Deal has ended, view more Staples deals by clicking here.
The Offer
No direct link, but being advertised in store
- Staples stores are selling $200 Visa gift cards with no activation fees from 5/9 – 5/15
The Fine Print
- Limit 5 per customer per day
- Valid 5/9 – 5/15
- In-store only
Our Verdict
Always nice when this deal comes around. Remember to use a card that earns at a high rate on office supply store purchases.
Hat tip to GC Galore
When is the next one! I am running low haha
DP: It seems like yesterday (6/3/2021) there were no issues loading any amount up to 210 to BB at WM (register, MC, CS). I tried 45, 95, 100, 200 and 210 (first swipe). These were MB VGC from the current Safeway promo and one $500 MB VGC from Stop & Shop. Not sure if this was an isolated matter since all WM associates were saying there is an issue with their system and people can’t pay with cash. It happened at multiple WMs. I tried a MB MCGC load to BB but didn’t work.
Thanks for the DP. Was that Amex or Visa BB?
Amex BB
Can you use Staples gift cards to purchase other store gift cards (like home depot)? Also, Discover has a 20% discount on Happy gc. They have offers for other cards, too.
William Charles
Have seen quite a few debit payment declined error code 01 while loading Amex BB with MB VGC at regular terminal. It usually goes through on the 2nd or 3rd swipe. Nonetheless nerve wrecking as I want to be under the radar with these cashiers. I usually do 2 to 3 separate load transactions each using one MB VGC. Ofcourse it is better than not working at all, but annoying nevertheless. The next person in the line in on the neck thinking I am making a payment and ready to leave. I usually have to push them back and ask then to wait a couple of more minutes.
Good Lord did anyone else register these cards online and have to do EIGHT cone and spear things to prove you were human?
I did .. 🙂 It wanted me to identify a turtle..
I have 5 Visa gift cards each worth $200 (total $1000) and trying to cash them. Please let me know the options (if any).
Also, what is BB? What is MC at WM (Walmart)? Please can someone explain. Thanks.
BB is Bluebird, there are currently two versions Amex and Visa. Amex Bluebird is the only one I have experience with. MC is Money Center at Walmart. Some store have them as dedicated areas for financial services. Options are defined by retailers in your area and how friendly they are to this type of transaction. You could also look into Amex Serve and Family Dollar.
Bought VGCs with MCGCs that I was stuck with due to Tender Not Allowed error that started on 4/30. Was able to load Amex BB with VGC using it as a gebit with pin at regular terminal and not MC. Change of payment trick is also dead for VGC at MC which people used to avoid $99 limit.
Did you have any pushback at Staples using MCGC for payment?
And regarding your last sentence: are you confirming that VGC is BAU as debit (just not as credit), but has the $99 limit. So use each VGC twice and have $2 left over?
Thanks as always… 🙂
No push back. I bought one at a time. I used MCGC as debit.
I use VGC as gebit at a regular terminal which doesn’t have 99 limit. Limit is only at the MC/CS terminal.
I haven’t done this yet but about to have lots of VGCs to liquidate (ugh).
What is gebit?
We can do $1000 on a BB per day?
Use it at the terminal and not the MC?
I would be using the Meta Bank VGCs. The USB are easier to liquidate using BB?
Gebit is using VGC as debit. Gift card debit means gebit. 1000 limit at regular terminal. USB doesn’t have a cap of 99 at MC so better from that perspective.
– gebit = G…iftcard d…EBIT (just means you use a giftcard instead of your real debit card)
– BB Limit is 2.5k a day, 5k calendar month (I have the old BB Amex version)
– did some $99 at MC today, its BAU (have no option of reg. terminal, get send over to CS/MC)
– yes (in general)
Hope this helps,
beat2def 🙂
P:S.: Do your research on Serve if you want more options than WM (esp. for MCGC and Meta)
The limit question was related to loading at Walmart using VGC and not BB loading limit in general.
I tried to use Metabank VGC at self serve terminal at Walmart and got tender not allowed, should I try a regular register?
