Macy's Thanks for Sharing Gift Card Balance

Last updated: March 2026

What Is a Macy's Thanks for Sharing Gift Card — and How Do You Check the Balance?

Picture this: you're cleaning out a drawer and you find a card you completely forgot about. It says "Thanks for Sharing" on it in that classic Macy's font. You have no idea how much is on it — or even if it still works. I've been there. And honestly, figuring out what these cards even are can be half the battle.

Here's the short version: the Thanks for Sharing card is a relic of an old Macy's loyalty program, but the money on it is almost certainly still good. These cards function exactly like standard Macy's gift cards, which means you can check the balance today — even if the program itself has been gone for years.

A Little Background: What Was the Thanks for Sharing Program?

So, what exactly was Thanks for Sharing? It was a paid loyalty program Macy's ran for a number of years. Members paid an annual fee — I believe it was around $25 — and in return they earned a percentage back on their purchases in the form of a reward card. That reward card is what you might now be holding in your hand.

The program was eventually discontinued. I'm not 100% sure of the exact year Macy's pulled the plug on it, but it had been phased out well before Macy's launched its current Star Rewards program. So if you've got one of these cards sitting around, it's probably been a while.

The important thing — and I want to be really clear about this — is that these cards didn't just evaporate when the program ended. Macy's honored them as gift cards, and as far as I've been able to tell, they continue to work like any other Macy's gift card today. (Last verified: March 2026.)

Think about that for a second. A card from a rewards program that no longer exists, potentially sitting in a junk drawer for years, and it might still have real money on it. That's not nothing.

How to Check Your Macy's Thanks for Sharing Card Balance

There are three main ways to do this. I'll walk through each one, because they're not all equally convenient depending on your situation.

Option 1: Check Online at macys.com/giftcard

This is usually the fastest route. Head to macys.com/giftcard and look for the balance check section on the page. You'll need two things: your card number and your PIN.

1. Flip your card over and look for a scratch-off panel — it's usually a silver or gray strip, similar to a lottery ticket
2. Scratch it off carefully to reveal your PIN (typically 4 digits)
3. Also locate your card number on the front or back — it's either 15 or 16 digits long (older Thanks for Sharing cards sometimes have 15)
4. Go to macys.com/giftcard in your browser
5. Enter your card number and PIN in the fields provided
6. Hit the balance check button and your remaining balance should appear

Last time I tried to check a card balance on Macy's site, the page loaded quickly and the result was instant. No account needed, no hoops to jump through. Pretty painless, honestly.

One heads-up: if the scratch-off has already been scratched but you can't make out the PIN, you might have more luck calling or going in-store. The online tool does require that PIN field, so there's no getting around it digitally.

Option 2: Call 1-800-289-6229

Sometimes the phone is just easier. Call 1-800-289-6229 and follow the prompts for gift card balance inquiries. You'll need your card number handy — you may or may not need the PIN over the phone (in my experience, automated phone systems sometimes just ask for the card number, but I could be wrong about whether this line works the same way every time).

This option is especially useful if the scratch-off on your card is damaged or illegible. A real person can sometimes help you in ways the website can't.

Option 3: Check In Store

Walk into any Macy's location and head to a register or the customer service desk. Just hand them the card and ask for the balance. No purchase necessary, no awkward explanations required. In my experience, this is the most foolproof option — especially for older or unusual cards like a Thanks for Sharing reward card that a cashier might not recognize immediately.

If you get a blank stare at the register (which happened to me once with an older-style gift card), just calmly say it's a Macy's gift card and ask them to run it through the system. They should be able to pull up the balance regardless of what's printed on the front.

What About eGift Card Versions?

Some Thanks for Sharing rewards were issued electronically. If yours was delivered by email, dig up that original email — it should contain either a direct link to check the balance or a card number and code you can use at macys.com/giftcard. The process is the same once you have those details.

No Expiration Dates. No Fees. (Yes, Really.)

Here's the thing: a lot of people assume old gift cards have expired or lost value over time. With Macy's, that's just not the case. Macy's gift cards — including Thanks for Sharing reward cards — don't expire. Ever. And there are no dormancy fees that chip away at your balance while the card sits unused.

So even if this card has been in that drawer since 2014, whatever balance was on it when you last used it (or never used it) should still be there. That's genuinely good news.

Is this true of every retailer? Absolutely not. Some store gift cards do have inactivity fees after 12 months of non-use. Macy's is actually one of the better ones in this regard.

What If the Card Doesn't Work?

Okay, so what happens if you try all of the above and the card comes back with a zero balance — or worse, an error message? A few things could explain it.

• The balance was already spent: If someone in your household used it and you forgot, the balance might legitimately be zero
• Card number entry errors: Double-check that you've entered all 15 or 16 digits correctly — it's easy to misread a worn card
• System issues: Macy's website occasionally has hiccups; try calling or going in-store to confirm
• The card is too damaged to read: If the card number itself is worn off, call customer service with whatever partial information you have — they may be able to look it up

When in doubt, go in store. A physical register check is the most reliable way to verify a card's status, especially for older cards with non-standard formats.

Bottom Line

Finding an old Macy's Thanks for Sharing card is actually kind of a nice surprise — because unlike a lot of forgotten loyalty perks, this one probably still has real value waiting for you. The program is gone, but the card isn't worthless. It's a Macy's gift card in every meaningful sense, and Macy's has done right by cardholders by keeping those balances intact with no expiration date and no fees eating away at them over time.

Checking the balance takes about two minutes. Online at macys.com/giftcard is quickest if you have your card number and PIN ready. If not, a quick call to 1-800-289-6229 or a trip to any Macy's customer service desk will get you the same information without any fuss. Either way, don't let that card sit in a drawer any longer — go find out what it's worth.