Jan 6, 2016, 5:28 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
This is a new thread for 2016. The previous megathread on this topic is here.
The 2017 thread is here.
This thread is about prepaid debit cards from Staples. Please post questions on other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.
To activate cards over the phone (without activation codes), call (877) 426-2551 to talk to a rep. Post #132.
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)
* FASTEST WAY to liquidate $20 Staples Rebate Visa GCs*
Use for purchase at Costco. The POS at Costco will auto-drain the Staples Visa GC, once you press the green button when the PIN is requested.
Then, swipe the next Staples VGC, press green and repeat! The POS is so fast, you can keep feeding 4 - 5 total $20 cards and the cashier will not even care!
The 2017 thread is here.
This thread is about prepaid debit cards from Staples. Please post questions on other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.
To activate cards over the phone (without activation codes), call (877) 426-2551 to talk to a rep. Post #132.
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)
* FASTEST WAY to liquidate $20 Staples Rebate Visa GCs*
Use for purchase at Costco. The POS at Costco will auto-drain the Staples Visa GC, once you press the green button when the PIN is requested.
Then, swipe the next Staples VGC, press green and repeat! The POS is so fast, you can keep feeding 4 - 5 total $20 cards and the cashier will not even care!
Visa Gift cards at Staples (2016)
Jan 10, 2016, 10:05 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SAN
Programs: Delta Gold. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Explorist.
Posts: 1,672
It seems like some folks do split-payment GC transactions at Walmart and other stores to buy money orders, but that seems dicey to me. I encounter few cashiers who are comfortable with such transactions, and they look sketchy to begin with.
Has anyone ever gone to a cashier and told "the truth" about why they want a split-payment money order purchase? Something like "Hey, I received a bunch of these gift cards and I just want to get rid of them: can I consolidate them to purchase a money order?"
Not sure how well that would work. I guess it depends on the store and on the cashier.
Jan 10, 2016, 11:09 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 285
It's freakin Walmart! They are used to all kinds of screwy payment methods. Paying in all coins, using bottle deposit funds, using up 10.22 off of 3 different giftcards. Paying half the bill with WIC and the other half in a combination of crumpled up dollar bills and soda pop caps.
Seriously, don't act self conscious or suspicious as most likely they have seen it all
Seriously, don't act self conscious or suspicious as most likely they have seen it all
Jan 11, 2016, 9:11 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
Yeah, because of their low denominations, Staples MS seems the most endangered by the BB/Serve shutdowns.
Has anyone ever gone to a cashier and told "the truth" about why they want a split-payment money order purchase? Something like "Hey, I received a bunch of these gift cards and I just want to get rid of them: can I consolidate them to purchase a money order?"
Has anyone ever gone to a cashier and told "the truth" about why they want a split-payment money order purchase? Something like "Hey, I received a bunch of these gift cards and I just want to get rid of them: can I consolidate them to purchase a money order?"
Jan 11, 2016, 1:47 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
I have to assume this is a joke. There are about a million "reasons" why I need to swipe my debit card twice (or three times) getting a MO or MO's. If you've been in the game since 2000 you no doubt can think of a few. Hint, saying "I'm trying to unload some gift cards" is not one of them. Some of my MO places I swipe the second time without asking them because the system will allow split tender without the cashier having to do anything and the MO's are already printing. Some cashiers are confused, some don't care, some are just glad you aren't buying power ball tickets. Had one get a little confused with a small side of agitation but that was because she thought she was going to have to re-do the transaction after my second swipe but once the printer started she quickly went back into IDGARA mode. Of course, all of this in moderation, you certainly don't go in with $200 Staples cards and get a 2k money order and swipe ten times. That would get it killed fast.
I have so far been amazed at how little cashiers seem to care about the payment method they accept for MOs. That said, I'm sure some will care, and I also suspect I'm going to sometimes have problems swiping (say) 4 $200 gift cards at my local supermarket.
Jan 11, 2016, 3:22 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 65
If someone is really concerned about multiple swipes, and isn't worried about unloading a ton of low denomination GCs quickly there's always the option of taking a $300 GC and $700.70 or $200.70 in cash in. Hand them the cash first and then swipe to end up with a nice even MO amount.
Jan 11, 2016, 4:32 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,500
Yeah, because of their low denominations, Staples MS seems the most endangered by the BB/Serve shutdowns.
I've always unloaded a couple of Staples GC a month paying my auto insurance (super-easy online if you have USAA) and some utility bills. I don't like shopping with GCs, but I guess I could now do that a little, too.
It seems like some folks do split-payment GC transactions at Walmart and other stores to buy money orders, but that seems dicey to me. I encounter few cashiers who are comfortable with such transactions, and they look sketchy to begin with.
Has anyone ever gone to a cashier and told "the truth" about why they want a split-payment money order purchase? Something like "Hey, I received a bunch of these gift cards and I just want to get rid of them: can I consolidate them to purchase a money order?"
Not sure how well that would work. I guess it depends on the store and on the cashier.
