No, Target does not sell Amazon gift cards, in-store or online, in 2026, and it never has. Target carries an extensive gift card wall covering hundreds of restaurants, retailers, and entertainment brands, which is exactly why so many shoppers assume Amazon must be one of them. It isn’t, and understanding why makes it much easier to know where to actually look instead. Below, we’ll walk through the reasoning, what Target sells instead, and exactly where you can pick up a genuine Amazon gift card without wasting a trip. This guide is part of our broader series of shopping and buying guides at Used Items Guide.
No, Target does not sell Amazon gift cards, not in-store, not on Target.com, and not through the Target app. Unlike Walmart, which briefly carried them years ago, Target has never sold Amazon gift cards at any point. If you need one, your best options are Amazon.com directly, or nearby retailers like CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, and Best Buy.
Why Doesn’t Target Sell Amazon Gift Cards?
Same core reason as Walmart: direct business competition. Target and Amazon compete for a large overlapping customer base across general merchandise, home goods, electronics, and increasingly groceries, especially as both companies continue expanding same-day delivery and subscription services aimed at the exact same households. Stocking Amazon gift cards would mean Target actively helping its own shoppers redirect spending to one of its biggest competitors, which runs counter to the point of being a retailer in the first place. This kind of exclusion is standard practice across the retail industry, you’ll rarely find a major chain selling gift cards for its most direct rival, regardless of which two companies are involved.
- Target has never sold Amazon gift cards, at any point, this isn’t a discontinued policy like Walmart’s, it’s simply never been offered
- The policy is company-wide and applies identically across every Target format, from small-format city stores to full Supercenters-equivalent stores
- Target follows the same logic with other major direct competitors, not just Amazon specifically
The Bigger Picture: Target vs. Amazon
Target has spent the past several years investing heavily in same-day delivery, order pickup, and its own membership program (Target Circle) largely in response to Amazon’s dominance in convenience and speed. That competitive pressure runs in both directions Target wants shoppers choosing Target.com over Amazon.com, not funding an Amazon purchase with money spent at Target. A gift card is one of the most direct ways a customer’s future spending gets locked into a specific retailer, which is exactly why competitors routinely exclude each other from their gift card walls. This isn’t unique to retail, either you’ll see the same pattern between competing airlines, competing streaming services, and competing telecom providers, all for the same underlying reason.
- This exclusion is mutual, Amazon doesn’t sell Target gift cards either
- Walmart, Costco, and Sam’s Club follow the same pattern for the same reasons
- Smaller, non-competing retailers (pharmacies, gas stations, regional grocery chains) have no such conflict, which is why they make up most of the list of stores that do carry Amazon gift cards
What Target Sells Instead
If you’re at Target and need something Amazon-adjacent, a few practical options exist:
- Target’s own gift cards (Target GiftCard), a great choice if the recipient shops at Target regularly, but only redeemable at Target and Target.com
- Visa, Mastercard, or American Express prepaid gift cards, sold at most Target locations and usable as a payment method on Amazon.com, though not as an Amazon-branded gift card specifically
- Target’s extensive gift card wall covers hundreds of other restaurant, retail, and entertainment brands, worth a look if the recipient would be equally happy with a different card entirely
- Target Circle members occasionally get bonus rewards or discounts on gift card purchases during promotional periods, worth checking if you’re buying a gift card for a non-Amazon brand anyway
One More Thing: Watch Out for Gift Card Scams
Since you’re buying a gift card anyway, it’s worth a quick safety note. The FTC’s official guidance on gift card scams is direct on this: no legitimate business, utility company, or government agency will ever ask you to pay a bill or fine using a gift card. If someone contacts you unexpectedly and pressures you to buy a gift card and read them the numbers off the back, that’s always a scam, regardless of how official it sounds.
- Never share a gift card’s PIN or claim code with anyone who contacted you first, especially by phone
- Inspect any physical card’s packaging and PIN sticker for signs of tampering before buying
The FTC’s Stop Gift Card Scams campaign has more detail if you want to read further or report a scam you’ve encountered.
If You’re Already at Target: Best Alternatives
Rather than leaving empty-handed, here’s how to think through your options if you’re standing in a Target aisle and just realized Amazon gift cards aren’t there. None of these require a special trip, and most take less time than driving to a second store.
- If the recipient shops both Target and Amazon regularly, a Target gift card is still a genuinely useful gift, just not a substitute for Amazon credit specifically
- If Amazon credit is the actual goal, a Visa or Mastercard prepaid card from Target’s gift card section can be used directly at Amazon checkout as a payment method, without needing to be converted into an Amazon-branded card first
- If you have a few extra minutes, ordering an Amazon eGift card directly through the Amazon app on your phone while still in the Target parking lot gets a digital card delivered by email in seconds, genuinely faster than driving to a second store
- Check Target’s gift card wall for a close alternative, many popular restaurant and entertainment brands are represented that might suit the occasion just as well
Where to Actually Buy an Amazon Gift Card
The good news: Amazon gift cards remain easy to find, just not at Target. For the complete breakdown of every option — Amazon.com directly, nearly 500 participating retailers, digital versus physical formats, pricing, and how to avoid gift card scams — see our complete guide to where to buy Amazon gift cards. The short version:
- Amazon.com — any amount from $1 to $2,000, instant digital delivery, no fees
- CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid — widely available physical cards, usually near checkout
- Kroger, Safeway, Publix, and Whole Foods — most major grocery chains carry them in the gift card section
- Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, and GameStop — solid options if you’re already shopping electronics or office supplies
- Dollar General and Family Dollar — a reliable option even in smaller towns without other stores on this list
For the full categorized list of every retailer that carries them, see What Stores Sell Amazon Gift Cards? (Full 2026 List).
