Getting people together for a great gift should be the easy part. HipChip handles the collecting, tracking, and gift-card ordering so you can focus on the person you’re celebrating.
HipChip is an online group-gifting service that makes it easy for friends, families, coworkers, teams, and communities to chip in together for a gift.
One person starts the HipChip, invites others to contribute, and HipChip keeps track of the money collected. When the group is ready, the organizer uses the balance to order one or more gift cards for the recipient(s).
It takes just a few steps:
Almost any occasion where people want to give together. Popular uses include:
You don’t need a special occasion, either. If a group wants to give someone a gift, you can create a HipChip.
Anyone in the US can start a group gift with HipChip. The person who creates it becomes the organizer and manages the collection and final gift selection.
No. A recipient does not need to create a HipChip account to receive an eGift card.
No. Contributors can follow the invitation or shared HipChip link to make their contribution. Follow the instructions shown during checkout to complete the contribution.
Choose Start a Gift and enter the basic information about your gift, including the recipient, the occasion, and the contribution deadline.
Once your HipChip is created, you can begin inviting people to participate.
No. You can collect contributions and then decide how to use the balance before placing the final gift-card order.
That can be especially helpful when the group raises more or less than expected.
Yes. Until the final order is placed, you can adjust the type of gift card and the amounts you would like to purchase.
Yes. You can divide the money collected among multiple gift cards.
For example, you might give someone part of the gift as a restaurant card and the rest as a shopping or travel card.
Yes. HipChip offers Choice Cards that give the recipient more flexibility.
Instead of choosing a single retailer for them, you can give a HipChip Choice Card. The recipient can then redeem its value for retailer gift cards available through HipChip.
Some Choice Cards are also designed around particular occasions, such as teachers, coaches, babies, weddings, and graduations.
That’s a good problem to have.
Before placing the final order, the organizer can increase the value of the selected gift card, choose additional gift cards, or otherwise adjust the order using the available HipChip balance.
The organizer can adjust the final gift-card selection or amounts based on the money actually collected, subject to the minimum denomination requirements of the selected cards.
No. HipChip is designed for group gifting, so you can invite a large group of friends, relatives, coworkers, teammates, or families to participate.
Yes. You can create separate HipChips for different recipients, making it easy to manage gifts for multiple teachers, coaches, employees, family members, or other recipients. For example, schools use HipChip to collect from all the parents to give gift cards to all the teachers in one organized HipChip.
You can invite contributors in several ways, including:
This makes it easy to include people even if you don’t have everyone’s email address when you first create the gift.
Absolutely. Copy the link and send it anywhere you communicate with your group.
For example, you can put it in a group text, WhatsApp conversation, parent email, Slack message or team communication.
Yes. If they have access to the active contribution link, they can participate.
HipChip can send reminders to invited contributors so the organizer doesn't have to personally chase everyone down.
Yes, the organizer can manage reminders associated with the group gift.
Not unless the organizer wants them to know. You decide when and how the final gift is presented to the recipient.
That makes it possible to keep a HipChip a surprise.
No. Each contributor can choose how much they would like to give.
There’s no awkward requirement that everyone give the same amount.
Yes. An organizer may suggest a contribution amount.
No. Individual contribution amounts are not displayed to the rest of the group.
Yes. The organizer can track the HipChip and see who has contributed and the amounts received.
No, not unless the organizer chooses to send the recipient a breakdown of each person's contribution.
HipChip allows contributors to add personal wishes or messages where that feature is available for the gift.
HipChip currently charges a contribution fee for each contribution made with a credit card equal to 2.9% + 30 cents. Contributors also have the option to use their bank to transfer funds at no cost for a contribution fee. Bank transfers are secure and processed by Stripe.
Certain gift-card products, including physical Visa gift cards, may have additional fees. Any applicable gift-card fees are shown before the organizer places the order and are deducted from the HipChip balance.
Yes. Physical HipChip Visa gift cards carry a service fee based on the amount loaded onto the card.
The applicable Visa fee is displayed before the order is completed and will be deducted from the total amount contributed. You can also view the current Visa fee schedule on HipChip.
Available payment methods are displayed during checkout and include credit cards, bank transfers, and Apple Pay. Contributors enter their payment information securely when making a contribution.
Payment information is processed through a third-party payment provider, Stripe, operating under strict payment-card security standards. HipChip does not keep credit-card information on file.
Yes. The organizer selects a chip-in deadline when setting up the group gift.
That gives the group a clear date to participate and gives the organizer enough time to prepare the final gift.
If you're ready to place the gift order and the necessary funds are available, follow the options in your HipChip account to finalize the gift.
