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Visa/MasterCard Gift Cards at Staples(2017 onwards)

Old Feb 9, 2017, 8:17 pm
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Last edit by: lowkeyflyer
This is the master thread for all VGC and MCGC sold at Staples.
The previous discussion can be found here.

The VGCs sold at Staples are issued by Metabank and serviced by Blackhawk Network.
The activation code for online purchase comes with the card. Cards purchased at store are activated at check-out.
To activate cards over the phone (without activation codes), call (877) 426-2551 to talk to a rep.
To activate cards over the web, www.giftcardkey.com.
The default PIN number is the last four digits of the card number but can be changed online.

As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.

Earn 5x points with Chase Ink, or Simply Cash for 5% cash back
Buy Visa gift cards (Metabank) at Staples ($200 for $7.95) or the website ($300 for $8.95).

2k Limit per transaction / 10k per day for online. In-store is usually 2k but YMMV
Often times, there are promotions with no or reduced activation fees
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Visa/MasterCard Gift Cards at Staples(2017 onwards)

Old Jan 17, 2019, 10:01 am
  #961  
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Originally Posted by chippy111
Anyone get the 10% offer to work on an activated Am3x when purchasing gc’s?
is the Applepay work around the only way for it to work?
worked fine for me. even with the level 3 data on am3x showing $200 visa gift card fee $6.95 (funny since it is fee free this week)
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:35 pm
  #962  
 
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Originally Posted by DeltaNeutral28
The moronic part of the one per person is that if someone genuinely wanted to buy the $200's at full retail of $206.95 they would not be allowed to during the promo week. I was told by manager it's one per customer and said "no problem, I'll pay the fee on the rest of them" and they said "that's not possible." I said "so you're denying me a sale at full retail price, are your shareholders aware of this practice?" Long pause and reiteration of "one per customer." It was amusing.
I think that the manager probably knows that when the card is scanned, the actual price would be $200 (without the fee). There is no way for him to add the additional $6.95 onto the card purchase without perhaps being accused of scamming his employer of the $6.95.
So you could want to buy the card for the full price, but there was no way for him to sell it to you for that amount. And since the rules are 1 card per customer per day, he has to follow the rules.or risk being fired.

The company rules may be moronic, but this manager did not appear to be.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:40 pm
  #963  
 
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last night, a store limited me to 1 card.

today, diff store, no issues buying 3 at once.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 1:20 pm
  #964  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by DeltaNeutral28
The moronic part of the one per person is that if someone genuinely wanted to buy the $200's at full retail of $206.95 they would not be allowed to during the promo week. I was told by manager it's one per customer and said "no problem, I'll pay the fee on the rest of them" and they said "that's not possible." I said "so you're denying me a sale at full retail price, are your shareholders aware of this practice?" Long pause and reiteration of "one per customer." It was amusing.
Staples is a private company. No stockholders.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 3:07 pm
  #965  
 
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Originally Posted by TDSAXX


Staples is a private company. No stockholders.
do you think the “managers” at Staples are aware? Lol I think not. I used the “I dont think your shareholders would like you to refuse a $600 sale” line at 3rd store today and he let me do 3 cards at once.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 4:05 pm
  #966  
 
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Originally Posted by TDSAXX


Staples is a private company. No stockholders.
You must not know a lot about private equity. Staples does indeed have shareholders: All of its stock is directly owned by Sycamore Partners, acquired in a LBO in 2017. In turn, Sycamore is owned by its investors, which are primarily pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments/foundations, etc. Just because a company is privately owned (not publicly traded) doesn't mean that it doesn't have shareholders.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 6:52 pm
  #967  
 
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Actually I do know how private equity works. Just as I understand that any company that isn’t a sole proprietorship or partnership has shareholders. I just meant that the company doesn’t have shareholders in the sense that Target or Walmart or any other publicly traded company does. But thanks for giving us the Wikipedia version.
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 9:00 pm
  #968  
 
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Originally Posted by tuphat
Which tax payment processor allows multiple card to be used in a single payment transaction?
Most of them let at least two to be used online, and some can use more than that if you call in.

I paid to two states and federal last year. However it worked out I have a stack of cards sitting in a drawer that were used amongst all the different filings. I may have used multiple processors as well.
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 10:28 am
  #969  
 
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Yesterday, As the CSR was scanning my cards, she told me, "You know you are only supposed to be able to buy 1" and rang me up for $2,000.
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 10:52 am
  #970  
 
Join Date: May 2017
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I thinks something def came down from corporate this round. One of my regular stores started enforcing 1 per customer. Had a friendly cashier that was apologetic, and suggested I could come in once a day all week if I wanted. I learned about the limit basically as soon as I walked in and walked towards GCs. Manager told me their new rule.

Thankfully, another Staples further out still allowed $2k without batting an eye.
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 12:28 pm
  #971  
 
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Originally Posted by TDSAXX
Actually I do know how private equity works. Just as I understand that any company that isn’t a sole proprietorship or partnership has shareholders. I just meant that the company doesn’t have shareholders in the sense that Target or Walmart or any other publicly traded company does. But thanks for giving us the Wikipedia version.
So why did you say "no stockholders," when clearly you knew better?
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 8:21 pm
  #972  
 
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I bought $2K a few hours ago with no problem. Even better, there was no discussion of their corporate entity or capital structure.
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 8:43 pm
  #973  
 
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Bought $1k today at SoCal Staples; no signs about max 1 per customer, no discussion about corporate structure (haha). The checker just said “it must be someone’s birthday” and left it at that. Good day.
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Old Jan 18, 2019, 9:10 pm
  #974  
 
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Originally Posted by tuphat
Senior Moment -- Does using AMX Simply Business card at Staples for GCs get the promised benefit (5%), or does Level 3 reporting get in the way? Thanks.
5% credited after next statement.
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Old Jan 22, 2019, 12:30 pm
  #975  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
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Staples website has $100 MC GC with no fee

Remember to wait for activation letter that comes separately after the cards (takes a few days to a week) -- do not try to use the card or check balance until you've activated them to avoid cards being blocked
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