DM shopping mall [master thread]
#16
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 109
Buy something from Amazon that you were going to buy anyway. But just use the mall to get there. Simple. In previous years I too bought B&N gift cards as well as Sears gift cards. As long as it doesn't say "no miles earned on gift card purchases" you should be fine.
I used an Amazon gift card to buy something from Amazon through the DM Mall link and the 30 miles posted. But apparently YMMV based on Nikolaos' experience.
I used an Amazon gift card to buy something from Amazon through the DM Mall link and the 30 miles posted. But apparently YMMV based on Nikolaos' experience.
I was hoping someone had used a giftcard to purchase through a DM Mall partner and were awarded miles.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: USA
Programs: US,DL,UA,Wyndham,Hilton,IHG,Choice
Posts: 11
Gift card purchases
There seems to be a lot of confusion and questioning regarding gift card purchases. Merchant T&C's often state "no mileage awarded for gift card purchases." But in my experience, this means buying the card itself, not buying an item WITH a card you already have.
Specifically, many merchants will deny mileage when BUYING a gift card. The reason being, you're not actually buying an item. You're depositing money so that someone ELSE can buy item(s) at a later date. All you've done is converted money from one form to another. If they gave you miles for the card... and you later used the card to buy something and got more miles, you'd essentially be "double dipping." I think THAT is what they are trying to prevent, since miles cost them money.
There SHOULD be no problems with REDEEMING a gift card, i.e., using funds that you already have on a gift card to make a purchase of an actual product. A merchant would be foolish to deny you miles for that. A gift card is as good as cash, since they already have the funds "on deposit" for you.
I would strongly recommend that you NOT try to buy gift cards and hope to get DM credit for them. (Last year, Home Depot allowed me credit for a gift card I bought for my father. It was the only store I remember that actually did allow that, and even that may have been a fluke.) But there is no valid reason for a merchant to withhold miles for a purchase of an actual item, that you paid for with a gift card.
Having said all of that, YMMV. Read the T&C of every merchant. Carefully. And then read it again. Lawyers are sneaky. It wouldn't hurt to ask in advance, and to document the details of the conversation in case you need it later.
Oh, and as has been commented elsewhere in this thread, don't try to use coupons in conjunction with mileage offers unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure you have read the T&C and it says it is allowed. Remember, miles cost the merchant money. If you reduce their profit margin with a coupon, you also reduce the chance of getting the miles. Merchants exist to make profit, not to give away miles as pure good will.
Specifically, many merchants will deny mileage when BUYING a gift card. The reason being, you're not actually buying an item. You're depositing money so that someone ELSE can buy item(s) at a later date. All you've done is converted money from one form to another. If they gave you miles for the card... and you later used the card to buy something and got more miles, you'd essentially be "double dipping." I think THAT is what they are trying to prevent, since miles cost them money.
There SHOULD be no problems with REDEEMING a gift card, i.e., using funds that you already have on a gift card to make a purchase of an actual product. A merchant would be foolish to deny you miles for that. A gift card is as good as cash, since they already have the funds "on deposit" for you.
I would strongly recommend that you NOT try to buy gift cards and hope to get DM credit for them. (Last year, Home Depot allowed me credit for a gift card I bought for my father. It was the only store I remember that actually did allow that, and even that may have been a fluke.) But there is no valid reason for a merchant to withhold miles for a purchase of an actual item, that you paid for with a gift card.
Having said all of that, YMMV. Read the T&C of every merchant. Carefully. And then read it again. Lawyers are sneaky. It wouldn't hurt to ask in advance, and to document the details of the conversation in case you need it later.
Oh, and as has been commented elsewhere in this thread, don't try to use coupons in conjunction with mileage offers unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure you have read the T&C and it says it is allowed. Remember, miles cost the merchant money. If you reduce their profit margin with a coupon, you also reduce the chance of getting the miles. Merchants exist to make profit, not to give away miles as pure good will.
#18
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
I would strongly recommend that you NOT try to buy gift cards and hope to get DM credit for them. (Last year, Home Depot allowed me credit for a gift card I bought for my father. It was the only store I remember that actually did allow that, and even that may have been a fluke.) But there is no valid reason for a merchant to withhold miles for a purchase of an actual item, that you paid for with a gift card.
The problem now is that in the past year the mall has been completely redesigned, there are countless partner stores now and that info about gift cards (with a yes or a no to miles) isn't there.
For that reason, I would ignore gift cards entirely - including the three stores referenced above - for 2011. Thanks to Amazon it's a near certainty you can find something useful at an acceptable price anyhow if no other mall partner is of interest.
#19
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Priority Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 38
I just placed an Amazon.com order today for $30, with $10 on an existing gift card and $20 on my credit card. I'll let you know how many miles post.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,464
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,643
#22
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: LAX
Posts: 2,851
Newbie for U.S. frequent flier, U.S. Dividend Credit card and Grand Slam promotion.
Will be receiving my card in the mail within a couple of weeks I hope. I just opened a frequent flier with U.S. Airways and enrolled in E-Miles.
Do I need to enroll in Skymall and Dividend Miles Shopping mall before September 14, 2012. Any bonuses for signing up?
Thanks
Will be receiving my card in the mail within a couple of weeks I hope. I just opened a frequent flier with U.S. Airways and enrolled in E-Miles.
Do I need to enroll in Skymall and Dividend Miles Shopping mall before September 14, 2012. Any bonuses for signing up?
Thanks
#23
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 441
No enrollment required. Just be sure to log into your Dividend Miles account at USAirways.com and then use the site's links to redirect to Skymall and Shopping Mall.
#24
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Houston
Programs: AA Plat Pro, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 206
I was doing a little browsing this evening to plan what I may purchase once Sept. 14 rolls around. I saw that Skymall sells Marriott Giftcards. Would those qualify? I could get an easy hit for some money I will spend at Marriott anyway this year.
#25
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 1,627
I'd start by looking at any limitations mentioned when you follow the link to SKyMall from the US Airways Dividend Miles web page.
#26
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BZN
Programs: AA:LT Platinum DL:LT Gold UA:1P MAR:LT Titanium
Posts: 8,289
*Spending* gift cards/certs, however, always counts... they are treated no differently than cash when paying for a purchase.
#28
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: US CP, MR Plat, SPG Plat, HHonors Gold, National X
Posts: 917
UPDATE!!! My miles from my purchases on Amazon using a gift card posted today!! It took a little bit more time, but they are finally here!!
Guess that it won't be a problem to use a gift card to make a hit through Shopping Mall!!
Guess that it won't be a problem to use a gift card to make a hit through Shopping Mall!!
#29
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 109
Just to be clear, your whole purchase was paid for using a gift card, correct?