Whole Foods Gift Card Churning Opportunities
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 290
Whole Foods Gift Card Churning Opportunities
Whole Foods is currently offering a $10 bonus for gift card auto reloads of $100 from January 7, 2013 to March 31, 2013 for your first auto reload to a Whole Foods Gift Card for $100. More in here on their official site.
Whole Foods GC's sell for 91% on Cardpool and Plastic Jungle. Pair that with TopCashBack and you will end up making money. Takes some effort but can be a potential perpetual gift card churn. I analyzed two credit card payouts, bonus only works for AMEX cards.
American Express Gold Premier Card (50K bonus right now)
Total Payout without TCB = $130 * 91% = $118.30. Total cost = $120 118.30 = -$1.70 for 240 MR points.
Total Payout with TCB @ 2.5% = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 2.5% = $2.95) = $121.25 = $1.25 profit and 240 MR points.
Total Payout with TCB @ 4% (limited to $1k) = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 4% = $4.73) = $123.03= $4.73 profit and 240 MR points.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card ($250 Bonus)
Total Payout without TCB = $130 * 91% = $118.30. Total cost = $120 118.30 = -$1.70 + (6% * $120) = $5.50
Total Payout with TCB @ 2.5% = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 2.5% = $2.95) = $121.25 = $1.25 + $7.20 = $8.45
Total Payout with TCB @ 4% (limited to $1k) = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 4% = $4.73) = $123.03= $4.73 profit + $7.20 = $11.93.
Feel free to ask questions or post ideas. Other CC options include AMEX Hilton or AMEX SPG, but I feel the AMEX Gold and Blue Cash are the best options.
Whole Foods GC's sell for 91% on Cardpool and Plastic Jungle. Pair that with TopCashBack and you will end up making money. Takes some effort but can be a potential perpetual gift card churn. I analyzed two credit card payouts, bonus only works for AMEX cards.
American Express Gold Premier Card (50K bonus right now)
Total Payout without TCB = $130 * 91% = $118.30. Total cost = $120 118.30 = -$1.70 for 240 MR points.
Total Payout with TCB @ 2.5% = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 2.5% = $2.95) = $121.25 = $1.25 profit and 240 MR points.
Total Payout with TCB @ 4% (limited to $1k) = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 4% = $4.73) = $123.03= $4.73 profit and 240 MR points.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card ($250 Bonus)
Total Payout without TCB = $130 * 91% = $118.30. Total cost = $120 118.30 = -$1.70 + (6% * $120) = $5.50
Total Payout with TCB @ 2.5% = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 2.5% = $2.95) = $121.25 = $1.25 + $7.20 = $8.45
Total Payout with TCB @ 4% (limited to $1k) = $130 *91% + ($118.30 * 4% = $4.73) = $123.03= $4.73 profit + $7.20 = $11.93.
Feel free to ask questions or post ideas. Other CC options include AMEX Hilton or AMEX SPG, but I feel the AMEX Gold and Blue Cash are the best options.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,884
Am I overlooking something?
Since the $10 is only paid once per AMEX, a "perpetual churn" seems harder to me than implied. You'd have to buy a new gift card and auto-reload three times to get the $5 bonus. You also must spend a little at Whole Foods between every reload. Then sell the card to yourself online. If you get 4% plus 2.5%, you end up buying points at a good rate. If you only get 2.5% plus 2.5%, it doesn't seem as good but the loss isn't bad to meet a threshold. I don't know MR very well and mostly based this on starpoints. Why is MR better?
Since the $10 is only paid once per AMEX, a "perpetual churn" seems harder to me than implied. You'd have to buy a new gift card and auto-reload three times to get the $5 bonus. You also must spend a little at Whole Foods between every reload. Then sell the card to yourself online. If you get 4% plus 2.5%, you end up buying points at a good rate. If you only get 2.5% plus 2.5%, it doesn't seem as good but the loss isn't bad to meet a threshold. I don't know MR very well and mostly based this on starpoints. Why is MR better?
Last edited by rrgg; Feb 28, 2013 at 8:33 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 290
Am I overlooking something?
Since the $10 is only paid once per AMEX, a "perpetual churn" seems harder to me than implied. You'd have to buy a new gift card and auto-reload three times to get the $5 bonus. You also must spend a little at Whole Foods between every reload. Then sell the card to yourself online. If you get 4% plus 2.5%, you end up buying points at a good rate. If you only get 2.5% plus 2.5%, it doesn't seem as good but the loss isn't bad to meet a threshold. I don't know MR very well and mostly based this on starpoints. Why is MR better?
Since the $10 is only paid once per AMEX, a "perpetual churn" seems harder to me than implied. You'd have to buy a new gift card and auto-reload three times to get the $5 bonus. You also must spend a little at Whole Foods between every reload. Then sell the card to yourself online. If you get 4% plus 2.5%, you end up buying points at a good rate. If you only get 2.5% plus 2.5%, it doesn't seem as good but the loss isn't bad to meet a threshold. I don't know MR very well and mostly based this on starpoints. Why is MR better?
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,878
Has anyone verified that online purchases of these giftcards or the auto-reloads are coded as supermarket transactions?
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,884
(I've actually been auto-reloading since around last fall to get the $5. The offer has been around, it's just that Whole Foods or AMEX is now promoting it.)
#9
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
opps reread and now my post does not make sence
#10
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,727
I don't think you need to buy a giftcard online at a discount. To me it sounds like you get the $10 off your first reload of $100 and once per AMEX card. I have three Amex cards and plan to buy three $5 gift cards at my local WFM. I'll then set up one Amex on each card to autoreload for $100. Thus when I deplete the $5 it will reload $100 and I'll either receive $110 on the card or only be charged $90 and get $100 on the card. No need to do TCB or plastic jungle etc to get the $10.
#11
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,884
I don't think you need to buy a giftcard online at a discount. To me it sounds like you get the $10 off your first reload of $100 and once per AMEX card. I have three Amex cards and plan to buy three $5 gift cards at my local WFM. I'll then set up one Amex on each card to autoreload for $100. Thus when I deplete the $5 it will reload $100 and I'll either receive $110 on the card or only be charged $90 and get $100 on the card. No need to do TCB or plastic jungle etc to get the $10.
However what you described is a one-time thing. romsdeals3 is trying to continuously load cards and buying and reselling them in order to increase spending. By using TCB you can reduce the expense of doing so.
Last edited by rrgg; Feb 28, 2013 at 1:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 367
Check T&Cs - one bonus per Amex card
From WF site:
So, limited by a number of Amex accounts you have, though might also work for AUs
Bonuses only apply to the first Whole Foods Market gift card set up for reload with each American Express Card, even if you reload multiple Whole Foods Market gift cards.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 290