Root Android market gift card

[Joe Eris]

Android Market Needs Gift Cards

Summary

As of today, the only valid purchasing method on the Android Market is the use of a credit card. Android needs gift cards to expand access to the Android Market. If there were gift cards, people could gift apps and more people (especially the young) could buy apps. I am more likely to buy an app with a gift card than my own credit card. iTunes gift cards are everywhere (literally in almost every store) which increases exposure to Apple's brand. Google needs this too!............................ I saw this on a different forum and thought it was worth pasting here

 

[WormDoes]

I'm sure if google thinks there's money to be made they'll eventually make them. The comparassion to iTunes gift cards isn't a good one though. With an iTunes GC you can use it to buy music, movies, games and apps. It's more of a diverse gift because the receiver isn't locked into one thing like they would be with a google GC. On the flip side, I also think besides being a great gift It could be useful for people who buy a lot of apps and don't want to keep entering in their personal CC info over and over. For the reason I just stated, I would buy a $10 one and keep it on hand

 

[iowabowtech]

Good idea. I don't like having a standing credit card on file as in the current system. I'd be many times more likely to buy apps in this fashion.

 

[ericDylan]

Wouldn't it be possible to use a pre-paid Visa? It's basically a gift card. Close enough right?

 

[iowabowtech]

Wouldn't it be possible to use a pre-paid Visa? It's basically a gift card. Close enough right?

Not a bad idea if you could find the right one. I've never used one but just looked into it and it seems like kind of a PIA if your card expires and there's still money on it. The ones I saw had fees assocatiated with receiving the remaining balance.

It'd be ideal if you could put a given amount in an account and use it whenever you want without having to worry about expiration dates and transfer fees. Then again, there's probably options out there that would avoid much of that, I just may not have seen them.