Hi my gift card has not been properly activated... what should I do?

Take it back to the store you bought it from and ask them to activate it properly. If they can't or won't do so try contacting iTunes Support (they are likely to want to see images of the front and back of the card and its receipt) : http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/ww 

If you haven't already done so contact iTunes Support as instructed to do e.g. via the link that I gave you - these are user forums, not iTunes Support, not that site