How many VGCs were you allowed to load to BB at a time? Is there a limit that I shouldn’t try to cross?
I’m new; tomorrow will be my first attempt to load to BB. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I only use one VGC per BB load. If I know the cashier then I try 2 or 3 transactions (2 or 3 loads with one VGC each). Otherwise, I just do one. Max limit is 5 (5x 200 VGC) at a cashier terminal. If I load 5 VGC to my BB at cashier terminal today, then I have to wait till day after tomorrow, otherwise system won’t let you load. $1000 over 24 hour rolling window.
Are you sure about these answers? I thought the swipe limit at WM is 4 including your BB card? Also daily load limit at WM is $1999.99? I haven’t ever tried more than 4 swipes but have loaded more than $1000 in one day.
1999.99 limit per day is at the MC. Regular cashier terminal limit is 1000. This is from my own experience which others have confirmed.
.
Interesting. I almost never load at regular registers, too inefficient for me. Most of my regular Metas go to FD and everything else I do at WM CS, my WM doesn’t have a MC.
If you are loading your Amex BB with Meta be prepared for possible “tender not allowed”. Usually will work after additional swipes but this can be nerve racking the first time it happens. USB Visa do not have this issue at WM and can be loaded at CS and registers.
I’m looking to buy a new TV at Costco. I have a Chase Ink cash card did I just opened any to meet the minimum spend. I’d like to maximize my UR points at the same time. What would anybody suggest about purchasing these fee-free visa cards in order to purchase the TV there. Did anyone know the limit? Do I need to purchase in store only or can I use more than one card online? Should I use these cards to buy Costco cash cards online and then order the TV online using those cards? What’s the limit? Thanks in advance.
These no fee Visa promos at Staples are in-store only and always have been. You should also check to see on Costco.com if there is a limit on how many Costco cash cards u can stack in one order to plan it out accordingly. Most retailers have a limit on how many gift cards u can stack in one purchase.
Just keep in mind that many credit cards will still extend your TV warranty if you buy the TV directly with the credit card. The costco credit card will give you two additional years. Obviously it is up to you if the extended warranty options are worth more then the 5% back or 5x ur points on this deal.
You also may want to take in account, the extended warranty that some cc offer.
I’d probably just buy the TV in store if you’re going to do the VGC route. I’ve used about 8 VGCs on one transaction in store with no issues except for annoying the cashier. I don’t know of any hard limit. Buying the Costco cash cards to buy online just seems like adding another annoying step in the process. Also, Costco’s online prices are frequently higher than buying in the club.
I agree with what others have said about giving up credit card protections if you do go this route, but Costco is really good about allowing returns on everything they sell.
If you’re that desperate to meet minimum spend on a Chase card, you really should have just gone with a US Bank Altitude Reserve to get 4.5% back at Costco w/ mobile wallet and you would get extended warranty also.
Reg the extended warranty, I think but I am not sure of Citi that you only need some portion to be on the VISA to claim extended warranty. There might be a % requirement which you may need to call Citi to confirm. When I had to file a claim on a Barclay card sometime back, I was told that even the portion paid by rewards (Sears SYW points in my case ) and gift card will be covered by the extended warranty protection offered by the card: So even if a small non-tax portion of the purchase price is charged to the card it was sufficient and that is what I had done and I did get my full money back. Now this might be something specific to my Barclay VISA or it may not or I may have just got lucky. Best is to check.
Plenty available in local Staples. Got 5 of them for $1000.
There have been plenty of $200 VGCs for awhile now since WM sorta died for most people.
Agreed. I wish we still had that option..
For the 1st time my local store only has about 20 left. They usually have a plethora of them in stock. Cashier even said some folks are only coming in to buy gift cards.
Occasionally I buy some other stuff, but usually I only by gift cards at office supply stores. (and only enough to category-shift regular spend such as insurance).
Thanks Abbi.
