everyone needs to relax, not sure why you all are getting your panties in a bunch... SM is used to doing bulk SGC sales, this isnt a loophole or anything, this is what that kiosk does day in and day out. increased volume is most likely a good thing unless some noobs just act stupid and reckless.

On top of that, the fee is only 95¢ less than the Vanilla GCs from CVS. People act as if this is some godly form of MS :rolleyes:

It's not so much just that it was posted, it's which blogger posted it given his blog's most commonly-used content-generation strategy...and that his blog can, in fact, induce "noobs [to] just act stupid and reckless" while earning him a handsome profit in the process.

I do admit to being a bit hyperbolic, though.

Can someone explain to me what I'm missing regarding Simon? With a 1x card (I'm just talking miles here), you end up buying each mile for $0.0058. Not bad. But hardly a game-changer, IMO. With the Ink, you can go to Staples/OD/OM and buy $200 Visas and each UR costs $0.0067. A little more, but not a HUGE difference, IMO. But some of my local -4 allow me to buy certain cards and the PP MyCash with credit, and codes as gas, so with the Ink, that's $0.005 per point/mile. I suppose with the Arrival 2.2% card, there is some money to be made, but short of that card, I don't think Simon will rock the MS world like VR or Serve or Evolve.

It's not a game changer, IMO the best use of these VGCs is to hit minimum spends. At most you're going to get 2-3% back using VGC (assuming you're not going the AmEx GC > VGC > unload route, which takes so much time I can't imagine it being worth it).

I never understand why people think Amex GC->VGC takes a lot of time. :confused: Welp to each his own.

However no it's not a game changer. Like mentioned it's good for min spend or to just generate some quick spend/miles on other cards.

Sadly though the person in the mall today would not let me use my Amex GC to purchase the Simon GCs. Said they only accept Amex GCs purchased from them to be used to purchase another GC. I'm going to buy some personalized GCs though and retry. Those tend to be a little more convincing of being a real credit card esp since he asked for my ID and CC before starting the purchase.

how much were you trying to buy? just wondering if a set amount triggered that.

I'm guessing $3k since thats what your AGC limit is ;)

No go at my Simons either, even with personalized AGC.

Using this as a means to liquidate AMEX gift cards is probably the only reason for me to buy these.

Hmm don't you mean $2 less than Vanilla GCs. (They are $4.95)

I had a $1k AGC.

Ya, my bad. $2 can add up quickly, but still, it is not like the Simon Mall cards are ground-breaking.

Au contraire. What other MS method gives you free chocolate whenever you buy GCs? :D

(The clerks always give me a couple of Simon Mall chocolate bars along with my GCs. Doesn't matter who the clerk is.)

And here I thought that I was lucky with my friendly WM employees :D

At the Galleria in Houston yesterday (here on a business trip), the kiosk rep would not allow me to purchase using a personalized Amex gift card. It had my name on it and I gave her my license, but still she refused it.