Just bad luck or is Walgreens out of the MS game for good?
Aug 29, 2017, 8:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
Just bad luck or is Walgreens out of the MS game for good?
Went to 3 seperate Walgreens today and they told me if I was going to buy a gift card, I need to do it with cash. Does anyone know if I just somehow got unlucky, or is this standard now?
Has anyone had any luck buying Gift Cards from Walgreens at all?
Has anyone had any luck buying Gift Cards from Walgreens at all?
Aug 30, 2017, 7:06 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 766
Used to be very much a YMMV. I have not tried in years as I was denied many years ago in my town, but others were successful in other towns.
Aug 30, 2017, 8:22 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 44
I travel a lot for work, I noticed on Monday one general area just went from great to nothing seemingly in less than a week, while other areas today and yesterday are business as usual.
I think some scammers got some old people to pay them in gc in that area, this is why we can't have nice things.
I think some scammers got some old people to pay them in gc in that area, this is why we can't have nice things.
Aug 30, 2017, 8:49 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 3
The Walgreens just 0.1 miles from my house still takes credit/debit for gift cards. I just got an Amazon gift card for $100 with credit twice earlier this week. Not sure about VGC though.
Aug 30, 2017, 4:36 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,431
Absolutely YMMV. They are also not supposed to sell more then one VGC for a max of $500.00. I just bring up two with different packaging and about 50% of the time I can buy both. If I get pushback I only buy one. I find the late shift are usually not sticklers, or even know the rules. I have never had a WG tell me cash only.
Aug 31, 2017, 8:10 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
My understanding of the corporate policy (per management in Vegas) is that you are limited to buying one card type per day. Buying one VGC VISA and one VGC MC would be in compliance with policy while buying one VGC VISA in a black and silver package and one VGC VISA in a white and gold package would not. This said there either does not seem to be a clear memo on the policy or adequate staff training which has lead to some YMMV. Other YMMV comes in when an area is hit by fraudsters and local management does a knee jerk reaction to shut down variable VGC sales. This reaction is typically cash only store policies or removal of $20-500 cards on a short or long term basis.
Absolutely YMMV. They are also not supposed to sell more then one VGC for a max of $500.00. I just bring up two with different packaging and about 50% of the time I can buy both. If I get pushback I only buy one. I find the late shift are usually not sticklers, or even know the rules. I have never had a WG tell me cash only.
Aug 31, 2017, 12:25 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 16
My understanding of the corporate policy (per management in Vegas) is that you are limited to buying one card type per day. Buying one VGC VISA and one VGC MC would be in compliance with policy while buying one VGC VISA in a black and silver package and one VGC VISA in a white and gold package would not. This said there either does not seem to be a clear memo on the policy or adequate staff training which has lead to some YMMV. Other YMMV comes in when an area is hit by fraudsters and local management does a knee jerk reaction to shut down variable VGC sales. This reaction is typically cash only store policies or removal of $20-500 cards on a short or long term basis.
Aug 31, 2017, 9:28 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,998
My understanding of the corporate policy (per management in Vegas) is that you are limited to buying one card type per day. Buying one VGC VISA and one VGC MC would be in compliance with policy while buying one VGC VISA in a black and silver package and one VGC VISA in a white and gold package would not. This said there either does not seem to be a clear memo on the policy or adequate staff training which has lead to some YMMV. Other YMMV comes in when an area is hit by fraudsters and local management does a knee jerk reaction to shut down variable VGC sales. This reaction is typically cash only store policies or removal of $20-500 cards on a short or long term basis.
$500 open loop
$500 closed loop
$500 store
per day
Sep 1, 2017, 5:39 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
As in one variable, one fixed value and one retailer card? Each a different type of GC? Would love to see the corporate memo that has created such confusion. It must have come when the racks were tagged with the "$500" message on the bottom.
Sep 1, 2017, 6:00 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,207
I am sure you can understand the confusion, after all it is clear most people don't know what open loop and closed loop are even when they are in this arena of gift card usage. A normal wags cashier is supposed to know the difference? Doubtful
Sep 1, 2017, 6:26 am
#15
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
IME, even with a corporate memo, I can still buy up to 4 variables at my go-to WAG because the register allows it. I have been to stores where it is the cashier or AM who outright say ONLY 1 $500 GC and I don't argue; but during those times when they have promos of buy any 2 vanillas, get $5 WAG gc free, I just show them their ad and most often they acquiesce while saying "this time only". I proceed to buy 2 variables. There were instances cashier won't budge and say I can buy two $250s and I just say No thanks and leave.