As long as the organizer hasn't placed a gift card order, they can adjust the deadline before the gift is finalized.
Once the group has finished contributing, the organizer can use the balance to select the final gift card or cards and place the order. Additional contributions can be made until the organizer places the order.
HipChip offers gift cards covering a wide range of interests, including:
Visit the Gift Cards page to see the current selection.
No. Individual retailers set their own minimum and maximum gift-card values.
The allowable range is shown with each gift card.
A HipChip Choice Card gives the recipient flexibility instead of locking the entire gift into one retailer.
The recipient redeems the Choice Card for one or more retailer gift cards available through the applicable HipChip Choice Card program.
Yes, the recipient can use its value toward participating retailer gift cards instead of being limited to one brand.
Yes. HipChip offers physical Visa gift cards that can generally be used where Visa credit cards are accepted in the United States, subject to the cardholder agreement and applicable restrictions.
Visa gift cards have separate fees and delivery requirements.
Electronic gift cards can be delivered digitally or printed and given in person.
Physical Visa cards are mailed.
Yes. Electronic gift cards can be sent digitally, making HipChip useful when the recipient is in another city, or you need a last-minute gift.
Yes. If you'd rather hand someone the gift, an eligible electronic gift card can be printed and presented in person.
The organizer controls when the gift card is delivered.
That means you can finish collecting contributions ahead of time and still present the gift at the right moment.
HipChip currently advises allowing approximately 5–10 business days for physical Visa gift card delivery.
Plan accordingly if you need the card for a particular event or celebration.
Electronic gift cards make it easy to send a gift to someone who isn't nearby.
However, HipChip's current service and gift card offerings are only for use in the United States, and individual merchant restrictions may apply.
First, double-check the email address and ask the recipient to look in their spam, junk or promotions folders.
If the gift still can't be found, the organizer can resend the gift card to the same or a different email address, or contact HipChip for assistance.
The organizer can access previously ordered electronic gifts through their HipChip account and resend or reprint gift cards.
No problem! The organizer can always reprint and resend the gift card.
A lost or stolen Visa gift card is handled according to the Visa cardholder agreement.
Contact Visa gift-card customer service at 877-610-1075.
First verify the balance, card number, and redemption instructions provided with the gift card.
Because retailer gift cards are issued by their respective merchants, certain redemption questions may need to be handled by that retailer. HipChip Support can help point you in the right direction.
Completed payment transactions are generally considered final. If you believe a contribution was made in error or there is a payment problem, contact HipChip Support promptly. We can usually cancel or change the amount contributed as long as the organizer has not placed the order for the gift card. Once the order is placed, there is very little that we can do.
Cancellation options depend on the status of the collection and whether the final gift-card order has already been placed.
Once gift cards have been ordered or issued, they generally cannot be canceled or refunded.
Expiration rules depend on the gift card selected and the terms established by the issuing retailer.
Check the terms that accompany the particular gift card.
The physical card has a "valid thru" date, but according to the applicable HipChip Visa cardholder terms, the underlying funds do not expire. If funds remain after the card's valid-through date, the cardholder should contact Visa gift-card customer service at 877-610-1075.
A $4.95 monthly maintenance fee begins after the 13th consecutive month with no activity and continues while the card remains inactive and has a balance.
No. HipChip Visa gift cards are not reloadable.
The HipChip Visa gift card is intended for purchases where Visa credit cards are accepted in the United States, subject to the cardholder agreement and any merchant restrictions.
HipChip uses encrypted connections and third-party payment processors designed to meet strict payment-card security requirements.
Full credit-card information is handled by the payment provider rather than stored directly by HipChip.
HipChip does not sell users' email addresses. For complete information about how personal information is collected and used, review HipChip's Privacy Policy.
HipChip needs certain information to process contributions, communicate important information about the group gift, and help the organizer manage the collection.
HipChip's current consumer gifting service is designed for contributions and gift-card redemption in the United States.
Many gift cards available through HipChip are U.S. gift cards and are subject to the individual merchant's U.S. redemption rules.
Check the terms of the particular card before purchasing it for someone outside the United States.
Contact HipChip Support and include as much information as possible about the group gift, such as the organizer's name and the email address associated with the HipChip.
Contact HipChip Support with the email address used for the contribution and enough information to identify the group gift. For your security, never email your full credit card number.
For a HipChip delivery issue, contact HipChip Support.
For a redemption issue involving a particular retailer gift card, the retailer may need to assist directly. For a physical Visa gift card, use the customer-service information included with the card.
Email: info@hipchip.com
Phone: 401-426-CHIP (2447)
We're happy to help with questions about organizing, contributing, ordering, or receiving a HipChip.
