Frequently asked questions
Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about buying and spending National Book Tokens.
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National Book Tokens gift cards are sold and can be spent (along with e-gift cards) in bookshops across the UK and Ireland. This includes Waterstones, WHSmith (excluding Travel outlets in stations and Airport locations), Blackwell's, Foyles, Eason, Dubray, Bookstation, O’Mahony’s, and participating local independent bookshops.
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National Book Tokens gift cards (and e-gift cards) can also be spent online at bookshop.org, blackwells.co.uk, foyles.co.uk, hatchards.co.uk, LoveReading.co.uk, LoveReading4Kids.co.uk and waterstones.com (UK), bookstation.ie, omahonys.ie, and blackwells.co.uk (Ireland), and at a number of independent bookshops across both the UK and Ireland.
Learn more where to spend online
Please note: National Book Tokens gift cards cannot be spent on the WHSmith website, in supermarkets, or on Amazon. To spend online, you'll need both the gift card number and PIN. Older paper gift vouchers (paper National Book Tokens) cannot be spent online and can only be used in bookshops.
Simply take your gift card (or e-gift card) to the till and use it as you would any gift card or voucher. The bookshop will deduct your purchase amount from the gift card’s value and give the gift card back to you. The gift card can be used any number of times until all the balance is used, and you can also top it up with value.
For e-gift cards, simply show it on your mobile device (or print it out).
To add a gift card to your digital wallet, do a balance check and follow the on-screen instructions.
To spend a gift card online, you will need the 19-digit card number (enter this without spaces) and PIN. Find out which bookshops accept National Book Tokens online. Please note that each bookshop website is different. If you're unsure, it's best to contact the bookshop for help.
Please note: National Book Tokens gift cards cannot currently be spent on the WHSmith website, in supermarkets, or on Amazon. To spend online, you'll need both the gift card number and PIN. Older paper gift vouchers (paper National Book Tokens) cannot be spent online and can only be used in bookshops.
National Book Tokens gift cards (and e-gift cards) can be exchanged for all kinds of books, from bestselling new fiction to reference and school textbooks, second-hand books and maps. National Book Tokens cannot be exchanged for comics, magazines, stationery or other non-book items.
Books will always have an ISBN number. If in doubt, please ask a bookseller.
If your National Book Tokens gift card (or e-gift card) is not used for a period of 96 consecutive months (8 years), it will expire and you will not be able to use the value on it. It is our current policy to replace expired gift cards (conditions apply). To ensure that a gift card remains active, you either need to use it to purchase a book, have it topped up or simply perform a balance check.
Please note, some older gift cards (sold before October 2015) expire after 24 months of inactivity – we are happy to replace these for you.
You can check your National Book Tokens gift card (and e-gift card) value at any time. You will need the 19-digit gift card number and the 3-digit PIN (you can find this on the back of your gift card, or displayed on your e-gift card). You can check your gift card’s value by using the online balance checker, by asking instore at your nearest bookshop or by contacting us.
National Book Tokens gift cards (and e-gift cards) can be topped up with any amount up to the maximum value of £250 or €250 for Euro gift cards, by taking your gift card to your nearest bookshop where you can put more value on it.
We regret that Co-Op issued gift cards can no longer be topped up.
Yes, National Book Tokens paper gift vouchers do not have an expiry date and you can continue to redeem these in any participating bookshop (check ‘Accepts paper vouchers’).
Please note that paper gift vouchers cannot be spent online. In order to have your vouchers exchanged, please post them to us and we will transfer the balance onto an e-gift card.
Please post your paper vouchers to Customer Services, Book Tokens Ltd, 6 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR. Remember to include your full name, postal address and email address. Please also indicate if you would prefer a physical card to be posted to you.
Visit our help centre
Find information about how and where to buy and spend our gift cards, how to check your online orders, and how to manage your account and personal details.
