Aug 21, 2019, 12:38 pm
Last edit by: Klemhuzzah
Signing up to buy $1000 visa/mc gift cards
You can buy the $1000 cards on Simon's volume site. Their regular site only sells $500 cards.
If you're new, or haven't bought anything in a year, you need to register at https://www.simon.com/volume/register-consumer
As part of the registration process, you will have to go to a brick and mortar mall and buy at least $3000 in cards in person, as well as filling out some paperwork while there. After that, you can do everything online.
As of Nov 2020, Simon Mall Gift cards will only work for $99/swipe for money services at Walmart and many grocery chains.
$1000 gift cards are available indefinitely.
2020 Promotions
Ongoing: FREEGROUND - Free Ground Shipping on any order size. Limited to 5 orders per customer. Expires December 31, 2020 (subject to change).
5/15-6/17: MDHOL20 - 20% off Visa Giftcard Purchase Fees + Free Ground Shipping on orders of 9 more cards
5/15/5/31: MAYGROUND - Free UPS Ground shipping on orders of 7 or more cards
5/15-6/31: MAY20VG10 - 10% off purchase fees on Visa Giftcards
6/29-7/20: JUL4HOL20 - 20% off Visa Giftcard Purchase Fees + Free Ground Shipping on orders of 5 or more cards. If you select a shipping other than Ground - the code will still take 20% off the purchase fees. Limited to 10 orders per customer.
8/11-8/31: AUG20PR - 15% off ALL fees (excl. shipping fees) on orders of 5 or more cards. Limited to 10 orders per customer (Originally expired on 8/23; on 8/24 promo was extended through 8/31)
10/12-10/14: FSOCT20 - 30% off all purchase fees on Visas and Mastercards.
10/26-10/31 - FS20SCARY - 35% off all purchase fees
11/1-11/30 - HOL20MC25 - 25% off all purchase fees on MasterCard / HOL20VG25 - 25% off all purchase fees on Visa / HOL20AG50 50% off all purchase fees on American Express
11/6-11/8 - FS20THANKS - 35% off all purchase fees
11/16-11/18 - FS20SAVINGS - 35% off all purchase fees
You can buy the $1000 cards on Simon's volume site. Their regular site only sells $500 cards.
If you're new, or haven't bought anything in a year, you need to register at https://www.simon.com/volume/register-consumer
As part of the registration process, you will have to go to a brick and mortar mall and buy at least $3000 in cards in person, as well as filling out some paperwork while there. After that, you can do everything online.
As of Nov 2020, Simon Mall Gift cards will only work for $99/swipe for money services at Walmart and many grocery chains.
$1000 gift cards are available indefinitely.
2020 Promotions
Ongoing: FREEGROUND - Free Ground Shipping on any order size. Limited to 5 orders per customer. Expires December 31, 2020 (subject to change).
5/15-6/17: MDHOL20 - 20% off Visa Giftcard Purchase Fees + Free Ground Shipping on orders of 9 more cards
5/15/5/31: MAYGROUND - Free UPS Ground shipping on orders of 7 or more cards
5/15-6/31: MAY20VG10 - 10% off purchase fees on Visa Giftcards
6/29-7/20: JUL4HOL20 - 20% off Visa Giftcard Purchase Fees + Free Ground Shipping on orders of 5 or more cards. If you select a shipping other than Ground - the code will still take 20% off the purchase fees. Limited to 10 orders per customer.
8/11-8/31: AUG20PR - 15% off ALL fees (excl. shipping fees) on orders of 5 or more cards. Limited to 10 orders per customer (Originally expired on 8/23; on 8/24 promo was extended through 8/31)
10/12-10/14: FSOCT20 - 30% off all purchase fees on Visas and Mastercards.
10/26-10/31 - FS20SCARY - 35% off all purchase fees
11/1-11/30 - HOL20MC25 - 25% off all purchase fees on MasterCard / HOL20VG25 - 25% off all purchase fees on Visa / HOL20AG50 50% off all purchase fees on American Express
11/6-11/8 - FS20THANKS - 35% off all purchase fees
11/16-11/18 - FS20SAVINGS - 35% off all purchase fees
Simon Mall Gift Cards (2019-2023)
Sep 4, 2019, 2:27 am
#406
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LAX/SFO
Programs: AS 100k, BA GGL, UA 1k, DL DM, AC SE, B6 Mosaic4, Hyatt/Hilton/Wyndham/IHG Diamond, Marriot Ti
Posts: 1,248
If you’re just talking CB cards, the numbers make sense as long as two things are true. First is that you don’t have access to Simon yourself. Second is that you have to really, really trust the purchaser.
If both are true, you should maximize the return by going for the $25k max purchase. Based on your math, which is definitely a little bit conservative, you’d get $390 before buyer comp and liquidation (since you’re only paying one mailing fee). This is assuming that you’d be paying the buyer a flat fee per trip. You’d probably want the buyer to change the pin on each card before mailing. Or text pictures of the cards so you could do so yourself.
Sep 4, 2019, 7:58 am
#408
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I completely Disagree with your opin. I change every card I buy to the same 4 #s , why? That way I dont have to keep remembering the different #s on each card before walking in and if I make a mistake and input the wrong # having to glance at the card hoping the csr doesnt catch me., and yes in the past I had that exact problem and walked out empty handed
2ndly theres usually some cents remaining on most of the cards, at the supermkt that drains them no need to look at each card for the # I must input, alot quicker to get the job done
2ndly theres usually some cents remaining on most of the cards, at the supermkt that drains them no need to look at each card for the # I must input, alot quicker to get the job done
Sep 4, 2019, 8:53 am
#410
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
For the supermarket, you can just run them as credit. No need to punch in #s .
