I'm surprised there aren't more wiser-than-your-average-manager at office supply stores who realize allowing multiple purchases by good customers (whether it's allowing one 2k purchase at a time or at least one or two single VGC purchases each day by each good customer) simply helps their numbers, which corporate sees. I've seen every stingy manager who greatly limited GC purchases, even of customers willing to show ID and such, sent packing by corporate after a while or their store getting shuttered and then if they did manage keeping their position moved to another location a great distance for them to commute. I had enough of one manager at a different chain, who thought I looked like another GC buyer even though I could prove my name is different but banned me from occasionally buying a few cards, so reported him and the store to corporate and that location was shuttered within a year. Corporate knew I was a multi-business ordering machine, so they weren't too happy and it just put more eyes on that location. I hated to see some of the good employees lose their jobs, but when a couple people rule the roost and act like the GC Gestapo, they don't last long in that location. Maybe I should have said 'soup nazi' as in "no gc for you!"

At a different chain, I even had the employees (while the manager was on break) ask me to help corporate see the light when it came to a bad manager. They were closed within the year. I knew those employees would actually lose their job, not just get a new manager, but also knew they'd be happier in a different business.

We are all quite fortunate that you are willing to use your superpowers for good, and not evil!

I wouldn't call having a lot of buying power on behalf of other businesses a superpower, but thanks...I think. Muhahahahaha.

Selling a lot of GCs at one single store does not make that store look good to the corporate.

Is AMEX SimplyCash still earning 5% on VGCs at Staples?

It did for me in Nov.

And then everyone clapped

Not from what I've heard, but it depends on who you're talking to up the chain. For some chains the numbers are used in their quarterly reports. Even if that doesn't matter, it does matter when managers and/or employees act rude to someone that does matter to someone else at the corporate level. Even if you don't know anyone, it only takes a few customers calling to get the wrong kind of attention from corporate (headhunter eyes) on a location, an employee (who may hoard GCs for a buddy) or a manager or manager-on-duty who doesn't treat customers as if they are valued. I actually buy merchandise at the places that I'm allowed to buy GCs when they are on sale. No one loses money (look at HAWK's financials) as long as id is checked properly and common sense prevails. Some companies encourage what they call "point gamers" because they bring business. Those of us who have large available credit and have been at this a while are responsible, pay our pills, and the banks (except for certain weird ones with algorithms that don't actually work well) love us. We invest. The banks or credit unions who treat me as a valued customer get treated well with my business and that means investment managers are happy. It's all good. I started in point gathering programs back in the 90's on my own and have been able to use that for charity, helping needy people go on dream vacations and been able to take my family to places they wanted to go which all brings tourist to those locations and stores. Even the airlines actually make money on your 'free' seat. I'd rather see the glass half full the half empty and appreciate people. We all help people in one way or another with our jobs (of course there are the few cons around that try to ruin things). Peace to my fellow ms'rs and those who create enticing CCs and programs.

FWIW, the one and the only Staples in our county strictly enforces the one per day rule and it is per Household, not just per person. I am fine with that as I primarily buy it to use for other things, such as paying expenses that the entities dont take AMEX (prefer the BBP 2x).

Multiple shift managers said the store did not make money selling those cards at promotion time. They are short at just say, this is a loss leader to get you in the store for other (expensive) items. All of them claim when in non-promo time, you can buy as much as the register allows, which is $2K per transaction.

So there, a counter point from the local store to your 2 lengthy posts.

I asked the store manager at my friendly $2k/visit neighborhood staples this past week about the GCs and their benefit and he claims there is one, he just isn't sure about where it shows up on the financial information. He says he can't find it on his store's P&L but he's had discussions with management above him on the topic specifically and they claim there was a benefit to selling them but he thinks it's just something that isn't so obvious to store level management.

The first time I was at the store, the $200 VCGCs were all empty. I managed to get a few and it was $2k per day. The 2nd time I went back, the VCGCs were all fully stocked. The manager was there and the store was empty. He showed me the sign with the highlighted "one card per day". But he told the cashier to sell me two cards.

So I do not know what the benefit the store manager gets. He could have told the cashier to sell me 10 cards, but he did not.

I ordered the fee-free $100 mcgc's a couple weeks ago and they finally arrived yesterday. I activated and everything seems fine but none of my purchases are going through (neither at WM or to reload my Amazon). Nothing ever goes smoothly with these stupid mcgc's and I never learn my lesson. Never again!

Sorry to hear that. Can't wait until mine arrive :)

Same hear, activated and they all have a 100.00 balance. However, every purchase is declined. Any ideas?

I called customer service and they kept telling me this was a problem with the merchant (even though I attempted transactions with 5+ different merchants and all declined). I kept escalating until I found someone willing to acknowledge the problem. They said I'll either get replacement cards or a refund check, I'm waiting to hear back.