Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Learn more about your Downtown Fort Collins Gift Card and its accompanying Terms & Conditions.

One frequent question that is addressed in the cardholder agreement terms and conditions is as follows: If a card remains inactive or unused for 12 consecutive months from its activation date, an inactivity fee of $2.50 per month will be charged until the card is used again.

A simple remedy: Use your card at least once in the first 12 months after your activation to avoid the inactivity fee. Making a purchase will reset the 12-month inactivity timeline. 

Before using your card, verifying the card's remaining balance is important. 

If your purchase(s) exceeds the amount available on the gift card, ask the merchant to process the payment for the EXACT amount remaining on the gift card first. If the merchant tries to run the gift card for the full amount, it will be ‘declined’ because insufficient funds are available on the card. Any remaining balance due should be processed using another form of payment. You are responsible for tracking the card balance; it can be checked anytime.

There are a few ways to check the balance of a Downtown Fort Collins Gift Card: 

• Call the number on the back of the card (800.755.0085)
• Visit GetMyBalance.com and be ready with the 16-digit number and the 6-digit "Security Code" code to retrieve your current balance.

• Select the credit option for making purchases at participating businesses. 
• Cards cannot be used for gratuities! 
• Gift Cards are not accepted at cash-only businesses. 

You can use your Downtown Fort Collins Gift Card at any participating business location. View a complete list of participating merchants. 

Please note: The gift card should be run as a credit card transaction through a participating business's Point-of-Sale (POS) system. If a PIN is required, enter the last four digits of the card number on the back. 

Sometimes a card run through a Point-of-Sale (POS) will say ‘declined’ if processed for more than the available value currently on the card. 

In a situation like this, the merchant should be able to split the transaction between the gift card and an additional form of payment. The merchant must run the gift card for the exact amount on the gift card for this to work. 

Keep tabs on your card balance before purchasing to avoid a declined transaction.  To check your gift card balance and see transaction history, call the number on the back of the card or visit GetMyBalance.com.

Yes! Cards purchased after the summer of 2020 with a CVV number on the back of the card can be used for phone order purchases at our participating merchants. These cards will have a CVV code listed on the back. If a business Point-of-Sale (POS) system requires an expiration date, use the "Card Plastic Valid Thru" date on the back of the card. If it requires a zip code, use 80524. 

The funds never expire. However, the card plastic itself expires seven years after the manufacturing date. 

Cards that sit inactive or unused for 12 consecutive months from the activation date will incur an inactivity fee of $2.50 per month if the card remains unused. 

A simple remedy: Use your card at least once in the first 12 months after your activation to avoid the inactivity fee. Making a purchase will reset the 12-month inactivity timeline. 

EML recommends that refunds for merchandise purchased with a gift card not be returned to the card. Instead, the merchant should issue its own store credit or store-branded gift card. 

The original card must be present, and refunds can take up to 7 business days to appear on the card account. 

Only the portion of the sale amount purchased with the card may be returned to the card. 

Unless prohibited by law, if a replacement Card is issued for a lost, stolen, or damaged card before the "valid thru" date, a Replacement Card Fee may apply. 

Terms and conditions can be found here. 

To learn more, visit our Buy Gifts Card page.

Yes! To place an online order, click here. 

Yes. All online, phone, and in-person orders are subject to a per-card activation fee, plus shipping charges for mailing (if applicable): 

• Values $74 and under - $2 fee per card
• Values $75 and over - $3 fee per card
• Shipping and handling charges apply if you request the card be mailed to a recipient.  Cards are sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS) First-Class Mail.

Online and over the phone: Visa, Discover, Master Card, and American Express

In-person: Visa, Discover, Master Card, and American Express, as well as cash and check. 

Cards can be purchased in any denomination from $10 to $500, from single card to bulk  ordering. 

If you prefer to order seven (7) or more gift cards, please email info@downtownfortcollins.com, and a DDA team member will contact you directly. Please note: Bulk order requests are typically processed and made available within 72 business hours.

No, there is no limit to the number of cards you can order; however, for multiple cards of different denominations, please call 970.792.2580 or visit us in person.

No, Downtown Gift Cards are physical plastic cards. Gift Cards can be purchased in person at one of our three Downtown Fort Collins locations. Orders placed online or over the phone can be shipped or requested for pick up at our Downtown Fort Collins office, located at 19 Old Town Square, Suite 230, Fort Collins, CO 80524. 

Yes. Gift cards cannot be sold to purchasers residing in or sent to recipients in any of the following states:

Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Vermont.

Due to differing gift card regulations, the sale of these cards is restricted to the United States.  We cannot complete the transaction unless a US-based payment method and billing address are provided.