In recent months, the number of ebook download cards has grown considerably. Now, many, if not most, retailers offer their own download card for purchasing ebooks in their stores. However, what seems simple and useful isn't always so straightforward, and many people, even though they want to use this type of card, don't know how. We'll explain step by step how to use an ebook download card. The download card we used is from Tagus or La Casa del Libro , which can be found throughout Spain, as its availability is widespread thanks to the agreement with El Corte Inglés .
What do we buy when we buy a download card?
When you buy a download card, you're not just buying a card; you're also buying money, or rather, depositing it. This deposit is made through the store, so it's VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO THROW AWAY THE RECEIPT, as it contains the download card PIN and serves as proof of purchase. The download card can be used at La Casa del Libro or Tagus Books , although the card itself only mentions Tagus Books. In this example, I've used Tagus Books, but both stores can be used.
How to use the download card in Tagus Books?
If we are not registered, the first thing we have to do is register. In the Payment Methods option , right above the credit card , there is a section that says " Tagus Balance " and " Top Up ". If it is the first time we use it, the Balance will appear blank ; otherwise, it will tell us the money we have left.
To enter the balance of the download card, we must enter the PIN from the purchase receipt in the box that appears after pressing " Recharge ", although it says " Card Number ", after entering the PIN, the amount in the Balance will be updated, depending on the type of download card we have used.
Once we have topped up our balance, we can buy any ebook, as long as we have enough balance, with a single click or " 1-step purchase ".
Problems when using the download card
When I tried to use it, I noticed a bug that, fortunately, the Tagus team was able to fix. If you use the download card directly, without topping up the balance, using the " buy with download card " option, you'll run into problems. It will ask you to enter the Card Number and PIN , but the Card Number doesn't exist, so it will always cause issues. Looking around, I found a workaround that involved entering any card number, but even though I tried several, I could never get the download card to work using this method.
Conclusion
I think the ebook download card system still needs a lot of improvement. And I don't say that because there's only one besides iTunes cards, but because the system is quite cumbersome. Sometimes it asks for the card number (which they actually call a PIN), and other times you go crazy looking for the correct numbers. Although I have to admit, it works as a unique gift. By the way, do you know of any ebook download cards that are easily accessible in Spain? You can share your experiences with them; it could help many users.