Simon mall gift card(2014-2015)
Oct 12, 2015, 9:30 am
#2086
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
I suppose you meant $1800 was what you were willing to pay, not what you could pay for a J seat from North America to SEA? I routinely fly EWR/JFK/BOS-SIN and the cheapest revenue tickets I normally find are with Finnair in the high 2k range or Qatar when they're on sales. MH is very competitive these days as well.
I'm not 100% sure about the typical price range from the west coast, but I hear Air China can be pretty cheap. If $1800 is what you actually pay for flying J to SEA, doesn't using a cashback card to purchase GB at SM make more sense? A BOA card with 2.625% yields more than $2000 for every $110k of spends at SM. And of course, revenue does come with nice perks.
I'm not 100% sure about the typical price range from the west coast, but I hear Air China can be pretty cheap. If $1800 is what you actually pay for flying J to SEA, doesn't using a cashback card to purchase GB at SM make more sense? A BOA card with 2.625% yields more than $2000 for every $110k of spends at SM. And of course, revenue does come with nice perks.
Oct 12, 2015, 9:43 am
#2087
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
That's over 10 prepaid cards you'll need. Many (most?) of us don't have such a large # of reltaives, spouses, etc.. who are willing to participate, and it's a hassle to manage. There's probably just as much risk of issuing payments to your CC from a dozen accounts then with depositing MOs in a bank. Worst case the bank acct is closed and I'll move on to the next one.
Oct 12, 2015, 10:41 am
#2088
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 132
the problem isnt being able to buy as much as one wants, but rather being able to liquidate the cards. Not every Wally is friendly and some are very hostile. So w/o a fair # of Wallys in ones area it indeed may be difficult to unload even a few grand a week let alone ea 5 or 6 figure amount per month(I said Wally since they will issue $1k for $.70, but there are other sources as well, just not as cheap. But before running out and loading up Id try to workout where Id unload them and see if its friendly or not
You guys with easy unloading places, count your blessings.
Oct 12, 2015, 10:48 am
#2089
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: Alaska, Shell VC, Wyndham VC, Starwood, RCI, II--I bought it on eBay!
Posts: 159
You guys with easy unloading places, count your blessings.
Due to the large number of folks posting about issues with their local WM's and Kates, we are getting a little nervous about buying a lot of GC's, but I do have ways to liquidate the $10K or so I currently have. I have lots of maintenance fees to pay by the end of the year and can pay with those. It will take a long time on the phone, but I will do it, you can bet on it.
Oct 15, 2015, 7:12 am
#2090
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: Whatever you have, I have too.
Posts: 377
For anyone living in central Florida and doing business at the Paddock Mall in Ocala, the guest services rep told me yesterday that effective Nov 1 Simon Mall will be a Glimcher mall and SM VGC will be no longer be available. They will be selling AGC still.
Oct 15, 2015, 5:29 pm
#2091
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 8
Where else can I get Simon VGC in Central FL? Can AGC be loaded to serve in FL?
Oct 15, 2015, 5:55 pm
#2092
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 320
Tonight I had my Simon Gift Cards rejected by the POS after it looked like it was being accepted. Cashier swiped bluebird, then i swiped my SGC and entered pin after hitting no cash back. Then the receipt printed that it was rejected. I checked when I got home and it shows that it was reversed. I hope that they haven't added a new software patch preventing these gift cards!
Oct 15, 2015, 6:14 pm
#2094
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Chip and Signature POS SNAFU
My local Simon Mall was one of 8 being tested in the rollout of the new POS that can take chip and signature cards. The system failed beginning last Friday but today is fixed so cards can again be bought. However, today the printer was not working for printing out the (pre filled out) purchase paperwork. The process for buying cards changes with the new system and the customer now swipes the credit card on the new terminal.
According to my source the other 7 malls in the test are not going through the upgrade now because of all the problems.
According to my source the other 7 malls in the test are not going through the upgrade now because of all the problems.
Oct 16, 2015, 7:10 am
#2095
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: Whatever you have, I have too.
Posts: 377
Oct 16, 2015, 7:29 am
#2096
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: BNA and FLL
Programs: National Executive Elite, IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Gold, SW A List, Marriott Gold
Posts: 964
Tonight I had my Simon Gift Cards rejected by the POS after it looked like it was being accepted. Cashier swiped bluebird, then i swiped my SGC and entered pin after hitting no cash back. Then the receipt printed that it was rejected. I checked when I got home and it shows that it was reversed. I hope that they haven't added a new software patch preventing these gift cards!
Oct 16, 2015, 10:56 am
#2097
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
WM cashier told me that there's a new daily load limit of $1K for prepaid's. I've concluded that it's coming from AmEx. When I loaded 2 Serve cards during the same trip, I was able to do $1.5K without the load reversal.
Oct 16, 2015, 11:03 am
#2098
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
https://www.bluebird.com/faqs?linkna...ees-and-limits
Oct 16, 2015, 11:16 am
#2099
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Lifetime Platinum, MR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 249
And the screws on MS are tightening........ Hopefully Serve does not go this route.
Oct 16, 2015, 3:21 pm
#2100
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: The Phoenix Desert
Programs: Hilton Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Fools Gold
Posts: 1,692
My alternative mall for cheap vgc's is having a deal this week for fee free cards for the first 5 cards per customer per day thru 10/22. If any of you have a westcor mall nearby you should check if they have the same deal.
Met a fellow ms'er in line but said he is rarely on FT... So hi again if you see this lol.
Met a fellow ms'er in line but said he is rarely on FT... So hi again if you see this lol.