When the Staples store is so far away (can’t guarantee nearby Sam’s Club gas cost will be accomodating) and heavy retail traffic is expected, I hesitate to be disappointed by lack of inventory, which is often the case with this promo.
Chase shutdown all my cards and wife’s cards so I’ll let the cat out of the bag.
For those in the Massachusetts/ Connecticut and Rhode Island area. In eastern Connecticut, Norwich, Willimantic and Killingly Staples are always loaded to the point of the Visa gift cards falling on the floor and they don’t care if you buy 5 every day. In Killingly, they don’t seem to care if you want to do more (I’ve never tried but there is zero resistance at five).
Enjoy the game but be careful out there, I’ve done very little MS in over a year (about $1k/ month) 840+ credit scores and they don’t care, it’s final and permanent. Over $1.3 million net worth and no mortgages or loans, make $150k/ year.
Only guess is we both opened a chase checking account that we were actually going to use but decided not to move so we closed them because where we are there aren’t any Chase banks.
Any thoughts on whether the shutdown was more likely triggered by the checking account closures or GC purchases?
I’m new to buying GCs to meet Chase MSRs, and I’m wondering if there’s a line I shouldn’t cross. I’ve basically bought GCs to meet 75% of the MSRs on a CIC and a CSP in the past few months, and I’d like to max my CIC monthly CL going forward on GCs from office supply stores. Risky?
All our Chase cards were over 20 months old and two of my wife’s cards were 22 years old. I never bought gift cards to meet MSR on any credit card.
Did Chase explain why they closed down all your cards?
Wife and I got the same thing read to us three times each, A Chase affiliate decided to end all banking and credit card relationships with us. They wouldn’t even give me an example of a chase affiliate.
Sounds like it might have originated from the banking side. It’s possible opening/closing the checking accounts put eyeballs on all your accounts.
The affiliate is the banking side so the checking account. Something there they didn’t like.
I’m stopping by a branch tomorrow to see what they have to say.
My 2 cents again: “affiliate” means a third party contractor that interprets Chase’s policy and to keep the contract loads the program with simplistic strict algorithms that outside of the board room doesn’t make sense to a stable consumer. Performance review reflects they are protecting the bank.
Any chance you liquidated any of the cards with walmart bill pay to one of your chase accounts? For some reason even doing that with little action can result in a shutdown.
Never used bill pay, ever, on any card.
I’ll email DOC with these details, it was pay yourself back. I’ve been doing lots of small purchases since January (no MS on sapphire) and my PYB transactions were small, frequent and expiring. The number of PYB transactions was what got us. Average was $40 to $50 each.
I would combine points when they posted and do PYB when I had enough for the next expiring purchase. Probably used PYB 3-4 times a month since March.
It is final, non negotiable and I was told Chase has the right to cut off a relationship at any time for any reason. No appeal through the Federal complaint process would be able to reverse this. I was told there is nobody I could speak to to even consider anything.
Chase did not like your PYB transactions? Please clarify.
Very clear, it was the frequent small PYB transactions.
Not very clear, frequent small PYB transactions should not cause a shut down. Most people here have done frequent small PYB transactions and no shutdowns. There is something else that Chase did not like.
Not what I was told, checking account is ok, spending was normal, no other relationships, etc. rep specifically mentioned PYB. You can accept that or not.
I’ll stop by the bank again tomorrow and tell the branch manager that you object to our accounts being closed because of pay yourself back transactions. That should clear everything up, thanks in advance.
With all due respect, I can’t see a person in the bank (who is there for chiefly other reasons) has any actual knowledge (other than what they got in training for again other reasons to be in the brick and mortar) about why decisions are made. The banks do not place any importance on explanation to a customer (probably some exceptions for those considered private client achievers). I mean no disrespect but this isn’t the 90’s or early 2000 decade. It took me a long time to understand that, myself. Most everything is considered expendable outside of the automation of policy broken down in algorithms.
