S.P.A.M. - Starbucks app $20 for a $25 reload

Just got in the mail:

Get $5 when you reload your Starbucks Card on your phone with a Visa card.

That's right: Reload your Starbucks Card, on your Visa®(R) card and Starbucks app, for at least $20, and we'll give you an extra $5.

This deal ends August 24, 2012.

To be eligible for the $5 offer, you must reload a registered Starbucks Card for a minimum of $20 using a valid Visa Card and your Starbucks mobile application by 11:59 p.m. PST on August 24, 2012. Only one $5 bonus load per Visa account is allowed. Bonus will be applied to the reloaded Starbucks Card during the week of August 27, 2012. Limited time offer.

Reloaded $20x3 with three different VISA cards. That's a nice instant 25% investment :)

Title is a bit misleading. It's $20 for a $25 reload, right?

Maybe a U.S. only promo as I haven't received it yet and was pestering everyone at work, well those who are Starbucks fans, and nobody else had receive it either.

Title is a bit misleading. It's $20 for a $25 reload, right?

Correct.

Link has official details:

http://ebm.e.starbucks.com/c/tag/hBQLDR$AJvkyvB8te4aACvjQQ5w/doc.html?t_params=EMAIL%3Dmakingcentsofit%2540gmai l.com&utm_source=msr&utm_medium=email&utm_content=hosted&utm_campaign=visa-reload

Thanks for the link, drewguy. Wondering if this will count as 2x miles on my MP UA Visa since its towards food. (Probably not.) Either way, its much better than the ridiculous games groceries stores (Kroger, Giant) play with gas rebates on CGs for a 2% RoI.

Ok, I have to admit that I didn't look that hard but I did peruse the starbucks card site and didn't see an obvious answer. I seem to remember from about 7 years ago that these cards might be usable outside of the country of purchase.

How long does it take for the extra $5 to show up?

How long does it take for the extra $5 to show up?

"Bonus will be applied to the reloaded Starbucks Card during the week of August 27, 2012." (small print at bottom of prior posted link)

Thanks OP. Extra $5 I can spend to achieve Starbucks Gold! Only 10 more stars away :)

I just found this link from Slickdeals for extra $10 when you *auto-reload* for $25 using a Visa. The former offer is just *reload* but you cancel the auto-reload after you get your $10 added.

http://ebm.e.starbucks.com/c/tag/hBQLDSCAJvkyvB8te5HNsnDLR3q/doc.html

I just found this link from Slickdeals for extra $10 when you *auto-reload* for $25 using a Visa. The former offer is just *reload* but you cancel the auto-reload after you get your $10 added.

Good find, thanks. I had a $0 balance. I set 2x Visa CCs at $20 each to trip the first bonus and then set the auto-load to kick in when my balance fell below $40. My math: $20 bonus for spending $65 and no expiration date. ^

I reload for $10/week on my phone anyways via the Android app. Any idea if this promo also applies to the Android app, or just the iPhone app?

Ok, I have to admit that I didn't look that hard but I did peruse the starbucks card site and didn't see an obvious answer. I seem to remember from about 7 years ago that these cards might be usable outside of the country of purchase.

Yes and no - some countries (Malaysia comes to mind) run their own Starbucks card programs, and these aren't interchangeable with the USA/Canada system. Starbucks cards work in Australia for certain (I was just there), and IIRC, the UK as well. They do NOT work in New Zealand (seperate system), Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, or Japan.

Has anyone seen the bonus $5 appear? I have not, and we are past the week of August 27.

Has anyone seen the bonus $5 appear? I have not, and we are past the week of August 27.

Nada with any of the Visas I used on any of the promos. I imagine they will hit in a few days, admittedly past the announced time.

Nada with any of the Visas I used on any of the promos. I imagine they will hit in a few days, admittedly past the announced time.

I thought the bonus was supposed to be added to the starbucks card ... no?

I thought the bonus was supposed to be added to the starbucks card ... no?

"supposed to," yes. But I usually don't start ringing the bell till 1 full business week after any "supposed to" posting date.

