How to purchase a gift certificate in iTunes store

certificategiftitunes-store

My iTunes version is 11.1.3.8 (downloaded and installed today) and this is on Windows 7 x64. Locale is Iceland, recipient locale is Germany. The gift certificate is intended to be used for in-app purchases.

The question is really as simple as in the title: how can I purchase a gift certificate (not a gift card) via the iTunes store? See here and here.

Whenever I follow the link to buy a gift certificate, I am being redirected to the download for iTunes. However, iTunes – latest version – is installed. This is Windows and I have tried Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera to follow the link. Apparently some magic is supposed to happen (iTunes is to start or to point to the correct URL or whatever), but doesn't.

The link in question

All support/FAQ entries only explain how to redeem a gift certificate, but I have found none that explains how to purchase it in the first place.

So how can I do it, if the search for gift certificate in the iTunes store doesn't yield the item from Apple I am looking for?

What "magic" search term do I have to use to complete this seemingly trivial task?

Progress with the one answer from bmike. This KB article describes the process and has screenshots. However, my quick links look like this (included the top bar so it's visible that I am in the Home "tab"):

The actual quick links I get to see

Best Answer

In many countries, you can easily do this from iTunes when signed in to a valid account with a credit card entered. I've never gifted to an account foreign to the US, so these steps are only proofed for the US store.

On a computer:

  • open iTunes and connect the computer to the internet.
  • from the Store menu - select Home (Command-Shift-H on OS X)
  • scroll down a bit on the right hand side and click "Send iTunes Gifts"
  • fill out the gift form to email a gift

You can also send gifts from iOS iTunes Store:

  • open the App
  • tap any of the icons at the bottom (except Genius, Purchased or Downloads)
  • swipe the content up to see the bottom of the page
  • tap on Send Gift at the bottom right
  • fill out the gift form to email a gift

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Fill out the form or at the bottom of the page is a link to a FAQ on gifting. It has links to the web store for gifting if you wish to check out in a web browser or from a computer without iTunes installed. Here is that link for the US store (but looking at it, it might be fragile and change from time to time):

As you have discovered, the web store only sends physical gift cards for iTunes and physical gift cards for the Apple Stores (retail, online) and not certificates that can be emailed. Only iTunes will email certificates directly to your chosen recipients.

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