Aug 2, 2013, 6:51 pm
Last edit by: CWAL
A new thread was created for the new year in 2017. This is the old thread. For the 2017 on this topic, go here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1819562-cvs-master-thread-2017-a.html
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS master thread(2013-2016)
Feb 10, 2014, 6:20 am
#4262
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 203
I try to make sure to give CVS some business too. I fill prescriptions there now. Also, between their Extra Bucks, the coupons they send me and their sales, its not hard to pick up a few household items or medicine that I would buy anyway. I'm not there everyday though. Prepaids at grocery stores are more $, but far more convenient for me, as CVS is out of the way, while there are 3 grocery stores I can hit after work and Walmart is not far out of the way. Depends on how much time I have.
Feb 10, 2014, 6:29 am
#4263
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: DL DM Hub Captive, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, PC Plat, and other stuff.
Posts: 904
One of these days, if a cashier asks me why I'm buying these, I'm gonna point to the rolls of toilet paper that's also part of my purchase, and say "to wipe my butt".
Feb 10, 2014, 7:14 am
#4264
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 14
Someone asked me the other day why I was buying $2k in VRs. I said ....uhhhh.... then he was like "what, are you a gamer or something?" I was like "yeah, you know, I don't want to expose my real CC on my account in case it gets hacked."
I also noticed a small paper sign (the same day I was buying VRs) on the cash register terminal that read "All Variable Load Prepaid Debit Cards must be purchased with cash. All other giftcards may be purchased with cash or credit."
IDK if VRs were included in this statement, or if it was specific to VDCs, but the cashier didn't blink an eye. The VDCs, Serve, etc were still in the same spot as the other GCs - not at the front.
I also noticed a small paper sign (the same day I was buying VRs) on the cash register terminal that read "All Variable Load Prepaid Debit Cards must be purchased with cash. All other giftcards may be purchased with cash or credit."
IDK if VRs were included in this statement, or if it was specific to VDCs, but the cashier didn't blink an eye. The VDCs, Serve, etc were still in the same spot as the other GCs - not at the front.
Last edited by phdeez; Feb 10, 2014 at 7:20 am
Feb 10, 2014, 7:48 am
#4265
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 217
At my CVS they all know what we buy them for, and they've been very helpful. There are many others besides me doing this, and I believe someone at the store or one of their friends is also doing MS, because when they broke open a new pack to give me a second card, the tellers were discussing how many were left and the guy cashier said "I put 20 aside for xxxx".
Feb 10, 2014, 8:26 am
#4266
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 203
I was thinking about this too, because otherwise a 1k transaction could cost them $20. A CVS manager chatted me up, and she was telling me she loved that I shopped at her CVS, because I help out her 401k. Perhaps CVS has bonus structures based on revenue and not realized profits. Kind of makes me think that in general, CVS is a revenue driven company, hence the continued ability to buy VR with a cc. They probably accept the idea of these cards being loss leaders because they also greatly inflate revenue numbers. Anyway, that's my running theory.
Feb 10, 2014, 8:55 am
#4267
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 48
I haven't been asked why yet, but I don't buy more than 1k at a time. I got a new cashier once that never rang anything over a couple hundred. I only bought 1k beans. He wanted to take a picture of the total to send to his friends joking about how someone cleared out the entire store. Funny experience.
Feb 10, 2014, 11:17 am
#4268
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Was your CVS the ones that allows only $200 load during transaction with cash and ID req on top of that?
Feb 10, 2014, 1:17 pm
#4270
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 198
I've got no problem telling the cashiers what I'm up to. If they're curious why I'm doing a $5,039.50 transaction, I'll absolutely explain to them that I just earned about $275 towards airfare. They usually have an excited reaction.
Feb 10, 2014, 1:25 pm
#4271
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: AA-Gold, HH - Gold, SPG - Gold
Posts: 31
Which card are you using to get 5.5% back?
Feb 10, 2014, 4:43 pm
#4272
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 201
Do you know Netspend reload pack that you an reload up to $400 and charge $3.95 activation fee? Is it good? I saw it can be reloaded i to netspend visa or mastercard, how do I get the netspend visa/mastercard?
Feb 10, 2014, 4:53 pm
#4273
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 349
Everyone, what do you say to the cashier/manager if they get suspicious on you when you buy several VR cards and ask you "what are you doing with this card?".
My experience, I bought 2 cards and got asked like that, I said I need it for traveling since I don't like to bring credit cards. The cashier said yea yea (not convinced) and told me to swipe my CC. But I am sure if I went back and buy VR often to meet the minimum spending the cashier will remember me and get suspicious and trying to limit it.
My experience, I bought 2 cards and got asked like that, I said I need it for traveling since I don't like to bring credit cards. The cashier said yea yea (not convinced) and told me to swipe my CC. But I am sure if I went back and buy VR often to meet the minimum spending the cashier will remember me and get suspicious and trying to limit it.
What a tool, this reminds me of a time I Was buying ECA (ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin) back ages ago, this was at CVS and there had been like two deaths from essentially unrelated activity on the news and some obese cashier was like "I can't wait until this is banned".
I was like, well a lot more people die and it costs this country a lot more with all the grossly overweight people in it.
wu tang zing
Feb 10, 2014, 4:56 pm
#4274
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA 1K | MR Platinum
Posts: 492
Finally found a CVS with beans in my area and hit it once the other day for $500 - new citi card so I didn't want to get shut down right away. Worked fine. Went back 2 days later and got 1k - after the first one was swiped the cashier had to key in ID information, presumably to make sure I didn't go over 1k per day. The swipe didn't want to read my ID so she had to manually key it in by hand. I felt really bad for her, but she was happy to help. The people behind me in line...they were not as happy.
Doesn't matter; got beans.
Doesn't matter; got beans.
Feb 10, 2014, 6:00 pm
#4275
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 198
Citi TYP Preferred gives 5 ppd at drug stores, and then can be redeemed for airfare at 1.25 cpp (if you also have a TY Premiere account, otherwise 1 cpp). But that offer is long dead. There are a few other cards that still offer 5 ppd at drug stores which are posted about on various threads throughout the MS forum.