I guess this is a Visa issue vice a Starbucks issue.

I jumped on this with a few of my VISA cards, but only one $5 bonus credit has appeared so far.

Just sent an email to both Chase and Citi, the backers of my Visas. We'll see what they have to say re: still not posted a week+ after the fact.

Did three different reloads with three different Visa cards. No $5 bonuses appeared. I called Starbux CS yesterday. She offered to give me a $5 credit on my Starbux card. I pressed for $15. She read the fine print and after giving me spiel about what the intent of the offer was vs. the fine print *yawn* she reluctantly put a $15 credit on my account. What a whiner!

Anyway--if you have not gotten your credit, call. If you did more than one reload, press. The fine print is on your side.

I did have a $5 bonus. However, I added $20 three times from different visa cards, and got the bonus only once.

I did have a $5 bonus. However, I added $20 three times from different visa cards, and got the bonus only once.

Call them and be insistent. The fine print is on your side.

Bottom line: Like pulling teeth, but they will credit you (somewhat) :td:

Visa (Citi and Chase) CSRs directed me to Starbucks CSR.

The initial Starbucks CSR was very unhelpful but seemed familiar with auto-reload promo. After 10 minutes of listening to The Black Keys on speakerphone, the Supervisor ("Joe" with no direct extension and no employee number) told me, "Only one $5 bonus load per Starbucks card is allowed" *OR* "only one $10 bonus reload per Starbucks card is allowed."

I politely reminded "Joe" that his statements were not reflected in published T&Cs where it stated, "Only one $5 bonus load *per Visa account* is allowed." There was nothing prohibiting multiple promos for the same Starbucks card or using multiple Visa cards.

After a short back and forth talking about the reasonable expectation for a company to honor a published deal as written (vs as intended), he begrudgingly gave me both promos ($25 for $20 and the $10 reload) for my Citi Visa. He would not budge on posting dollars for multiple Visa cards tied to a single Starbucks account even though there's nothing in the T&Cs to prohibit multiple Visas. He insisted he was right about the ban on multiple Visas, and I wasn't in the mood to go toe-to-toe for another 10 minutes over $5, though T&C were on my side. I plan to shoot a quick SM to Starbucks re: 2nd Visa this PM with only limited expectation anything gets posted.

I'm sure Starbucks will tighten up its language next promo.

In the meantime, ~3 free drinks to get me past the 2:30 hump (and I have to remember to cancel the auto-reload).

For those who don't want to waste lots of time on the phone, I suspect that Starbucks might respond with the same kind of alacrity to a BBB complaint that FTD did. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19277911-post24.html)

Interesting. I was told something similar - I did Visa card 1 on sbux card A and visa card 2 on subx card B. I told them I used different visas and different sbux cards, and received only one $5 (on $20 reload) bonus.

I'm going to call again to work on the other card. I'm guessing they won't realize the overlap.

I jumped on this with a few of my VISA cards, but only one $5 bonus credit has appeared so far.

Just as a follow-up to my OP above, I was also able to get the remaining $5 credits posted by calling in. The CSR was already familiar with the VISA promo issue (maybe they've been getting lots of similar calls), and was very courteous and fast. ^

For those who don't want to waste lots of time on the phone, I suspect that Starbucks might respond with the same kind of alacrity to a BBB complaint that FTD did. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19277911-post24.html)

Good to know. I think I might play that card for a situation where the stakes are higher.

...Starbucks deposited $15 on my card and apologized for the confusion (though never admitted multiple Visa cards was a valid tact :D )

Interesting. I was told something similar - I did Visa card 1 on sbux card A and visa card 2 on subx card B. I told them I used different visas and different sbux cards, and received only one $5 (on $20 reload) bonus.

I'm going to call again to work on the other card. I'm guessing they won't realize the overlap.

I called a second time to get the second $5 credit. No questions about already receiving one credit, but the hold time and time it took to process was very frustrating.

I emailed Starbucks three days ago and today received a response crediting my $5.