Carolellen607

Thank you

gatorboy

Mooper, thanks for all this great info. I've just gotten the Marriott Premier Visa and am ready to max out on the 10 points per $ offer but want to go through a cash back site which I have not done before. You recommend that one "document the tracking cookie ID," but I'm not sure I know how to do that. It may be beyond the scope of this thread but can you perhaps point to another thread that describes how to do so?

Many thanks.

justhere

Sorry if I missed this but I am uneducated when it comes to all things Marriott. I am booking some rooms in Europe for this coming summer. If I purchase gift cards I presume I use them to pay at checkout and if so, what type of exchange rate do you get as the gift cards are in US$?

Thanks.

mooper

A good cash back site will provide your tracking cookie info when you click through, usually via an interstitial or popup. Make sure you know the time/date you clicked through and the info for that cookie. Good sites will also log them for you within your account. Be sure it shows up. If it doesn't show, don't expect anything to post later, as it means your order wasn't tracked. If it does show, then be sure to also log your order confirmation from the merchant side. Armed with the tracking cookie and order info, you should be able to ensure credit. Of course, also be sure that cash back is valid with the order you placed. Often, the terms for certain offers, products, promo codes, etc will invalidate cash back. Read the T&Cs carefully if you are counting on it. I usually attempt cash back no matter what, even when terms say it isn't compatible, as sometimes it will post anyway. Other times the terms hold true and it doesn't. Hope that helped.

On a non-cashback note... does anyone know of any new 2012 Marriott offers not in my OP?

vrbaba

To warn others, the current promotions expire Jan 8. I doubt anything new will come up before then.

Does Marriott run gift card promotions year-round? Seems like once a year thing. I stocked up enough for couple months, but who knows how travel will pan out later especially if there are no good promotions compared to other chains.

mooper

Most of the gift card promotions indeed expire Jan 8th. Marriott has run similar promotions during all seasons in recent years - not just at the end. However, they have been more abundant and aggressive at year end. The Delta promotion, for example, was valid through much of 2011.

Outside the gift card promo arena, cash back and many other promotions are year-round. One that I've loved in the past wasn't run by Marriott themselves, but by partnering airlines (Delta and USAirways) where Marriott points could be converted to airline miles at a ratio of 1 MRP to 1.5 - 1.75 airline miles by stacking a Travel Package redemption with a transfer bonus being promoted by the airlines. I'm hoping we see more of that in 2012!

rookie10

Has anyone who purchased gift cards during the promo received the 10 bonus points per dollar yet?

mooper

The terms say they will post within six weeks of the end of the promotion (today). While that leaves the door open to them posting within hours, the delays are often purposeful for accounting and other reasons. I suggest giving the full six weeks, maybe even a seventh for good measure, before contacting them to request a correction. I doubt any action other than merely waiting will be necessary, and all speculation about early posting will be just that - speculation.

BigE

So, are the gift card promos finished, for now?

I tried making a dummy purchase right now and I don't even see where I would enter the promo card, prior to the credit card page.

FromPVG

It ended on Jan 8.

ncfinfan

Mine posted today. They show up in December range when I purchased them.

Counsellor

The gift cards are charged immediately through "Givex" at the interbank exchange rate, no additional currency conversion fee is charged.

I'm not sure what they (the Givex people) use to find the then-current interbank exchange rate, but you can get a reasonably close approximation by checking on www.oanda.com just before going down to check out.

rookie10

Bonus points posted yesterday from GC purchases.

Counsellor

Mine haven't. Maybe later this week . . .

nacho

I got the points posted.