Gift Cards at World Market: The Complete List of Brands, Fees & Where to Buy (2026)

If you are standing in a World Market aisle or poking around worldmarket.com trying to figure out whether a gift card will work for the person on your list, the short answer is yes, and it is a straightforward one. World Market keeps its gift card program simple: its own cards, in a handful of fixed amounts, with no fees and no expiration. Here is the full picture so you can buy with confidence.

Which Gift Card Brands World Market Sells

World Market sells only its own gift cards, branded World Market (you may also see the parent name, Cost Plus World Market, on some cards and signage). There is one brand on the rack, so to speak. A World Market gift card is redeemable for merchandise at any World Market retail store in the US and online at worldmarket.com for ship-to-home orders. It will not work at any other retailer.

If you are used to the gift card racks at big-box stores or grocery chains, this is where World Market differs. There is no multi-brand rack of dining, entertainment, or prepaid Visa and Mastercard cards, no Amazon or Starbucks cards, and no online gift card marketplace on worldmarket.com offering other brands. The gift card section carries World Market cards exclusively. If you were hoping to grab a restaurant or streaming card alongside your home decor shopping, you will need another retailer for that. Our guide to gift cards at Crate & Barrel follows a similar own-brand-only pattern if you want to compare how these home retailers run their programs.

One helpful note: because a World Market card covers the whole store, it works for furniture, home decor, rugs, kitchen goods, international food, wine and spirits where sold, gifts, and seasonal items. That breadth is the appeal. For someone who likes browsing interesting pantry finds or picking up a new throw pillow, it is an easy win.

Denominations, Fees, and Purchase Limits

Both physical gift cards and eGift cards come in fixed increments of $25, $50, $100, $250, and $500. Those are the amounts listed on the official gift card and eGift pages, and they are the primary reference point. Some secondary listings mention broader ranges or custom amounts through third-party sellers, but buying directly from World Market keeps you to these five tiers. There is no stated overall purchase quantity or dollar limit beyond the $500 per-card maximum, so if you need several cards you can buy several cards.

The fee structure is about as clean as it gets. There are no activation fees, no service or per-purchase fees, no dormancy fees, and no expiration dates. The balance simply stays on the card until it is spent. Cards are not reloadable, and you cannot buy a gift card or eGift card using another gift card or eGift card, so plan to pay with a standard method.

A couple of practical details worth knowing before checkout. Physical cards ship free. Multiple cards can generally be applied to one purchase, more flexibly in stores and online by entering each card sequentially. If you need a large batch for a corporate or bulk order, you can contact customer care at 1-877-967-5362 to arrange it. And because gift cards are listed among non-returnable items in the official return policy, they cannot be returned or refunded, except where state law requires a low-balance cash-out.

Buying In Store vs. Online

In store, you pick up a physical card and it gets activated at the point of sale, so it is ready to use the moment you walk out. This is the fastest route if you need a gift today, and it lets you pair the card with a small merch item if you want something to hand over.

Online at worldmarket.com, you have two choices. Physical gift cards ship to you, typically within 1 to 10 business days depending on the shipping method, and shipping on the cards themselves is free. eGift cards arrive by email and are activated within 24 hours of that email landing in the inbox, which makes them a good last-minute save when you have missed the shipping window. Neither option charges sales tax on the card purchase itself; tax applies to the merchandise bought with it.

Wherever you buy, keep the card number and PIN handy. The 15- or 16-digit number plus the PIN from the scratch-off strip on the back are what you need to check the balance online, by phone, or in store, and the PIN is required to use the card. If your recipient loses the card, World Market is not responsible for lost or stolen cards and they are generally non-replaceable, though having the original receipt or card number can help if you call customer care. To see how a typical store balance lookup works, our CB2 gift card balance page walks through the same number-plus-PIN routine many retailers use.

The World Market Rewards Angle

World Market runs a free loyalty program called World Market Rewards, open to US residents 18 and older, and it is worth understanding how gift cards interact with it. Members earn 5 points per $1 on eligible merchandise purchases, rounded down, with taxes, shipping, and fees excluded. Credit card holders earn double points on qualifying World Market purchases when the Member ID is entered. At 500 points you get a $5 Shopper Reward.

The key wrinkle: buying gift cards or eGift cards is explicitly excluded from earning points. So if you purchase a $100 card purely as a gift, that transaction does not add to your points balance. However, using a gift card to buy eligible merchandise does count as a qualifying purchase under standard merchandise rules, so the person spending the card can still earn rewards on what they buy. Welcome Reward coupons and similar offers cannot be redeemed for gift cards either, and no member discount applies to buying the cards themselves. Points expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity, and the program is a nice reason to mention to your recipient that they can sign up before they spend. If you are shopping for a home-focused gift and want ideas beyond a card, our roundup of candle warmer lamp gifts pairs well with a World Market browse.

For gifting occasions where you want a card plus a little something, a World Market card can also work as a stocking filler or a flexible option for a gift exchange. Our list of white elephant and gift exchange ideas under $30 has plenty of low-stakes picks that suit the same crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a World Market gift card at other stores?

No. World Market gift cards work only at World Market retail stores in the US and online at worldmarket.com for ship-to-home orders. They cannot be used at other retailers, and World Market does not sell third-party or other-brand gift cards that could be spent elsewhere. If a card is ever presented as usable for bills, utilities, or government payments, that is a scam warning sign.

Do World Market gift cards expire or charge fees?

They do not expire, and there are no activation fees, service fees, dormancy fees, or per-purchase fees. The balance stays on the card until it is spent. Low-balance cash-outs are only available where state law requires them, and those rules vary by state.

Can I buy a World Market gift card with another gift card?

No. You cannot purchase a gift card or eGift card using another gift card or eGift card. Bring a standard payment method when you buy one. Once you have the card, though, you can generally apply multiple cards to a single purchase, especially in stores.

How do I check the balance on a World Market gift card?

You can check it online at worldmarket.com/gift-card-balance.html using the 15- or 16-digit card number plus the PIN from the scratch-off strip on the back. You can also call customer care at 1-877-967-5362 or ask in store. The PIN is required both to check the balance and to use the card, so keep it somewhere safe.

Can I return a World Market gift card?

Gift cards and eGift cards are non-returnable and non-refundable, except where state law requires a low-balance cash-out. They are listed among non-returnable items in the official return policy. If merchandise bought with a gift card is later returned under normal rules, the refund comes back as merchandise credit or gift card value.