May 4, 2014, 4:19 am
Last edit by: weezl
This thread is about prepaid debit cards from Staples. Please post questions on other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
*Note- max purchase at one time seems to be 9x $200 (stays under their $2000 limit)
Pluses to Online purchase:
1. Less time/effort/gasoline vs traveling to store to purchase
2. No mgr override or cashier call to Chase needed for large purchases
3. Can bulk activate by phone after receipt of VGCs
4. Email is a nice way to keep record of your purchases
5. Avoids stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that has to be peeled off of each VGC
6. Rare opportunity to liquidate rewards and/or rebate card (YMMV)
Pluses to in-store purchase:
1. No wait/immediate gratification- mail order can take weeks
2. No risk of someone getting to your mailbox to steal your VGCs before you get them out of there
3. Activated at time of purchase- no need to call in or wait for stupid letter containing one activation code/card that comes in the mail separately (the letter sometimes arrives AFTER the VGCs arrive; this can be mitigated, see Pluses to Online #3, above)
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
- Get Chase Ink and BB/Serve
1% discount: Sign up Ink (must be Visa) at https://www.visasavingsedge.com/ to get 1% cash back at StaplesEnded 12/31/14- 5x points: Buy Visa gift cards at Staples or the website. $200 ones charge a hefty $6.95 activation fee (with 1% back it was effectively $4.88).
- Liquidate gift cards like any other
*Note- max purchase at one time seems to be 9x $200 (stays under their $2000 limit)
Pluses to Online purchase:
1. Less time/effort/gasoline vs traveling to store to purchase
2. No mgr override or cashier call to Chase needed for large purchases
3. Can bulk activate by phone after receipt of VGCs
4. Email is a nice way to keep record of your purchases
5. Avoids stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that has to be peeled off of each VGC
6. Rare opportunity to liquidate rewards and/or rebate card (YMMV)
Pluses to in-store purchase:
1. No wait/immediate gratification- mail order can take weeks
2. No risk of someone getting to your mailbox to steal your VGCs before you get them out of there
3. Activated at time of purchase- no need to call in or wait for stupid letter containing one activation code/card that comes in the mail separately (the letter sometimes arrives AFTER the VGCs arrive; this can be mitigated, see Pluses to Online #3, above)
Visa Gift cards at Staples(2014-2015)
May 13, 2015, 9:05 pm
#2536
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP, Hilton Diamond, Marriot LTG
Posts: 614
how about b/c the staples I frequent lets me buy more than $400 and its right across the street from target where I'd ahve to go to load them anyways
May 13, 2015, 9:28 pm
#2539
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 503
A mail in rebate for a $20 gift card is different than $20 off $300, which is an ongoing OD/OM promotion where you get $20 off $300 in VGCs right at the register. I thought that's what they were referring to. Perhaps you are right but the way they phrased what they said is misleading if the rebate promotions are in fact what they meant.
May 13, 2015, 9:56 pm
#2540
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Staples GC MIR are usually limited to one per name/address (many have attempted multiple submissions and many were rejected) and it takes weeks to receive them while offers at OD-OM are instant; since there's no ID scan, they can't tell how many times a customer has done the offer. These offers are not available for online purchases that's why people have to go to the store and buy them.
May 14, 2015, 5:19 am
#2541
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 232
speaking of Staples rebates, if one chooses to submit them by mailing it in -- is it possible to submit/mail multiple forms at once? or do they have some kinda archaic rule about only one submission per mailing?
Staples had like 3 promos in the last cpl months, so kinda wanted to send all the rebates in at once this wkend if I can. anyone know or have any insights into this?
Staples had like 3 promos in the last cpl months, so kinda wanted to send all the rebates in at once this wkend if I can. anyone know or have any insights into this?
May 14, 2015, 8:18 am
#2542
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
speaking of Staples rebates, if one chooses to submit them by mailing it in -- is it possible to submit/mail multiple forms at once? or do they have some kinda archaic rule about only one submission per mailing?
Staples had like 3 promos in the last cpl months, so kinda wanted to send all the rebates in at once this wkend if I can. anyone know or have any insights into this?
