Originally Posted by commdiver (Post 22477577)

When you guys first started MSing, did you feel awkward getting so many beans at CVS? When I walk in, I still feel nervous, as if I am about to steal something lol

Originally Posted by Majuki (Post 22476525)

This particular store has a $1k/day limit, otherwise they'd be running low on inventory too. :D I want to try a $5k purchase just once, but most of the stores around here that are cool with a card purchase limit to $1k/day.

Originally Posted by commdiver (Post 22477577)

When you guys first started MSing, did you feel awkward getting so many beans at CVS? When I walk in, I still feel nervous, as if I am about to steal something lol

Originally Posted by toxicity (Post 22476918)

So when I load $10k a month with no fees w/ a CC swipe to 2 serve cards, who's not losing money exactly?

Originally Posted by TheBOSman (Post 22477733)

I hided all of my CVS's Xbox Live cards behind the VRs. Take that all you Xbox Live MSers! You'll never find them now!

Originally Posted by envoy245 (Post 22477658)

I have switched from BB to Serve. Though I have been able to find VR's at several CVS near me, I found it to be less stressful with Serve... being able to load Serve with CC at CVS and online.

Dumb question: why is there still an appetite for VR's? (money maker from AGC's --> VR's)?

Originally Posted by nuclfusion (Post 22477789)

Anyone have any luck getting a manager or other to put in a special order?

Originally Posted by DCBob (Post 22477802)

Two reasons I can think of:

1. You can't get checks from Serve to pay bills (like real estate taxes and rent) that require a voucher to be submitted with the payment to make sure it's credited to the right account.

2. Serve has a monthly fee ($1) and it's only a matter of time before Amex gets a slew of accounts in their stable and then pulls the rug on CC payments and allows only cash and maybe debit card payments. Amex is in complete control of the Serve program from POS to closing the account. BB is not. It doesn't care how you pay and Incomm (VR) wants to drum up business so they don't care either. So many of us prefer more comfortable with BB. I noticed Amex is really pushing Serve - they have even printed American Express Serve on the VR card itself, but there is no such listing for Bluebird. Perhaps, just like they pushed people from Serve to BB two years ago, they are now pushing BB account holders to Serve.

Serve loses money - if not for CVS, then for Amex (unless the $1 monthly fee makes up for it). But CVS is collecting at least half of the $3.95 fee on VR sales and likely has negotiated a very low swipe fee with the banks. Even if CVS loses money, it's not a lot, and it DOES bring people into the store who make other high markup purchases (candy, soda, and things near the register). Those who scoff at the notion have never taken a marketing or business psychology class or run a retail business with a variety of merchandise.

Originally Posted by envoy245 (Post 22478219)

Ahhh... I hadn't thought about the end to end aspect, in terms of how much AmEx controls Serve.

The only difference I saw when making the jump from BB to Serve was losing the physical checks, saving VR fees and getting another $1K monthly limit -- via ability to load CC online ($200 daily limit, $1000 monthly limit for online CC loads). If you signed up for Serve via ISIS, you get a slightly larger online CC load limit too.

Serve has waived the $1 monthly fee, as long as you loaded $500+ each month. In addition, Serve has waived ATM fees at any MoneyPass ATMs (there's no requirement, e.g. direct deposit w/in past 30 days).

AmEx and ISIS have been pushing Serve with all of the promotional credits, such as $50 with 2 "direct deposits" of $250 each; and ISIS sign-up credits. I missed the 20% cashback promotion (up to $200 in cashback) that just ended.

Originally Posted by DCBob (Post 22477802)

Two reasons I can think of:

1. You can't get checks from Serve to pay bills (like real estate taxes and rent) that require a voucher to be submitted with the payment to make sure it's credited to the right account.
But you can also bill pay. If someone wants checks, yes...

2. Serve has a monthly fee ($1) and it's only a matter of time before Amex gets a slew of accounts in their stable and then pulls the rug on CC payments and allows only cash and maybe debit card payments. Amex is in complete control of the Serve program from POS to closing the account. BB is not. It doesn't care how you pay and Incomm (VR) wants to drum up business so they don't care either. So many of us prefer more comfortable with BB. I noticed Amex is really pushing Serve - they have even printed American Express Serve on the VR card itself, but there is no such listing for Bluebird. Perhaps, just like they pushed people from Serve to BB two years ago, they are now pushing BB account holders to Serve.

There is no monthly fee for Serve if you do direct deposit or load $500 a month. Secondly, the instore loading is STILL done through incomm. Amex is doing the same thing with Serve and BB. They may not need to make money on it, but don't want to lose to other prepaid providers. This can be a loss leader for them. Same system for both. BB is likely profit sharing with Walmart. Serve is Amex in house.

Serve loses money - if not for CVS, then for Amex (unless the $1 monthly fee makes up for it). But CVS is collecting at least half of the $3.95 fee on VR sales and likely has negotiated a very low swipe fee with the banks. Even if CVS loses money, it's not a lot, and it DOES bring people into the store who make other high markup purchases (candy, soda, and things near the register). Those who scoff at the notion have never taken a marketing or business psychology class or run a retail business with a variety of merchandise.

A few paranoid CVS managers have stopped ordering VR cards or stopped accepting CCs for purchase, but that's not CVS policy overall. In DC, nearly all of the stores accept CCs - a couple do not strictly based on the manager's orders. The managers of these stores don't like the paperwork involved or having the register tied up by the big spenders. But they are in the minority.

Originally Posted by whitesol (Post 22478827)

For me it's the ability to control many cards myself, for some reason my brother keeps getting denied trying to reload his wife's serve card without her there. If I ran into this issue with any of the BBs that aren't mine I'd might as well give up.

Originally Posted by djtsukasa (Post 22475871)

Anybody hunting in SAN? Would love to trade good locations, I found one the other day that seems untouched near my work and thought it would be nice if someone knew of anywhere else I could go that isn't raided like the one in mission valley.

Just don't raid my stash!! PM please.