Does anybody have any other ideas on liquidating Staples GCs? Unless I find an easy way, I'll probably just buy them now when there's a rebate.
I've always unloaded a couple of Staples GC a month paying my auto insurance (super-easy online if you have USAA) and some utility bills. I don't like shopping with GCs, but I guess I could now do that a little, too.
It seems like some folks do split-payment GC transactions at Walmart and other stores to buy money orders, but that seems dicey to me. I encounter few cashiers who are comfortable with such transactions, and they look sketchy to begin with.
Has anyone ever gone to a cashier and told "the truth" about why they want a split-payment money order purchase? Something like "Hey, I received a bunch of these gift cards and I just want to get rid of them: can I consolidate them to purchase a money order?"
Not sure how well that would work. I guess it depends on the store and on the cashier.
Does anybody have any other ideas on liquidating Staples GCs? Unless I find an easy way, I'll probably just buy them now when there's a rebate.
Also you better be damn sure you don't make it a habit at your local WM if you plan on using that excuse over and over again especially since you WILL see that same WM employee again and wonder why you say you have just a "few" cards turns into hundreds of cards you are trying to liquidate.
If someone is really concerned about multiple swipes, and isn't worried about unloading a ton of low denomination GCs quickly there's always the option of taking a $300 GC and $700.70 or $200.70 in cash in. Hand them the cash first and then swipe to end up with a nice even MO amount.
Jan 11, 2016, 6:04 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
With WM money orders, there's no autodrain on payment, right? You have to tell them you're taking $200 from the first debit card, $200 from the second, etc. Right? I remember trying billpay with multiple gift cards and it seemed to stump most of the cashiers. That's why I'm skeptical that it will be an easy transaction.
Jan 11, 2016, 6:28 pm
#53
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 305
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe most WMs only allow to split payments in two - thus only two GCs can be used at a time. No?
I also wonder - can you pay your MO fee (70 cents or whatever) in coins and then swipe your GCs for a round amount of MO? Or doing this would count as a third part of split payment?
I also wonder - can you pay your MO fee (70 cents or whatever) in coins and then swipe your GCs for a round amount of MO? Or doing this would count as a third part of split payment?
Jan 11, 2016, 7:07 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
With WM money orders, there's no autodrain on payment, right? You have to tell them you're taking $200 from the first debit card, $200 from the second, etc. Right? I remember trying billpay with multiple gift cards and it seemed to stump most of the cashiers. That's why I'm skeptical that it will be an easy transaction.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe most WMs only allow to split payments in two - thus only two GCs can be used at a time. No?
I also wonder - can you pay your MO fee (70 cents or whatever) in coins and then swipe your GCs for a round amount of MO? Or doing this would count as a third part of split payment?
I also wonder - can you pay your MO fee (70 cents or whatever) in coins and then swipe your GCs for a round amount of MO? Or doing this would count as a third part of split payment?
Fee paid separately does not affect the number of swipes allowed.
Last edited by Happy; Jan 11, 2016 at 7:13 pm
Jan 11, 2016, 9:26 pm
#55
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Programs: AA P4L, WN, BA, DL, UA, HHonors, IHG
Posts: 3,485
How to "Mitigate" the Card Activation Process?
According to the wiki, "...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". I'm not sure what the word "mitigated" means in this context.
Today I received 13 GCs from Staples, and tomorrow probably will receive 13 letters...each containing a unique activation code. Is there a way to speed up the process of manually activating each card?
Today I received 13 GCs from Staples, and tomorrow probably will receive 13 letters...each containing a unique activation code. Is there a way to speed up the process of manually activating each card?
Jan 11, 2016, 10:19 pm
#56
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 294
According to the wiki, "...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". I'm not sure what the word "mitigated" means in this context.
Today I received 13 GCs from Staples, and tomorrow probably will receive 13 letters...each containing a unique activation code. Is there a way to speed up the process of manually activating each card?
Today I received 13 GCs from Staples, and tomorrow probably will receive 13 letters...each containing a unique activation code. Is there a way to speed up the process of manually activating each card?
Jan 11, 2016, 10:47 pm
#57
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 740
Yup, and even without the $20 rebate $21 for 3100UR is cheap!
Jan 15, 2016, 9:44 pm
#58
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 800
Seems like after Apple Pay fiasco, all the Staples near me have hid all the VGCs...
Jan 16, 2016, 12:13 pm
#59
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
With WM money orders, there's no autodrain on payment, right? You have to tell them you're taking $200 from the first debit card, $200 from the second, etc. Right? I remember trying billpay with multiple gift cards and it seemed to stump most of the cashiers. That's why I'm skeptical that it will be an easy transaction.
Jan 16, 2016, 8:58 pm
#60
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,648
So sad $300 Visa Gift Cards are now available at Staples AND $200 Visa Gift Cards are now available at Office Depot but Bluebird is DEAD. The 250,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points in 2015 will go to a good cause... first class airlines flights.
Paid $1000 car insurance via multiple $300 Visa gift cards. Not out of the game.
Paid $1000 car insurance via multiple $300 Visa gift cards. Not out of the game.