OfficeMax/Depot has been testing a new rewards program called ‘Rewards Everything’ since February of last year. The rewards program is fairly simple, you earn 2% back on all purchases (including gift cards). Starting July 1st the program will be available to everybody and existing OfficeMax/Depot members will be automatically transferred to the new program.
At this stage it isn’t clear if they will be offering VIP status that is giving 3% cash back on all purchases when you spend $500 or more within a 365 day period during the testing stages. I think it’s more a matter of when not if they will make changes, fingers crossed it lasts. It’ll be a profitable time for those with Chase Ink Cash/Plus cards or really any card that earns at a high rate on office supply stores as you’ll be earning 5x/5% via your credit card and then an additional 2% in OfficeMax/Depot rewards.
Hat tip to Miles to Memories
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And Office Depot is NOT paying the 2% on VGC's, per my most recent transaction details:
"This Item Is Not Eligible For Rewards Due To: (1) Promotion Limits Being Exceeded, (2) Promotion Minimum Purchase Requirements Not Being Met, (3) Returns For Purchases Made With A Different Member Number On The Original Purchase. Refer To The Offer And/Or Program Terms And Conditions For Full Details."
More importantly they are not stupid like NinjaX wants to assert. Lighten up, Francis. Here is the fine print. Sorry team. Not viable.
Is there a limit to the rewards I can earn? Members earn 2% back in rewards, without limits, on everything except the following:
a. earn rewards on up to $200 dollars spent on 3rd party gift cards per quarter,
b. up to $50 spent on Office Depot® OfficeMax® gift cards per quarter
c. and up to $75 dollars spent on U.S. postage stamps per quarter.
I just looked at the terms. Limited to $200 of 3rd party gc, $50 office max gc, and $75 in stamps per quarter. Not sure if $4 per qtr and not being able to spend it on gc is worth it.
So you can't use the 2% rewards to cash out for cash or buy GCs? That devalues the program a lot IMO. Things are more expensive at OM than Walmart, BB, etc..
I agree that the 2% isn't really worth the face value of the rewards. I usually value the rewards certificate around 70% of cash value since most items are more expensive than where you'd normally purchase other things.
You can't use rewards to buy gift cards.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/content/loyalty/rewardsfaq/#faq23
I was liking the limited participation since some of us already receive rewards because we checked into it. Although, they recently lowered the instant discount on vgc promotions done to a level where you have to use the rewards to make up part of the difference. So, it hasn't worked out that great unless you were receiving rewards many months ago. It's a wash, basically, but even worse because it's not as much instant savings, but instead rewards toward some OM purchases later (which some try to resell).
The 2% is NOT automatically deducted at the register with purchase. You receive a certificate for future use which CANNOT be used on GCs of any kind.
Luis,
Thanks for the feedback. How exactly does the rewards program work? Are there other restrictions on the Rewards? Can it be used on Electronics- laptops, etc. Can they be used online or only in store?
they currently have a "Reward+" account which doesn't give any point on GC purchases.
Isn't there a hard coded and/or velocity limit as far as dollar amount per transaction (and/or register)? If so anyone knows what it is? I've stumbled a couple of times on it, but it was a while and don't remember the dollar amount per transaction.
I also think there might be a limit per reward membership nr/account?
the hardcode limits appear to be rather sporadic in my area. There's one hardcode that seems consistent which is if you use your rewards phone number more than three times in three separate transactions at the same store then the computer will require manager override. And if you go to do even more transactions each transaction will require override afterwards. So if you don't want to deal with override only do max 3 transactions per store (with your rewards #).
On times when I haven't needed to do separate transactions (i.e. when OD is not running a $10 or $15 off $300 sale) then I usually do max $2000 per store in one transaction. It seems to be 50/50 from store to store if that amount will require manager override. AND another 50/50 is some stores require the AML form be filled out at anything more than $1000 and some stores the form never pops up on the screen. All in all pretty sporadic.
Can the OD certificate be used to also buy VGC? If I am calculating this right this method would be effectively buying UR for 0.1 cents per point?!?
4.95 GC fee + .69 MO fee - 4.10 2% back= 1.54/1025 UR = $0.001 per UR
No the OD Cert can't be used to buy any gift cards at all. But they sell plenty of everyday items that you could use in your home. Cleaning products, paper, soap, etc.
I think this might explain why they've recently been offering less enticing GC promotions than before.
BTW, they do seem to have a limit of at most 3 swipes of the same number per cashier, e.g., a forth transaction with a rewards number at the same register/cashier would require an override.