Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Dec 23, 2012, 4:43 pm
#4486
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
Just to add dimension,
Bluebird is just another feather (sorry
) in this strategy - you see opticians, dentists, primary health care, fast food, travel, and even retail banking (operated by contract) - essentially Walmart becomes the new 'center of town', replacing the traditional small town America business district, cramming 3 blocks of independent retailers under the Walmart roof, and now Walmart gets a cut of every retail transaction rung up in these towns.
The entrepreneur side of me is impressed, but the human side of me is disgusted.
Bluebird is just another feather (sorry
) in this strategy - you see opticians, dentists, primary health care, fast food, travel, and even retail banking (operated by contract) - essentially Walmart becomes the new 'center of town', replacing the traditional small town America business district, cramming 3 blocks of independent retailers under the Walmart roof, and now Walmart gets a cut of every retail transaction rung up in these towns.The entrepreneur side of me is impressed, but the human side of me is disgusted.
Bolded above is very true. The latest Wal Mart edition I have seen is an insurance agents office now located inside the Wal Mart Supercenter.
However, it's a bummer with no ATM machines present. (I have never used the BB for ATM anyway, but it would be nice if they had them since they are promoting the BB so heavily now).
Last edited by shoreline; Dec 23, 2012 at 5:07 pm Reason: added ATM info.
Dec 23, 2012, 5:30 pm
#4487
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 118
I can see the VR scheme being worth it for Amex Hilton, SPG and Chase Ink cards. Aside from meeting spending requirements are there any other cards that this would be worth doing this on an ongoing basis? I was hoping to spread the reloads around with non-AMEX cards. Ink is not an option since I use them for real businesses. PM if you prefer.
Dec 23, 2012, 8:19 pm
#4488
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SDF
Programs: UA, HH
Posts: 692
I can see the VR scheme being worth it for Amex Hilton, SPG and Chase Ink cards. Aside from meeting spending requirements are there any other cards that this would be worth doing this on an ongoing basis? I was hoping to spread the reloads around with non-AMEX cards. Ink is not an option since I use them for real businesses. PM if you prefer.
Dec 23, 2012, 9:29 pm
#4489
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: MCO
Programs: AA 1MM, BA, UA, HH Dia, CC Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 795
Dec 23, 2012, 10:41 pm
#4490
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Programs: Hilton Gold, SPG & IHG Plat, & every airline program that I can join
Posts: 2,279
I can see the VR scheme being worth it for Amex Hilton, SPG and Chase Ink cards. Aside from meeting spending requirements are there any other cards that this would be worth doing this on an ongoing basis? I was hoping to spread the reloads around with non-AMEX cards. Ink is not an option since I use them for real businesses. PM if you prefer.
JudyJFLA
Dec 23, 2012, 11:29 pm
#4491
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 118
Not super familiar with VA except that you can transfer to Hilton at 2:1 so you would effectively get 3 Hilton Points per $ which would be comparable to what you can get with the CITI cards. Obviously Hilton card would be best but dumping $60000 a year into drugstore purchases might get someone burned at the stake. Not sure if 3 Hilton points would be worth the trouble and expense.
Dec 24, 2012, 2:27 am
#4492
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
For me, I try to make it so that everything is of me and from me and I cant hardly separate the two. That's probably why I'm not a CEO or a mogul titan of industry.
I guess that's why one of my favorite and most poignant quotes is in the words of the heroine of the film, You’ve Got Mail: “You keep saying it’s not personal, it’s business. What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn’t personal to you. But it was personal to me…Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.”
Dec 24, 2012, 2:46 am
#4493
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
I am sure they do, I just have not seen any ATM machines in the WM's I checked out while I travel or in my area.
I know I have read others here reporting they have them in there area's.
I surely wish I could find them, I might decide to use one every once in a while. I know we have them in a few other places, just not the WM's yet.
Dec 24, 2012, 11:22 am
#4495
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: USairways, Marriot, Hyatt, Hilton, Rapid Rewards
Posts: 36
Just tried to load a reload card and got an error message. I called Incomm and they said there system is overwhelmed andI do in fact have $500 on my reload card. I got nervous that you couldn't load Bluebird anymore with Vanilla Reload because the Amex logo is not on the website but the customer service representative said this wasn't the case and to try again in an hour. We shall see.
Dec 24, 2012, 12:15 pm
#4496
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: UA, JB, DL
Posts: 17
Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Just purchased a few VR's at Walgreens... Credit Card was used, no problem! Cashier said credit or debit fine for VR's, but not for Green Dot... That is CASH ONLY.
Both Walgreens and CVS near my crib have plenty of VRs. Just outside of Detroit.
Both Walgreens and CVS near my crib have plenty of VRs. Just outside of Detroit.
Dec 24, 2012, 1:04 pm
#4497
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Fort Myers, FL
Programs: Hilton Gold, SPG & IHG Plat, & every airline program that I can join
Posts: 2,279
Not super familiar with VA except that you can transfer to Hilton at 2:1 so you would effectively get 3 Hilton Points per $ which would be comparable to what you can get with the CITI cards. Obviously Hilton card would be best but dumping $60000 a year into drugstore purchases might get someone burned at the stake. Not sure if 3 Hilton points would be worth the trouble and expense.
JudyJFLA
Dec 24, 2012, 1:05 pm
#4498
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: USairways, Marriot, Hyatt, Hilton, Rapid Rewards
Posts: 36
Update: Was just able to reload my Bluebird.
Dec 24, 2012, 2:04 pm
#4499
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 613
Is there any limit on the 3 points you can earn?
Is says 3 points per $1 at supermarkets, wonder if safeway stores like Dominicks is considered supermarket.
Dec 24, 2012, 2:06 pm
#4500
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
yes the free citi hilton gives 3 pts per dollar at drugstores, the free amex hilton card gives 6 points per dollar at drugstores, the citi card is not as valuable except for the initial sign up bonus, and the fact it is one of the few cards that can be truely churned ever 65 days