Did I say promo anywhere above when I was speaking of gift cheques? NO

Just because one thing was available before two thing else was eliminated does not mean that one thing did not replace two thing, especially if one thing falls into the same niche as two thing used to, which in this case gift cards does.

If a MR member wishes to "purchase" $$$, it used to be possible with EITHER gift cheques OR gift cards, but now that gift cheques have gone away, there is only one way to do it now, with gift cards, which means that gift cards have supplanted gift cheques.

There used to be a discount for Plat members to buy gift cheques, at 135,000 MR points for $1,000 in gift cheques. But now that gift cheques have gone away, there is no longer a discount for Plats. Additionally, in 2012, the cost of a $1,000 gift card for all MR members, including Plats, was 190,000 MR points, but in 2013, the cost is now 204,000 MR points.