The Miles Professor [deletes post on Mall VGC]
Aug 19, 2014, 9:56 am
#121
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
I am still waiting for the answer to:
We are all waiting holding our breath to get the answer on this:
How many cards does the FTG "Tool" recommend if I'm a noob and just want a cash back card? 7? And none are cash back?
Thanks for the entertainment! At least we stay true to our blog's mission to primarily entertain, educate and even inspire rarely while other blogs lie on their mission statement as they pump their readers with crappy content and disgusting non stop credit card marketing barrages every single day.
Aug 19, 2014, 11:11 am
#122
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,597
The outrage displayed on the topic is way over the top for a $50 statement credit or 10K miles lost by using the wrong link. In a perfect world we all want to think we got the best deal, but it just doesn't happen. Does it make it right? No, but you'd save just as much by keeping a close eye on your insurance agent, auto repair guy, financial advisor, lawyer and the list goes on and on.
I know many here hate the concept of accepting personal accountability for their actions as they think somebody should save them from the big bad bloggers, but the only way to do that, is to look out for yourself.
I know many here hate the concept of accepting personal accountability for their actions as they think somebody should save them from the big bad bloggers, but the only way to do that, is to look out for yourself.
Further, if a hotel frequency program took 10k more points for an award stay than they should have, I'd be outraged. Livid. Screaming chastity raped. Same thing if an airline charged me $50 extra on a ticket just because they thought I wasn't paying careful enough attention. Ripping me off 'just a little' is still ripping me off.
Aug 19, 2014, 4:40 pm
#123
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 61
Oh, horse pucky. You've got anecdotal talk about one guy. The first post claimed it was "at least $100K". Another chimed in with more info and said $20-$40K. So one guy was only exaggerating 2.5-5x? And others chimed in - all MSing the same store - a very popular store by all indications. Yet that's your proof??
And what about all the other WMs in the area that already stopped accepting gcs? You think it was that one guy causing all the problems, or the sheer volume of people seeking out ways to load their BBs (formerly loaded with VRs?) and now swiping multiple times with OV cards because they are too clueless? I know from my talk with a local WM Store Manager that it was the volume of PEOPLE that he couldn't take - was taking too much of their employee's time for minuscule revenue ($2K transactions all day long for $1.88 or $1.40 doesn't cover overhead, even with their min wage slave employees).
As for you utilizing bloggers for links for CC, it's legitimate if they are the ONLY source of those best offers. But that's almost never the case - much of the time they are inferior. And even IF the same, why would you gift some blogger $100, $200, $300 just to sign up for a card using his link? It's YOUR credit that's important, so you should be getting the benefit, not the pimp pushing the link in your face a hundred times. And the pimp is usually simply regurgitating info that's readily available on FT and dozens of other sites that aren't pimping.
And what about all the other WMs in the area that already stopped accepting gcs? You think it was that one guy causing all the problems, or the sheer volume of people seeking out ways to load their BBs (formerly loaded with VRs?) and now swiping multiple times with OV cards because they are too clueless? I know from my talk with a local WM Store Manager that it was the volume of PEOPLE that he couldn't take - was taking too much of their employee's time for minuscule revenue ($2K transactions all day long for $1.88 or $1.40 doesn't cover overhead, even with their min wage slave employees).
As for you utilizing bloggers for links for CC, it's legitimate if they are the ONLY source of those best offers. But that's almost never the case - much of the time they are inferior. And even IF the same, why would you gift some blogger $100, $200, $300 just to sign up for a card using his link? It's YOUR credit that's important, so you should be getting the benefit, not the pimp pushing the link in your face a hundred times. And the pimp is usually simply regurgitating info that's readily available on FT and dozens of other sites that aren't pimping.
Also, while I agree that the numbers mentioned are probably over the top (e.g. 100K/visit is likely exaggerated), it does sound although there were people that did say $10K every day. I think everyone here will agree that levels like that are definitely not sustainable for the long-term.
