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)
Jul 3, 2014, 1:16 am
#1411
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: American Airlines EXP, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 408
Jul 3, 2014, 10:29 pm
#1412
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 8
Denied at Staples
I tried to buy $200 x 7 Mastercard gift cards with my Chase Ink Bold at Staples today, and the register denied my card with a red message that said to use an alternate form of payment. The cashier tried the transaction at another register and the same message. Tried to do it with $200 x 2 = $400, but it failed also. I used another credit card and it went through. Has Chase blocked my card from Staples? Do you think I am red flagged by Chase. I was able to purchase $200 GC's online at Staples.com. Has anybody else run into this type of situation?
Last edited by businessworkflyer; Jul 3, 2014 at 11:59 pm
Jul 3, 2014, 11:20 pm
#1413
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tucson - Seattle
Programs: UA 1K;
Posts: 2,474
I bought 8x $200. cards at Staples brick and mortar store about 1 hour ago with Chase Ink. No issues.
Jul 4, 2014, 12:48 am
#1414
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,393
I tried to buy $200 x 7 Mastercard gift cards with my Chase Ink Bold at Staples today, and the register denied my card with a red message that said to use an alternate form of payment. The cashier tried the transaction at another register and the same message. Tried to do it with $200 x 2 = $400, but it failed also. I used another credit card and it went through. Has Chase blocked my card from Staples? Do you think I am red flagged by Chase. I was able to purchase $200 GC's online at Staples.com. Has anybody else run into this type of situation?
Jul 4, 2014, 6:34 am
#1415
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: UA, DL, AA, ANA
Posts: 226
I tried to buy $200 x 7 Mastercard gift cards with my Chase Ink Bold at Staples today, and the register denied my card with a red message that said to use an alternate form of payment. The cashier tried the transaction at another register and the same message. Tried to do it with $200 x 2 = $400, but it failed also. I used another credit card and it went through. Has Chase blocked my card from Staples? Do you think I am red flagged by Chase. I was able to purchase $200 GC's online at Staples.com. Has anybody else run into this type of situation?
Jul 4, 2014, 7:41 am
#1416
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: United MP, American AAdvantage, Chase UR, AMEX MR
Posts: 211
I tried to buy $200 x 7 Mastercard gift cards with my Chase Ink Bold at Staples today, and the register denied my card with a red message that said to use an alternate form of payment. The cashier tried the transaction at another register and the same message. Tried to do it with $200 x 2 = $400, but it failed also. I used another credit card and it went through. Has Chase blocked my card from Staples? Do you think I am red flagged by Chase. I was able to purchase $200 GC's online at Staples.com. Has anybody else run into this type of situation?
Jul 4, 2014, 7:45 am
#1417
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: American Airlines EXP, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 408
I tried to buy $200 x 7 Mastercard gift cards with my Chase Ink Bold at Staples today, and the register denied my card with a red message that said to use an alternate form of payment. The cashier tried the transaction at another register and the same message. Tried to do it with $200 x 2 = $400, but it failed also. I used another credit card and it went through. Has Chase blocked my card from Staples? Do you think I am red flagged by Chase. I was able to purchase $200 GC's online at Staples.com. Has anybody else run into this type of situation?
Jul 4, 2014, 5:09 pm
#1420
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 8
It was not a fraud alert.
Yes, the Chase Ink Bold card WORKS everywhere else, and I have had not had any fraud alerts. Right after being denied at Staples, I went and purchased gasoline.
Jul 4, 2014, 6:28 pm
#1422
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
Back when the portals were paying out for these, I bought a bunch of $200 VGC online. After the portals went down, I began liquidating the ones I had via Evolve. NOw that EM has a limit of 4 payments/month, I find these too hard to liquidate. I went to my go-to WM yesterday, and the machine is still down. Loading BB/Serve with $200 VGC at cashiers is painful!
Jul 5, 2014, 7:27 am
#1423
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tucson - Seattle
Programs: UA 1K;
Posts: 2,474
Back when the portals were paying out for these, I bought a bunch of $200 VGC online. After the portals went down, I began liquidating the ones I had via Evolve. NOw that EM has a limit of 4 payments/month, I find these too hard to liquidate. I went to my go-to WM yesterday, and the machine is still down. Loading BB/Serve with $200 VGC at cashiers is painful!
Jul 5, 2014, 10:16 am
#1425
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 113
200-dollar Visa Gift cards at Staples.com
I purchased 5k last month and it never showed my bonus 5x on UR. anyone else get this?