Is your Argos gift card not working? Relax! We’re on top of it.
Argos cards allow you to exchange any item in full or part payment, thanks to their “Buy Now, Pay Later” offering. The error often indicates problems with your internet connection or the card itself.
To get your Argos gift card to work, you want to ensure it’s activated and have adequate balance to make the purchase. You also want to check if it’s expired or not and use only up to three.
Let’s tackle the solutions!
Argos Gift Card Not Working – Top 10 Proven Solutions
Here are the top 10 solutions to fix your Argos gift card not working issue. Explore them in order, from easiest to most complex, until you find one that works for you.
#1: Make Sure Your Argos Card Has Enough Balance
The first thing you should do is check the balance of your Argos gift card. If your gift card has sufficient balance, skip this solution and move on to the next one.
Otherwise, you must top up your gift card or use another payment method.
To check your Argos gift card balance, follow these steps:
- Visit the Argos website and sign in to your account.
- Click on the My Account tab.
- Go to the Gift Cards section.
- Click on Check Balance.
- Enter the 20-digit gift card number and the 4-digit PIN.
- Click Check Balance.
- The balance will be displayed on the screen.
Alternative: Check your Argos gift card balance by calling the customer service line at 0345 640 1234.
Note: Only check the balance after activating your gift card. After making a purchase, your new balance will be updated within 24 hours.
#2: Verify Your Card Details
If your Argos card details are incorrect or incomplete, you will also have issues with it.
Often, this happens when you mistype or misspell your card number or PIN. To avoid this, ensure you enter your card details carefully and accurately.
Here are the steps to verify your card details:
- Go to the payment page.
- Check if you entered the correct 20-digit card number and 4-digit PIN.
- If you have made a mistake, correct it and try again.
- If you have entered the correct details, move on to the next solution.
#3: Confirm Your Card’s Expiration Date
Another possible cause of the issue is an expired card. Typically, this happens when you have an old gift card that has passed its validity period. To avoid this, check the expiration date of your Argos gift card.
To confirm the expiration date of your card, follow these steps:
- Check the back of your gift card to find the expiration date.
- If your gift card has expired, it will not work.
- Use another payment method instead.
- If your gift card is still valid, move on to the next solution.
Note: Argos gift cards are usually valid for 2 years from the date of purchase. If your gift card expires, the remaining balance will be forfeited.
Tip: To extend the validity of your gift card, purchase with it.
#4: Ensure Your Gift Card is Activated
If your gift card is still valid but not working, it’s possibly not activated. Often, this happens when you have a new gift card. To avoid this, activate your gift card before using it.
If you have a physical gift card:
- Scratch off the silver foil to reveal the 20-digit card number and 4-digit PIN.
- Go to the Argos website and sign in to your account.
- Click on the My Account tab.
- Go to the Gift Cards section.
- Click on Activate Gift Card.
- Enter the 20-digit card number and 4-digit PIN.
- Click on Activate Gift Card.
If you have an eGift card:
- Open the eGift card email.
- Click on the link to activate the gift card.
- Enter the 20-digit card number or 4-digit PIN.
- Click on Activate Gift Card.
Your Argos gift card is now activated and ready to use.
Note: You’re only allowed to activate your Argos gift card once. Contact Argos customer service to deactivate your card if you lose or damage it.
#5: Check If Your Argos Gift Card is an eGift Card or Physical Card
The Argos eGift card not working affects how you use your card online or in-store. You need to make sure you know what type of card you have to use properly.
To check if your Argos gift card is an eGift card or a physical card, follow these steps:
- Check your gift and see if it has a barcode or QR code.
- If your gift card has a barcode, it is a physical card.
- If your gift card has a QR code, it is an eGift card.
- With an eGift card, ensure you enter the 16-digit code and 5-digit PIN.
- With a physical card, enter the 20-digit code and 4-digit PIN.
Note: The physical card is available online and in-store, while the eGift card is only acceptable online.
#6: Make Sure You Are Only Using Up to 3 Gift Cards
Argos has a limit of three gift cards per order. If you have multiple gift cards and want to use them all at once, ensure you use three or fewer.
To make sure you only use up to three gift cards, follow these steps:
- Go to the payment page.
- Check how many gift cards you have added to your order.
- If you have more than three gift cards, remove some of them and leave only three.
- If you have three or fewer gift cards, wait for your payment.
If the issue persists, we recommend that you proceed to the next solution.
#7: Use a Stable and Faster Internet Connection
A weak signal, a low bandwidth, or a high latency will affect how your browser communicates with the Argos website and cause errors or delays.
To avoid this, use a stable and faster internet connection.
- Check your internet speed and signal strength on your device.
- If your internet speed is too slow or your signal is too weak, do the following:
- Move closer to your modem or router.
- Switch to a different network or provider.
- Restart your modem or router.
- Use an Ethernet cable instead of WiFi.
- Close any other apps or tabs that are using the internet.
If your internet speed is fast and your signal is strong, proceed to the next solution.
#8: Use the Gift Card on a Different Browser
If you use an outdated or corrupted browser, you will face errors and glitches that affect how your browser displays and processes the website.
Use the Argos gift card on a different browser if your browser is incompatible or has cache and cookies issues.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Download and install a different browser on your device.
- Open the new browser.
- Go to the Argos website.
- Log in to your account.
- Add the items you want to buy to your basket.
- Go to the payment page.
- Enter your gift card details as usual.
- See if your gift card works on the new browser.
Note: Some examples of browsers you should use as an alternative are Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.
#9: Clear Your Browser’s Cache and Cookies Before Using
If your browser has saved some incorrect or outdated data from the Argos website, it will affect how the website loads and updates.
The cache and cookies interfere with the website, causing errors and conflicts.
To fix this, here’s what you should do:
Chrome
- Open Chrome.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Scroll down and select Privacy and Security.
- Go to Clear Browsing Data.
- Click on Clear Data.
- Select Cookies and other data and Cached images and files.
- Click on Clear Data.
Firefox
- Open Firefox.
- Click on the three lines in the upper right corner.
- Select Options.
- Select Privacy and Security.
- Go to History.
- Click on Clear Recent History.
- Select Cache and Cookies.
- Click on Clear Now.
Note: Clearing your cache and cookies will delete all temporary files, freeing up space and improving your browser’s performance.
#10: Check the Terms and Conditions of Your Gift Card
Using your Argos gift card on something it’s not intended for is another cause of the problem.
Ensure you read and understand the terms and conditions of your gift card before using it.
- Check the back of your gift card.
- Read the fine print that explains the terms and conditions.
- Pay attention to the following:
- Exclusions
- Limitations
- Expiration dates
- Activation requirements
- Redemption methods
- Ensure you use it on items redeemable with your gift card.
Note: Some codes can only be redeemed on certain products or ranges when you spend over a certain amount.
Quick Recap
Thus, if your Argos gift card is not working, it’s likely due to insufficient balance. Check your balance and make sure it’s enough to complete your transactions.
Also, check the terms and conditions of your gift card. Visit our blog for further insights on Argos gift cards!
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.