Android Market needs Prepaid Gift-card Support for App Purchases

[Static-Storm]

I would like to suggest that the Android Market also accept prepaid gift-cards as a method-of-payment.

Here's what I'm suggesting:

With Apple, if you want to buy your kid an app (or they want to give their friend a $15 birthday gift), they can go to any store and buy a prepaid iTunes Gift Card for $15. They can buy this for cash, no credit card required. Then, the person receiving the gift just scratches-off, enters the code into their iTunes account, and then uses the $15 credit (without needing any credit-card of their own).

With Android, there isn't any obvious way to do this. You shouldn't give your kid a credit card, and you certainly don't want them giving that card to their friend.

I saw that the Android Market takes "Visa Gift Cards", but does anyone actually use them to purchase apps? Is there a whole activation process for the gift card, or can this just be done in-store for cash?

I'm not saying Android needs its own Google-branded plastic cards, if the Visa card works. Although it would increase Android's "mind-share" among consumers.

 

[Cyber Warrior]

I don't see why the Visa gift credit card wouldn't work but it would be a good idea... but like you said you would need Google credit cards.

 

[Static-Storm]

Yeah, I'm really not trying to re-invent the wheel if the Visa gift card works fine.

For my own purchases, I use a regular credit card.

The funny thing is, with the Nexus S having NFC, it makes you wonder if some later version of Android ("Jello"?) will include a secure payment mechanism built-in. If they call it "Google Money", I wonder if it would scare those people who already fear Google. But if they call it "Google Bucks", people will think it's fun, like the lottery or coupons.

 

[Cyber Warrior]

I know they're working on bringing PayPal to the market. Should be real soon. Apple has more of a retail branding then Google. Google is more into offering free services and putting there name on it for exposure where Apple actually sells products.

 

[takeshi]

I saw that the Android Market takes "Visa Gift Cards", but does anyone actually use them to purchase apps?

I don't but others do.

Apple has more of a retail branding then Google. Google is more into offering free services and putting there name on it for exposure where Apple actually sells products.

Right -- consider their core businesses.

 

[kenyee]

Seems like Visa Gift Cards would work fine to me too...why reinvent the wheel? Google doesn't seem to be into branding as much as iTunes...

 

[blastncast]

A Visa gift card is the only way I have purchased my apps, when I got my phone I bought a $25 card and I just used the last dollar this week, got a new card and loaded in the new card number. I figured that if I was going to get scammed it would be better in $25 increments.

 

[Static-Storm]

I wound up getting a $25 Visa gift card, and it worked OK. The only catch is, you need to 'activate' it first by phone or web, so that a name and address are assigned to the card. That way, when you use the card (and need to fill in name-and-address), the bank will be able to say that the info you entered matches the credit card number.

Once that's done, the app purchases in the market are easy.

My initial concern was also that SOME gift-card issuers (banks) charge a substantial fee every time the card is used. Paying a $3 fee for a $1.99 app doesn't make sense. Also, some merchants don't accept every type of debit card. But apparently, these issues were not a problem here.

Thanks for the help!

 

[mmontel]

There are several prepaid visa cards such as Vanilla. Can anyone tell me which one is accepted by the market?

 

[alostpacket]

I think this is an awesome idea, and you should comminucate it to Google.

 

[Judy android]

Re: Android Market needs Prepaid Gift-card Support for App Purcha

There are several prepaid visa cards such as Vanilla. Can anyone tell me which one is accepted by the market?

I spoke to Market Support today. They accept Visa, MasterCard, and Visa Electron.