Sep 4, 2019, 9:10 am
#411
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,689
- box looking for pin appears
Press enter (green button)
- asks to confirm amount
Press enter (green button)
Done
Sep 4, 2019, 10:31 am
#412
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
thx but its just as fast inputting the Pin IMO, also that doesnt solve the problem when getting the MOs , its alot safer IMO if I can simply rip thru inputting the Pin. I used to remember the last 4 digits on the 4 cards I was gonna use and much like staying at a different hotel each night, there will come the times when I need something or my card to be rekeyed and I tell them my room # and they say Im mistaken, eg room 1121 problem is that hotel only has 5 floors so nothing after 5XX, 1121 was the previous night. So too I used to mess up with the Pin, by having 1 # it solves any problem for me and works for me and no messing up
Sep 4, 2019, 11:28 am
#413
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 271
I used to set the same PIN on every card, to avoid looking at the digits after swiping (1 card is fine to remember, 4 is tough), and also to offer an extra (imaginary?) security layer.
But once you go over $100k monthly, it's just unmanageable, too much time wasted.
But once you go over $100k monthly, it's just unmanageable, too much time wasted.
Sep 4, 2019, 11:29 am
#414
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: SAN
Posts: 54
GCM has monthly limits. If you’re hitting those limits, being able to purchase $25k in a day is very useful. Also, the $25k is available to liquidate immediately. No waiting for processing or mailing. Is the margin lower on Simon? Yes, but if you’re doing enough volume where you’re buying $10-25k at a time, Simon is a damn good option. It’s about volume at that point. If you’re buying $1500 at a time, 3x$500 from GCM is better for you.
Sep 4, 2019, 1:19 pm
#415
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 104
I completely Disagree with your opin. I change every card I buy to the same 4 #s , why? That way I dont have to keep remembering the different #s on each card before walking in and if I make a mistake and input the wrong # having to glance at the card hoping the csr doesnt catch me., and yes in the past I had that exact problem and walked out empty handed
2ndly theres usually some cents remaining on most of the cards, at the supermkt that drains them no need to look at each card for the # I must input, alot quicker to get the job done
2ndly theres usually some cents remaining on most of the cards, at the supermkt that drains them no need to look at each card for the # I must input, alot quicker to get the job done
Changing the pin does make liquidating easier since you only have to remember one pin if you’re doing a bunch at a time. But that wasn’t the point.
Sep 4, 2019, 3:46 pm
#416
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LAX/SFO
Programs: AS 100k, BA GGL, UA 1k, DL DM, AC SE, B6 Mosaic4, Hyatt/Hilton/Wyndham/IHG Diamond, Marriot Ti
Posts: 1,248
We were talking about from a security standpoint if mailing the cards to someone. Changing the pin doesn’t stop someone from using the cards if they are delivered to the wrong address. They can just be run as credit.
Changing the pin does make liquidating easier since you only have to remember one pin if you’re doing a bunch at a time. But that wasn’t the point.
Sep 4, 2019, 8:56 pm
#417
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: atlanta
Posts: 56
opened up a fidelity card for a family member recently. took it to a local simons. ~15k limit, charged ~5k on it, declined repeatedly. called up CS said they cleared the fraud alert, still could not go through. any one have issues with fidelity card at simons?
Sep 4, 2019, 9:04 pm
#418
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
When I did my break-even analysis, I assumed that I could liquidate $500's 4 at a time, and $1000's in a package with 2 $1000's and 1 $500.
I didn't worry about monthly limits. I have two Rakuten accounts, one that gives 1% CB and one that gives Amex points. They normally allow only one account per person, but they told me I could have two since I want to get my rewards different ways. While I mainly use the Amex option, I take cash when using my Rakuten credit card, because you can't get Amex points with that.
It's true that it can be a little annoying to order 3 cards at a time, but it's also annoying to drive back and forth to the mall. And while it can certainly take 6-9 days from date of order to delivery, I can place the online order as soon as the available credit exists in my account, rather than having to wait until I can get to the mall.
I didn't worry about monthly limits. I have two Rakuten accounts, one that gives 1% CB and one that gives Amex points. They normally allow only one account per person, but they told me I could have two since I want to get my rewards different ways. While I mainly use the Amex option, I take cash when using my Rakuten credit card, because you can't get Amex points with that.
It's true that it can be a little annoying to order 3 cards at a time, but it's also annoying to drive back and forth to the mall. And while it can certainly take 6-9 days from date of order to delivery, I can place the online order as soon as the available credit exists in my account, rather than having to wait until I can get to the mall.
Sep 4, 2019, 9:05 pm
#419
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
Simon normally will not allow a card to be used again on the same day after it is declined.
Try another day, and call Fidelity before you attempt the charge.
Also, SM normally will not let you use someone else's card - the name on the card must match the ID.
Sep 4, 2019, 9:31 pm
#420
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Once upon a time...
Posts: 863
Haven’t seen much discussion on this… why isn’t Plastiq processing these $1k cards as a debit card?