nwflyboy

Brilliant strategy there. Walk up to the counter with a giant stack of cards. Tell the cashier to run every one separately.

What do you think the result of that will be?

(Hint: This is why we can't have nice things)

Mancolt

Read the whole post. I was articulating why it's more beneficial to go with $200 GCs. I don't plan to actually clear out a rack. I do realize why on a public forum you may assume someone would actually do that though, but it won't be me. I'd try 2 to start, and maybe the next time I'm in the store, if it's the same cashier, see if they'd allow 3.

nonimmigranth1b

I got 21 $100 Gift cards. Great Deal !!!

NoonRadar

All in one Ink card or several? Might be risking drawing Cha$e eyeballs into your activity.

uncommonsensical

my stores are picked clean already except for $50's.

this is why we need to secure the border! lol

​​​​j/k


kinda... ​

Flyby01

Agree. But with a 2-card limit imposed by some stores, the two $200 cards is a better deal. The cash profits become $26, only $2 less than the two $100 cards plus the UR points jumps to 1870 vs. 860. Additionally, I like the convenience of liquidating the $200 cards at the PO than the $100 cards.

NoonRadar

Even without store limits you'd have to consider liquidation, the MO making & depositing cost + time + hassle. So yes the $100 cards have a higher % return per money spent, but also more running around liquidating them + possibly running into issues/greater exposure with cashiers for more transactions and/or more split payments.

Happy

There is the other side of the equation, actually multiple sides of it - just to name the most obvious - the easiness of liquidation, the additional earning of UR pts, not to mention the store's limitation, and the fraud risk on the USB cards - read the comment sections on both the DoC / Reddit you would get a bigger picture, in particular that cards were already compromised / locked even BEFORE activation, and the solution is to send you a replacement card (with or without the $5.95 replacement card fee!)

cdog999

So I was so worried about my MGCs being compromised I unloaded them all this morning and low and behold 5 of my VGCs from Kroger were locked due to a "pre-load check" Seriously those people as US Bank need to get their shi. together.

chipcollector

This AM went into a previously friendly ODP
only to be told "cash only"

No argument. Left empty handed.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed three or four manager-types standing around watching
the cashier from a distance.

Just a DP. Cashiers are being watched/warned to make up/enforce manager's edicts.

I'm thinking the managers are unhappy with the promos from corporate.

Anyway, I went onto the next stop and left happy.

DeltaNeutral28

I have no idea unless the discounts are affecting the stores sales numbers . Otherwise the managers should be reported.
ETA- not in the store, but online

eqpablon

Similar story to you and a DP a page ago. Walked into my local OD and the manager had cleared all the gift cards on the rack and put them away. He told me to come back next week for gift card purchases. I didnt argue, I just left.

Is this something that I should call their corporate number and inquirie about. Seems a bit extreme to refuse to sell all gift cards, right?.

laptoptravel

We have had the exact opposite experience.

At our local OD the managers know us pretty well (we do commercial business with them all) and the manager at one told us yesterday "I am happy if you want to buy multiples...after all corporate knew when they did this that there would be a rush on the stores and I have to trust they have figured out the math. Whether you buy 10 or ten people buy 1 each they're basically gone...or going. The people coming in just to buy one and leave add nothing my operation here; but you are a regular customer, so I have no problem."

On a side note we are getting people checking in with us from all over the country with their experience datapoints. Some are being told 'cash only' which is 100% totally WRONG! Others are being told a limit of one transaction, some two.

And then....we have reports of as many as 15 separate transactions in a single visit.

For us, we have 4 stores in market; and have been able to do a maximum of 10 separate transactions in a single store visit w/ $200 variable load MCGC's

That math looks like this:

10 X $ 186.95 = $1,869.50
Face Value of Cards: $2,000
Ultimate Rewards: 9,348 (Value of $158.92)
Net Cash Profit: $130.50

Net Profit (Points + Cash) = $289.42

15.48% Return on $1,869.50

We have some crazy strategies to leverage (and perhaps need to liquidate through MO's on our blog's second -advanced post)

cdog999

By the way, the support person at the 1-800 number on the back of the card said that they have been getting flooded with compromised cards the past few days. Something above and beyond the normal fraud is going on right now. Took almost 30 minutes on the phone to get my 5 frozen cards registered and replaced.

This is actually the first time I've ever had to get a card replaced due to someone trying to pre-access it and I've probably bought 1000s of US Bank GCs...

tree100

I got a little worried about the future of this deal when they said they'd be shipping a new card. In other words, how many do you think you can get shipped to the same address without them getting suspicious of you? You know they have to be keeping track of your data every time you request to have one replaced.

The lady told me the same thing though, that they are getting flooded with calls right now. I waited on hold for about 10 minutes, it took another ten minutes just to get one card shipped. Glad I didn't have to go through that with 5 separate cards!