I‘m sure you‘ve been wondering, can I buy a Walmart gift card at my local Walgreens? I get it – when you need a gift card pronto, you want to just dash into the most convenient store possible. Well, take it from me, your trusted gift card guide – Walgreens does not sell Walmart gift cards.
I know, I know, it‘s confusing that a major national pharmacy chain doesn‘t carry cards for the world‘s largest retailer. But there‘s a good reason behind it. Let me walk you through everything you need to know about getting Walmart gift cards, from where to buy them to which denominations are available.
Why You Won‘t Find Walmart Gift Cards at Walgreens
With over 9,000 locations across all 50 states, Walgreens is one of the biggest pharmacy and convenience store chains around. Walmart similarly has a massive retail presence, with over 4,700 stores nationwide. Both offer pharmacy services along with general retail products.
So Walgreens considers Walmart one of its biggest competitors. For that reason, Walgreens chooses not to sell Walmart gift cards at any of its physical stores or on its website.
You see, when a retailer sells gift cards for another merchant, they are essentially promoting that competitor‘s business. And no company wants to boost a direct rival!
To give you a sense of scale, Walgreens brought in net sales of $139.5 billion in 2021, compared to Walmart‘s whopping $573.8 billion. So they are playing in the same league in terms of revenue, even if Walmart is the retail Goliath.
Where You Can Get Your Hands on Walmart Gift Cards
Okay, so Walgreens is off the table. But don‘t worry – there are still a couple easy ways to purchase official Walmart gift cards. Let‘s quickly cover your options:
At Walmart Locations
This one is obvious – you can pick up a physical Walmart gift card at any of the 4,700+ Walmart stores around the country. Typically you‘ll find them at the customer service desk or at the registers when checking out.
Online at Walmart.com
You can order both physical and eGift Walmart cards online from Walmart‘s website. Physical cards will be mailed to you, while eGift cards are delivered by email for instant online spending.
At Sam‘s Club
Sam‘s Club is a membership warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart, so you can also buy Walmart gift cards at any Sam‘s Club store location.
And that‘s it! Walmart intentionally only offers their gift cards through their own branded stores, whether Walmart or Sam‘s Club. No third party sellers like Walgreens.
Walmart Gift Card Denominations: From $5 to $5,000
One great thing about Walmart gift cards is they come in a ton of different denominations. Whether you need a small stocking stuffer card or a high-value option to furnish a college dorm room, Walmart‘s got you covered.
Here are the specific gift card values available:
In Walmart Stores:
- Physical Gift Cards: $5 to $500
- Custom Loaded Amounts: Up to $5,000
Online:
- Physical Gift Cards: $10 to $1,000
- eGift Cards: $5 to $200
So if you shop for a gift card at an actual Walmart location, you can get any denomination between $5 and $5,000! That flexibility makes it easy to get exactly the right card value for your situation.
Online options are a bit more limited, but still cover a wide range up to $1,000. And eGift cards let you take care of a quick gift with a few clicks for values between $5 and $200.
Oh, and side note – when ordering online, you‘ll want to leave a buffer of a few days before the gift card is needed just to allow for shipping time. eGifts come instantly, so those are better for last-minute digital gifts.
Can‘t Find a Walmart Card? Check Out Walgreens‘ Gift Card Selection
Okay, so while Walmart gift cards are a no-go, your neighborhood Walgreens does sell a bunch of other popular gift card brands. These make great last-minute gifts when you need to grab something on the way to a birthday party or event.
Here are some of the bigger gift card brands available at Walgreens:
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Amazon – With values from $15 to $500, these make great gifts for the online shopper in your life.
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Target – You can pick up Target gift cards from $10 to $500 at Walgreens. Ideal if you have an avid Target shopper to buy for.
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Dick‘s Sporting Goods – For the athlete on your list, you‘ll find Dick‘s cards in denominations ranging from $20 to $500.
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iTunes – Music and app lovers will appreciate iTunes cards ($10 to $100).
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PlayStation Network – For the gamer, grab a PSN card from $10 to $100.
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Xbox – Similarly, Xbox gift cards come in $10 to $100 denominations.
Walgreens also offers smaller denomination gift cards from brands like Starbucks, Dunkin‘, and Chipotle that are great as stocking stuffers. And if you need a gift card stat, you can print it out instantly right in store.
Be Sure to Read Walgreens‘ Gift Card Return Policy
Now, before you go stock up on a stash of gift cards at Walgreens, it‘s good to understand their policy in case your giftee ends up not using their card. Here‘s a quick rundown:
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No returns for cash – so gift cards can‘t be redeemed for the original purchase value.
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Unused cards can be exchanged for another Walgreens gift card of equal value.
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Exchanges must happen within 60 days and need the original receipt.
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Walgreens charges $2 to replace lost or stolen cards.
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No expiration date – the balance stays valid indefinitely.
So you don‘t have a ton of recourse if your recipient just never ends up shopping at Walgreens. You can swap out their unused gift card for another of the same value, but that‘s about it!
Let‘s Recap – Walgreens Is a No Go for Walmart Gift Cards
We‘ve covered a lot of ground here, so let‘s do a quick recap:
The bottom line is that Walgreens does not sell Walmart gift cards. As major competitors, Walgreens does not offer or promote Walmart cards in its stores.
To buy a Walmart gift card, you need to go directly to Walmart or Sam‘s Club locations or visit Walmart.com. Cards range from $5 to $5,000 in stores or $10 to $1,000 online.
For other top brand gift cards, do stop by your local Walgreens. They sell plenty of options from Amazon, Target, and more.
Just be sure to read the fine print on returns if gifting a Walgreens card. The exchange policy has some limitations.
Hope this guide gave you the gift card intel you needed, my friend! Now that you know where to find Walmart cards and how Walgreens‘ selection compares, you can shop gift cards like a pro. Let me know if any other gift card questions come up!