I don’t know why you don’t want to accept that heavy hitters can be just as selfish as bloggers/newbies?
I think it is naive to expect everyone to be “altruistic.” Especially in the Bay Area, there are quite a few people that do MS (vs small towns in the midwest, etc) so that if you want to maximize benefits, slash and burn is the way to go. Even if you try to husband the opportunities to keep them alive for the long-term, there are too many other people around also doing MS, which will end up shutting down the opportunities anyway (once you pass whatever threshold that rings alarm bells at Walmart corporate). As for affiliate links & bloggers, as I said, I have gotten good info from some of the blogs. For example, I appreciate Frequent Miler's gift card laboratory information database. I tend to use Frequent Miler’s links, because he really makes an effort to have only the best links on his blog, e.g. won’t even publish an affiliate link if there is a better non-affiliate offer, and he is not deceptive at all about describing the options. That isn’t true of any of the other Boarding Area bloggers, including those making a big deal about how they will always inform readers of the best available sign-up bonuses. And then you have those blogs that don't even bother with a pretense of looking out for their readers and will actively delete posts pointing that out, which yeah, is pretty selfish behavior.
Aug 19, 2014, 6:51 pm
#125
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
First, I never used this specific store (too far away from me) so don't have any direct info. However, my local Walmart that used to be EXTREMELY friendly has totally stopped accepting gift cards (unless you get a very new employee). One of the money center employees told me that corporate called up the store and yelled at them for the volume of transactions they were processing. Apparently there were a few “heavy hitters” at this store (though definitely nothing like $100K/visit, probably closer to $10-20K once a week). The store was fine for >1 year, but it slowly became the only store in the area that was okay with gift cards and I think finally the volume got too much and caught the attention of Walmart corporate.
Also, while I agree that the numbers mentioned are probably over the top (e.g. 100K/visit is likely exaggerated), it does sound although there were people that did say $10K every day. I think everyone here will agree that levels like that are definitely not sustainable for the long-term.
I don’t know why you don’t want to accept that heavy hitters can be just as selfish as bloggers/newbies? I think it is naive to expect everyone to be “altruistic.” Especially in the Bay Area, there are quite a few people that do MS (vs small towns in the midwest, etc) so that if you want to maximize benefits, slash and burn is the way to go. Even if you try to husband the opportunities to keep them alive for the long-term, there are too many other people around also doing MS, which will end up shutting down the opportunities anyway (once you pass whatever threshold that rings alarm bells at Walmart corporate).
Also, while I agree that the numbers mentioned are probably over the top (e.g. 100K/visit is likely exaggerated), it does sound although there were people that did say $10K every day. I think everyone here will agree that levels like that are definitely not sustainable for the long-term.
I don’t know why you don’t want to accept that heavy hitters can be just as selfish as bloggers/newbies?
I think it is naive to expect everyone to be “altruistic.” Especially in the Bay Area, there are quite a few people that do MS (vs small towns in the midwest, etc) so that if you want to maximize benefits, slash and burn is the way to go. Even if you try to husband the opportunities to keep them alive for the long-term, there are too many other people around also doing MS, which will end up shutting down the opportunities anyway (once you pass whatever threshold that rings alarm bells at Walmart corporate). 
Aug 19, 2014, 7:39 pm
#126
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: United 1K, Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 119
Doubly so when you see the same posters showing disdain for the small fry (the anecdotal "volume of PEOPLE") who studies everything and simply wants a few extra Southwest points. After all, they take up space in the MC line and must be stopped.
Aug 20, 2014, 8:23 am
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Ya know, on another note, a real MSer doesn't do this to "help" other folks. Sorry, but when I am out "shopping" at ms haunts, I don't really love it when the clerk asks me if I know this gal who comes in doing the same thing every few days.
Now, as long as there are just a few of us out there in any given area, it can and does still sustain. But over saturation can kill stores too.
