info to verify the card once and then finally my order went through.

So maybe try the website if you were trying the app? It's annoying to have to verify the card, but at least I didn't have to call. I hope this card verification is just a glitch and gets sorted out soon.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I believe Target has a limit of three gift cards per order. How many cards are you ordering?

They have a limit of three gift cards of each denomination per order. I've ordered a couple $200s and a couple $100s in the same order before, more than 3 cards total, without a problem.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

Try to buy just 1 GC and see what happens

I did, and for several days it wouldn't let me do even that - even just $100. Then suddenly it would let me do a few $200s in a row. Separate transactions, so it's more of a pain, but I'll take it!

 

[shawthorne44]

I canceled my red card. I ordered one $500 card. Waited a few days and ordered another. They canceled that order. I asked why thinking maybe they would say something like no more than one gift card order per week. They said that I am no longer able to make online orders. So basically they said that they don't want me as a customer.

It worked out fine though. I went to Sam's and got a bigger discount there. The $500 card was at less of a discount but the $50 cards were at more. Then that night while watching TV I just combined them and I saved a few spare physical cards to use in the parks.

 

[karen4546]

I canceled my red card. I ordered one $500 card. Waited a few days and ordered another. They canceled that order. I asked why thinking maybe they would say something like no more than one gift card order per week. They said that I am no longer able to make online orders. So basically they said that they don't want me as a customer.

It worked out fine though. I went to Sam's and got a bigger discount there. The $500 card was at less of a discount but the $50 cards were at more. Then that night while watching TV I just combined them and I saved a few spare physical cards to use in the parks.

Yea, I hope they don’t stop selling the $50 cards for 47.98 at Sams. The Target discount with red card makes theirs $47.50 but if it is a hassle then Not worth the extra discount.

 

[beldred]

Yea, I hope they don’t stop selling the $50 cards for 47.98 at Sams. The Target discount with red card makes theirs $47.50 but if it is a hassle then Not worth the extra discount.

And if you use a cashback CC at Sam's, your discount will be better than Target.

 

[lockets]

OP: exactly what you are explaining happened to me and they gave me the same explanations. I never got to the bottom of it either. I have the debit card too. It's almost like they "throttle it" right? That's the vibe I get. It happened in the middle of the trip. Unfortunately I had to pay cash for some items vs. using the discounted gift cards. Because of this, I am now stocking up on the gift cards wayyyy early for my next planned trip (January).

 

[lockets]

OP: exactly what you are explaining happened to me and they gave me the same explanations. I never got to the bottom of it either. I have the debit card too. It's almost like they "throttle it" right? That's the vibe I get. It happened in the middle of the trip. Unfortunately I had to pay cash for some items vs. using the discounted gift cards. Because of this, I am now stocking up on the gift cards wayyyy early for my next planned trip (January).

 

[fabfemmeboy]

OP: exactly what you are explaining happened to me and they gave me the same explanations. I never got to the bottom of it either. I have the debit card too. It's almost like they "throttle it" right? That's the vibe I get. It happened in the middle of the trip. Unfortunately I had to pay cash for some items vs. using the discounted gift cards. Because of this, I am now stocking up on the gift cards wayyyy early for my next planned trip (January).

So for awhile, I could use it in increments. A bunch of individual purchases of $100 gift card each, usually up to about 5 at a time. Then wait 5-7 days and do another $500 total. Then two weeks ago, it suddenly stopped working and hasn't come back since then. We leave in 2 weeks and I'll have to pay the remainder (about $1500) out-of-pocket without the gift cards. I know it's not a ton of money I would save, but it's frustrating anyway.

 

[lockets]

And when you view your bank account online that the Target Debit is drawing from, all Target-related transactions have already cleared, right? Even non-gift card purchases from target?

 

[lockets]

I wonder what would happen if you go in person to store and include the gift card in a purchase with another "regular" item. I wonder if that would change anything.

In a pinch - I asked my sister if I could applepay her the money to purchase the gift cards for me on her account. Turns out she had a gift card that she didn't plan on using so I bought it from her, but of course it still wasn't enough and there was some cash (albiet via cash back credit card so at least there's that) payments to be made.

Oh and P.S. NO you are not an idiot!