Understanding eCommDirect for Terrell Unit: Quarterly Limits, Fees, and What You Can Buy

eCommDirect caps purchases by quarter, so think in three-month chunks rather than weekly spending. The limit is $70.00 for January–March, $70.00 for April–June, and $70.00 for July–September. October–December is the exception - the holiday quarter bumps up to $95.00. The store typically carries around 100 top-selling items: snacks, hygiene products, correspondence supplies. That gives you flexibility to focus your budget on what your loved one actually needs.

Every eCommDirect commissary purchase carries a $3.75 transaction fee. That's per order - split your purchases across multiple orders and you'll pay the fee each time.

Depositing money to an inmate's account through eCommDirect costs $2.50 plus 2.25% of the deposit amount. The fee scales with how much you add, so check the total before you hit submit.

Once TDCJ receives the purchase details, merchandise typically reaches the inmate within five business days. That timeline can stretch - unit security needs or staffing issues sometimes delay deliveries. If you're ordering for a specific occasion, build in extra time so a delay doesn't leave your loved one waiting.

Before you can place an eCommDirect order for someone at the Terrell Unit, you have to be an approved sender. One way to become approved is for the inmate to add you to their Approved Visitation List. If you’re already approved to visit, that often lines up with what eCommDirect needs.

Not on the visitation list? You can also become an approved sender by registering your phone through Securus. Go to texasprisonphone.com and complete the registration using the inmate's TDCJ ID number - this places you on the Approved Phone List. Once you're on either the Approved Visitation List or the Approved Phone List, you qualify as an approved sender for eCommDirect.