TucsonJohn

Albertsons actually prints MO up to $500, but you can get additional MO for one total amount. So I get a 500 and 448.xx, and with fees I swipe once for $950. There is a fee for each MO, so my cost is higher than WM, but at this point I’m just getting rid of my vgcs.

Also, our Fry’s stores here sell MO up to $750.

TucsonJohn

Correct

TucsonJohn

Deleted

Liteweight13

I have learned this. I always go to the register to load but only $500 at a time. The few times I tried to load $1k at a time I got a funny look and a supervisor called over and told to go to CS desk so I just stick with $500 and sometimes just go to a different line and do the same.

ogg

The regular registers and the CS/MC registers are programmed differently. The CS/MC registers are the only ones that can capture customer ID information, so if, say, you're buying $5K or more of WM Visa GCs, you have to do it at CS/MC because a photo ID is required. The regular registers pop up a screen telling the clerk to send you there.

We know now that whatever update screwed things up for CS/MC registers hasn't affected the regular registers, so if you can convince a cashier to run your transactions there (like card loading) you can continue as you always did. Some cashiers simply won't do such loads--they're afraid they'll screw things up, or they've been told to send all such transactions to the CS/MC registers instead. (Sometimes because other cashiers do screw up such transactions and the managers want the more experienced/brighter clerks at the CS/MC desks to do them instead.)

bocastephen

Can you elaborate on your experience with Fry's?

TucsonJohn

My local Fry’s allows up to $750 MO. I had not used them in some time since they used to ask to see my card and told me they didn’t accept vgc. And one particular rep that denied me always, always seemed to be there when I went. Recently I tried there again since I had to clear out my stash when the WM issues surfaced. I stopped in 3 times over the last 2 weeks and was able to get MO. It was early evening and the reps didn’t ask to see card. But out of caution/fear I only got ones for $740 or so. I find Albertsons easier, but good to know Fry’s is an option. At least it was 4 days ago when I stopped in.

bbriscoe34

Isn't Safeway the same company as Albertsons? Do they generally give MO's for Gebit cards at Albertsons/Safeways or does it vary from store to store?

danpeake

It varies. Safeways near me don't accept any debits for MOs.

bbriscoe34

where are you? Any DPs in Colorado?

true_tedi

All good in Colorado. At least in CO Springs. They write down the amount in a book.

TucsonJohn

The 2 Albertsons near me in Tucson worked fine for MO with vgc. Haven’t tried Safeway though.

strummerjones

Further to TucsonJohn’s datapoint, I’ve been generally successful at Albertson’s in the LA area, but I was asked to see my card at two different locations then rejected (I had been successful at one of the stores with a different rep several days earlier) and one store had a handwritten note taped on the plexiglass that said only two swipes and no gebits allowed, but the guy at the desk (who was a manager) didn’t ask to see my card. One store, I forget which, also had a $300 limit. I have only ever tried a single swipe since I don’t want to push it - I got two MOs in one swipe at the $300 limit store since I was only using a $500 gebit - and I’m not a heavy hitter - I’m just trying to max out a few Chase and Amex grocery bonus spend offers. Good luck to you all.

danhouston

as meta r mostly not working @ WMs, would help if SM could get US bank VGCs... could help their sales as well, but then, who knows when WM may make a restriction to the US version as well, lol

Carrisco

Hello all. I'm not new to the MS game but new to posting (been lurking for years, however).

This latest limitation is really a big blow.

On December 2 I went out to visit two WMs (that I know the CSRs at the CS desk very, very well) to gather some DPs. I brought (4) META $500 VGCs and (8) USB $500 VGCs for the test mission.

It does appear that 'multiple swipes after initial decline' is still working for META VGCs at WM. One META went through on first swipe at $500 and the rest all declined. After multiple swipes (some twice, some up to 4 times), they all went through except one. Oddly, the one that didn't go through was given decline code 56 vs. the 51 I've seen on most of the declines (my WM-specific decline code list shows code 56 as 'not a valid card number' — odd decline reason...) The pin pad was Ingenico.

(4) $500 USB VGCs went through on first swipe. Off to the second WM...

Second WM (CS) was a training center and had the updated pin pads (not sure of the brand but not Ingenico — card swipes flat and unfortunately, face up). Same META VGC that declined at the first WM (CS) also declined here — decline code 56 again.

Now the scary part...

I had (2) USB VGCs decline with code 51 and (2) worked. Luckily I knew the CSR as five total swipes for a $1K MO is excessive and obviously suspicious. The CSR said that she had been having 'quirky' problems with DC MO sales all day so hopefully that's all it was but it's very scary to see USB VGCs start having similar declines as the META VGCs...

I'll be back out later today and will report back any interesting/useful info...

-b.