Simon mall gift card(2014-2015)
Jun 8, 2015, 3:33 pm
#1246
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Today I visited my regular Simon, staffed by the regular dude, to get a load of SGCs. He quickly told me he had already sold out of all his cards for the day (400), and that, "this happens every day." Now given it was 12:42PM and the mall opens at 10AM, his story seems a little shaky. 400 cards in 2h42m equates to over 148 cards an hour, every hour, or about 2.47 cards per minute, every minute. My reaction to him was true shock, but by the time I got to my car I was thinking he was blowing smoke up my posterior. I know it doesn't take long to do the activation and such, but c'mon, really? That's under 25 seconds per activation, nonstop for over two hours! And what happens tomorrow? Will he simply bring another 400 to burn through before 1:00? Why not bring 500? 600? 1000? It seems if they're such a hot item and if Simon is okay giving them out freely, they'd bump up the daily allotment at the CS counter. I've routinely bought $3k-$5k at a time from this guy before--and he's even one of the property managers.
I'm highly tempted to go back later today when the dude is gone and see if things magically change. Or, I might just go to the other nearby Simon property and hit them up (though they're much slower and seem more leery of the whole deal).
Anyone else had anything odd with Simon of late? Or did I get snowed in June (which though it's Minnesota, doesn't happen!)?
I'm highly tempted to go back later today when the dude is gone and see if things magically change. Or, I might just go to the other nearby Simon property and hit them up (though they're much slower and seem more leery of the whole deal).
Anyone else had anything odd with Simon of late? Or did I get snowed in June (which though it's Minnesota, doesn't happen!)?
Jun 8, 2015, 7:02 pm
#1247
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Diamon, IHG Spire
Posts: 374
Different math: 400 GC = 20 guys buying 10k each. So 20 guys to showed up at the mall in the same morning?
Jun 8, 2015, 7:58 pm
#1248
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
It's likely the inventory wasn't fully restocked this morning from the weekend purchases. Most/if not all Simon malls management offices are closed on the weekends which hold the cards. The Guest Services GC inventory doesn't get restocked until Monday (when management office has staff working) and you may have either 1) caught him before restocking and after what little inventory was left from the weekend was sold Monday morning or 2) no stock existed when Clerk got to work due to being sold out over the weekend and restocking hadn't happened yet or wasn't going to happen today.
My two cents: if sold out on a weekday, have the clerk call the management office to get more GCs. They might not have any in the management office, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Jun 8, 2015, 8:54 pm
#1249
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AA, HH, UA, Marriott, SW, Club Carlson, IHG
Posts: 202
So for the poster who said his rep was sold out of 400 early in the day, maybe he started the day pretty low on his stock.
Jun 8, 2015, 9:43 pm
#1250
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: ONT
Programs: AGR, UA, AA
Posts: 476
Is Montebello the only weird Simon Mall in the Los Angeles area that sells only the $250's for $2.95 max? I normally don't use Simon so just checking before driving further afield. Thanks.
Jun 8, 2015, 9:52 pm
#1251
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 374
Did not realize Montebello is a Simon Mall! Interesting, let me know how it goes!
Jun 9, 2015, 9:15 am
#1252
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
FYI, wanted to share conversation with Guest Services on Saturday:
1) Noticed a significant increase in newbie purchases since mid-May. I can only assume this is related to Target CC shutdown as its too big a coincidence.
2) Increase in failed transactions due to not enough CL on purchaser CC. Could be related to #1 above as people try out for the first time. Main issue is that the GS desk has to destroy those GCs which lowers the supply for all. Not a big deal as those GCs would have gone away anyway if the purchaser was successful.
1) Noticed a significant increase in newbie purchases since mid-May. I can only assume this is related to Target CC shutdown as its too big a coincidence.
2) Increase in failed transactions due to not enough CL on purchaser CC. Could be related to #1 above as people try out for the first time. Main issue is that the GS desk has to destroy those GCs which lowers the supply for all. Not a big deal as those GCs would have gone away anyway if the purchaser was successful.
Jun 9, 2015, 12:00 pm
#1255
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Ive gone to some SM where they have a $3k max limit including the $3.95 fees.
Jun 9, 2015, 3:20 pm
#1257
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: ONT
Programs: AGR, UA, AA
Posts: 476
Just happened to be in the area and didn't want to drive out of direction to the Mills. Note that the mall map and brochure states the $250 restriction, if I had bothered to pick it up when I was waiting at customer service.
Jun 9, 2015, 5:16 pm
#1258
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I was passing by anyways as I was headed to Whittier, if anything I saved a few $ on a box of Sees, was cheaper then the airport so it wasnt a total loss for me $18 vs $23http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24241020-post905.html
Jun 9, 2015, 5:55 pm
#1259
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 374
fwiw I posted about Montebello many months ago and warned people since many folks will use the SM locator to see what around and I didnt want anyone els ecahsing there just to be I was passing by anyways as I was headed to Whittier, if anything I saved a few $ on a box of Sees, was cheaper then the airport so it wasnt a total loss for me $18 vs $23
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24241020-post905.html
I was passing by anyways as I was headed to Whittier, if anything I saved a few $ on a box of Sees, was cheaper then the airport so it wasnt a total loss for me $18 vs $23http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24241020-post905.html
Jun 9, 2015, 9:32 pm
#1260
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 18
Yeah, he did explicitly state 400 cards. It just seems beyond plausibility that he churned that many cards in under 3 hours. I'll just go to my other local Simon source and/or when I know he's not around. (Having chatted often with him, I kinda know his schedule..!) Just all very odd.