Target’s Policy vs. Walmart’s Policy: What’s the Real Difference?
Both retailers land in the same place, no Amazon gift cards available, but they got there differently, which is worth understanding if you’ve seen conflicting information online:
- Walmart briefly sold Amazon gift cards and discontinued the practice in 2017 as competition intensified
- Target has never sold Amazon gift cards at any point in its history, so there’s no “discontinued” moment to point to
- Both policies are equally firm today, the practical outcome for a shopper at either store is identical, even though the history differs
- Neither company has signaled any plan to change course, and the competitive pressure between both retailers and Amazon has generally increased over time rather than eased
Does Walmart Sell Amazon Gift Cards Either?
No, Walmart follows a nearly identical policy, though its history is slightly different: Walmart briefly carried Amazon gift cards before discontinuing the practice in 2017, while Target has simply never offered them. For the full breakdown of Walmart’s specific situation, see our dedicated guide: Does Walmart Sell Amazon Gift Cards?.
Why the Confusion? A Few Common Misconceptions
- “Target has a huge gift card selection, so it must carry Amazon too” — Target’s gift card wall is genuinely large, but competitor exclusions are standard practice across retail, not a gap unique to Amazon
- “Maybe it’s only available at certain Target locations” — no, this is a nationwide, company-wide policy with no store-by-store variation
- “I’ve seen Amazon-branded products at Target, so gift cards should be there too” — Target does sell some Amazon devices (like Fire TV or Kindle in select assortments in some periods), but that’s a separate retail relationship from gift cards, and doesn’t guarantee gift card availability
- “It must just be temporarily out of stock” — this isn’t a stocking or inventory issue; it’s a deliberate, permanent policy decision
What About RedCard or Target Circle for Amazon Purchases?
These are Target specific programs with no crossover to Amazon. RedCard is Target’s store credit/debit card offering discounts exclusively on Target purchases, and Target Circle is Target’s free loyalty and rewards program, also usable only at Target and Target.com. Neither can be used to purchase from Amazon or converted into Amazon credit in any official way. If you’re building a household budget around store loyalty programs, it’s worth keeping these two ecosystems mentally separate, rewards and discounts earned through Target’s programs stay within Target, just as Amazon Prime benefits and rewards stay within Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few more specific questions come up often enough around this topic that they’re worth addressing directly, beyond the core yes-or-no answer.
Does Target sell Amazon gift cards in 2026?
No. Target has never sold Amazon gift cards, in-store or online, and there’s no indication that will change.
Has Target ever sold Amazon gift cards?
No, unlike Walmart, which briefly carried them before 2017, Target has never offered Amazon gift cards at any point.
Can I buy an Amazon gift card with a Target gift card?
Not directly, Target gift cards only work at Target and Target.com. You’d need to use it toward a Target purchase instead, or use a general-purpose Visa/Mastercard gift card, which can be used to buy an Amazon gift card online.
Is there any Target store format that carries Amazon gift cards?
No, this applies uniformly across every Target format, including standard stores, small-format city locations, and Target.com.
Where’s the closest place to Target that sells Amazon gift cards?
CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General, and most major grocery chains carry them and are frequently located in the same shopping centers as Target stores, making it an easy stop on the same trip.
Does Target sell gift cards for any of Amazon’s other brands, like Whole Foods?
No, since Whole Foods is owned by Amazon, Target excludes it from its gift card selection for the same competitive reasons it excludes Amazon.com gift cards.
Can I use a Target RedCard to buy something on Amazon?
No, RedCard is a Target-specific store credit and debit card that only offers its discount and benefits on Target purchases. It cannot be used as a payment method on Amazon.
Why does Target sell some Amazon products but not Amazon gift cards?
Selling specific Amazon-made devices (in select assortments during certain periods) is a separate retail and distribution agreement from gift cards, which represent a more direct transfer of future spending power to a competitor, that’s a distinction Target and most major retailers treat differently.
The Bottom Line
Target has never sold Amazon gift cards and shows no sign of changing that policy, it’s simply not a gap in their inventory, but a deliberate choice tied to direct retail competition. The upside is that Amazon gift cards remain easy to find elsewhere, often at stores in the very same shopping center as your local Target, so the actual inconvenience is fairly minor once you know where to look.
Related guides in this series:
Where to Buy Amazon Gift Cards — Complete 2026 Guide
Does Walmart Sell Amazon Gift Cards? (2026 Answer)
What Stores Sell Amazon Gift Cards? (Full 2026 List)