Staples had like 3 promos in the last cpl months, so kinda wanted to send all the rebates in at once this wkend if I can. anyone know or have any insights into this?
May 14, 2015, 1:07 pm
#2543
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 56
Must be area specific. I've never been to a store that won't sell me 9. Every store says the corporate limit (whether it's true or not) is $2000/day/person. You just need a manager's override for anything over $500, but I've had no problem doing this at 10+ different stores.
May 14, 2015, 1:09 pm
#2544
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 56
B) I can buy 9 at a time.
C) I don't have to have to worry about there being a mail issue or having them lost.
D) I don't have to activate them.
My question is why do you buy online?
Last edited by yank2688; May 14, 2015 at 1:10 pm Reason: grammar
May 14, 2015, 2:53 pm
#2545
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,354
And one of the biggest PITA's is the stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that I have to peel off. The VGCs that come in the mall peel off with no residue. And I can activate all 9 at a time calling the 800 # and spending 3-4 min to get them activated all at once (you don't HAVE to activate one by one).
Plus every now and then (rare) I can get a Staples rebate card or rewards in there as part of the payment (sure, I lose UR but those pesky cards and rewards are out of my face).
May 14, 2015, 4:36 pm
#2547
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 56
Personally, I sometimes don't mind the wait (it can be weeks), nor the risk of pirates getting to my mailbox before I do. I don't have to park and walk into Staples if I am not already going there, I don't have to deal with some cashiers that take forever to get the mgr approval (and some who insist on calling their secret 800# to verify that my CC purchase will be ok)---this can be a 15 min visit as opposed to a few min online and a few min on the phone - see below).
And one of the biggest PITA's is the stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that I have to peel off. The VGCs that come in the mall peel off with no residue. And I can activate all 9 at a time calling the 800 # and spending 3-4 min to get them activated all at once (you don't HAVE to activate one by one).
Plus every now and then (rare) I can get a Staples rebate card or rewards in there as part of the payment (sure, I lose UR but those pesky cards and rewards are out of my face).
And one of the biggest PITA's is the stupid sticky gum (4x per card) that I have to peel off. The VGCs that come in the mall peel off with no residue. And I can activate all 9 at a time calling the 800 # and spending 3-4 min to get them activated all at once (you don't HAVE to activate one by one).
Plus every now and then (rare) I can get a Staples rebate card or rewards in there as part of the payment (sure, I lose UR but those pesky cards and rewards are out of my face).
May 14, 2015, 6:07 pm
#2548
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CVG
Programs: Hyatt Giraffe
Posts: 1,665
Because you can buy 45 a day, and have them all bulk activated with one phone call without driving to the store.
May 14, 2015, 6:17 pm
#2549
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Central VA/LYH/ROA
Programs: BA, AA, SPG, HLTN, ETC
Posts: 365
My main question about staples is if the payoff really worth any of it. 1000 points per gift card but a (I think) $6 fee. So let's say you go Amtrak rewards which is about 4000 points or 44 bucks one way in my region. So that's 4 cards - but $24 in fees...so is it worth the 20 dollars saved?
Edit: I guess I kinda answered my own question considering how many do it..and if I'm saving 20 bucks on a ticket I needed to buy anyways.....it is lol
Edit: I guess I kinda answered my own question considering how many do it..and if I'm saving 20 bucks on a ticket I needed to buy anyways.....it is lol
May 14, 2015, 6:58 pm
#2550
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 503
My main question about staples is if the payoff really worth any of it. 1000 points per gift card but a (I think) $6 fee. So let's say you go Amtrak rewards which is about 4000 points or 44 bucks one way in my region. So that's 4 cards - but $24 in fees...so is it worth the 20 dollars saved?
Edit: I guess I kinda answered my own question considering how many do it..and if I'm saving 20 bucks on a ticket I needed to buy anyways.....it is lol
Edit: I guess I kinda answered my own question considering how many do it..and if I'm saving 20 bucks on a ticket I needed to buy anyways.....it is lol