I have helped friends and neighbors who show the propensity to ms at any degree, and I have helped pretty much any pmer here in ft. So i help those who ask--who come to me and who show the real wish or need for something ms.
What i dont think is kosher is when someone (who just HAPPENS to be a blogger with links) says he or she is JUST HELPING people...
Bull!
You are helping toss a net into the ocean to pull as many little fish as you can in, so that a few sign up.
Real msers help their friends fam co-workers or neighbors or some pmers who seem legit (ive gotten and recognized them) and those in their email or other groups. We help those who ask us, not usually the other way around.
Anyone who does it the other way--the mass offering that casts those wide nets--is done for personal blogger gains only
And so who is Selfish now?
Now, as long as there are just a few of us out there in any given area, it can and does still sustain. But over saturation can kill stores too.
I have helped friends and neighbors who show the propensity to ms at any degree, and I have helped pretty much any pmer here in ft. So i help those who ask--who come to me and who show the real wish or need for something ms.
What i dont think is kosher is when someone (who just HAPPENS to be a blogger with links) says he or she is JUST HELPING people...
Bull!
You are helping toss a net into the ocean to pull as many little fish as you can in, so that a few sign up.
Real msers help their friends fam co-workers or neighbors or some pmers who seem legit (ive gotten and recognized them) and those in their email or other groups. We help those who ask us, not usually the other way around.
Anyone who does it the other way--the mass offering that casts those wide nets--is done for personal blogger gains only
And so who is Selfish now?
Aug 21, 2014, 6:21 am
#128
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Aug 21, 2014, 7:01 pm
#129
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: All of Them
Posts: 511
Aug 22, 2014, 4:33 am
#131
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
I'm still waiting to hear back from someone in here who said I sound like I am trying to control all MS things by TELLING people what to post, etc... I asked something along the lines of, "well how do you recommend I write it or say it to present that I am not doing that?"
nuthin.
nuthin.
Aug 22, 2014, 4:55 am
#132
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
I'm still waiting to hear back from someone in here who said I sound like I am trying to control all MS things by TELLING people what to post, etc... I asked something along the lines of, "well how do you recommend I write it or say it to present that I am not doing that?"
nuthin.
nuthin.
If you really want it to not come out that way you should say "Guys, this is a free country, do as you please. I don't like it when you do things your way, but it's your prerogative"
Aug 22, 2014, 5:07 am
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Well there is no answer to that question MM. You can rephrase it, make it more subtle, all stuff I know you are very good at... but you cannot change the underlying message.
If you really want it to not come out that way you should say "Guys, this is a free country, do as you please. I don't like it when you do things your way, but it's your prerogative"
If you really want it to not come out that way you should say "Guys, this is a free country, do as you please. I don't like it when you do things your way, but it's your prerogative"
When it comes to bloggers posting deals that kill, my take on it is, hey people, this is a free country, do as you please. Other MSers and I don't like it when you do those kinds of things in that way, but it's your prerogative to post whatever you want regardless of the all too real deal-killing consequences.
****
Now, as for your advice to me, ma91pmh, you said: "If you really want it to not come out that way you should say..."
here, you are telling ME what to do. Maybe it would be better if it read, "I would say X, but you can type what you want"
Otherwise, you are telling ME what to do. hmmm?
In the end, if we are going to make this a battle of political correctness, grammar and all that crap that ultimately is meant to derail the points at hand, then I don't buy any of it.
My stance remains the same: People would all benefit if deals weren't outed. EvER! (Yeah, people SHOULDN'T out them!)
Aug 22, 2014, 7:48 am
#134
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I'm still waiting to hear back from someone in here who said I sound like I am trying to control all MS things by TELLING people what to post, etc... I asked something along the lines of, "well how do you recommend I write it or say it to present that I am not doing that?"
nuthin.
nuthin.
Aug 22, 2014, 7:51 am
#135
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052