I have an example: sister’s check returned with Suntrust. Plenty of funds available. I am convinced an algorithm that detected the check amount was “unusually” higher than what previous activity indicated and therefore was possible fraud. In the name of security, check was flagged for a set of eyes. Determination was “send it back” (my quotes). When brought to their attention in a bank visit, not only was their excuse unsettling, Suntrust would not cover the fee charged by the receiving bank to which the check was written (again the money was there and the check was signed, endorsed, etc.).
My sister has intellectual disability. The check was written to Trustco Bank. I took my sister and my printouts and explained the data. Our rep agreed to put the account on an alert list so that when the rep would receive customer relation “tickets”, she would use one to COVER the bank’s returned check fee back to the account, at TRUSTCO’s expense (Suntrust did nothing but irritate). This is an example of in person interaction still being important. Big banks, not so much.
So, you say ” where we are there aren’t any Chase banks.”
But then a day later you go by a branch?
And PYB, which is mainly made for people using their normal (read: small) grocery purchases to offset, you used 3-4 times a month, and this got you banned?
Let’s just say I’m skeptical…
Lol, next time you are in eastern Connecticut I’ll log into Chase at my house and show you my activity, then we can drive 85 miles to western Connecticut to visit my parents, also you can help me and my brother-in-law install the new pool liner.
Just don’t come over tomorrow or Thursday, I’ve done the drive three days in a row and I’m taking a few days to rest, I’m 51 years old, this shit is hard on me now. Liner guy is coming Friday, also my 21st wedding anniversary, we really would appreciate the help. Chase bank is just up the road from there, we can skip out for a few minutes while the water truck goes for a refill.
Hope to see you soon
OK, I can slightly understand the retail banking account closure but if one hasn’t abused the CC spend, why the punitive slap down? (Similar name mistake? SSN typo in automation?)
I get it. Chase hasn’t been nice to us in awhile, either, while BOA seemingly “hearts” us. Chase 5/24 pushed us away. (All I want from them is Hyatt and SW and the basic $500 spend cards).
I think net worth doesn’t weigh much, because unless if it’s in cash assets in an account with Chase, one doesn’t stay on their radar. If it’s on the radar, marketing is launched in one’s direction (after a perfunctory credit score check) based on accumulated info on one’s type of spend. We definitely fell off their radar despite our good credit score/record with Chase and our low account balance (why keep $ there when BOA lauds us with “points” for cash EVERY month and 0% interest rates that have allowed us to steadily pay off debt?)
I also think there is a bank policy detail which is loaded as an algorithm which when a mini CR is viewed, causes Chase to believe that with much CC activity, one must be “living” on credit cards. BOA just doesn’t see it that way for us, but again we are keeping $ over several accounts with them. Just my 2cents.
I understand everyone trying to make sense of this, the bank manager read the information on the computer and gave me a “censored” version of their “confidential” information on my account. I’m just as shocked as everyone here, obviously I (we) got caught up in some odd algorithm and got shut down.
Perhaps it was because our credit availability was too high ($175k between the two of us among all accounts) and we were only utilizing 3-5% every month for over a year? I never made between cycle payments just so I had some credit utilization. Was I just not using my cards enough? Who knows what actually flagged the review.
Let me make it clear what I was told by a Chase bank manager in the “censored” version they gave me.
I WAS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF FREQUENT COMBINING OF POINTS AND FREQUENT USE OF PAY YOURSELF BACK.
Was it something else or a combination of things? Possibly, but this is the information I was given, point combining is the only thing connecting my accounts and my wife’s accounts so it does actually make a little sense that’s what it would be. We are at the same address so it could have reached that level of evaluation.
Acceptable to me? Absolutely not. What can I do about it? Nothing except let everyone here know, I am trying to be the good guy here and pass on the information I have.
Once again, if someone would like to meet me in eastern Connecticut sometime and go to Chase bank and hear it for themselves, let me know. I’ll be back down there Friday putting a new liner in my sister’s pool and visiting my parents. I’m 82 miles away so give me a heads up as to what time you will be there.
Combining of points? As in transferring points from no-fee cards like CFU to CSR? I do it all the time. Have never used PYB.