Update 4/18/24: Reader Eric tells us that this limit has gone down further from $2,000 down to $1,500 (update 11/21/24: my own recent experience was with a $2,000 limit; it might vary by store.
Original Post 8/27/20:
Sometime in the past month, Stop&Shop lowered their gift card purchase limit down to $2,000 per day. Previously they would allow up to $5,000 per checkout/day, and now they’ve lowered it to $2,000 with the clear guidance that it’s a limit per day across all Stop&Shop stores. They also stipulate that you can only use a single payment card for the entire purchase.
Not sure if Giant and Martin’s have implemented the same limits.
Hat tip to reader bmanamex
Just bought 2k at SS. Only received 1x points on the 5.95 fee visa
Wherever this is enforced, this makes sense from the store point of view as they have to fill out the form for 2K purchase (if done in 1 receipt). Under 2K, BAU. As far as buying more than 1.5K or 2K in multiple transactions across stores/days, i don’t see it enforced.
What form are you referring to? I have made purchases of $2K in gc before and I don’t recall being asked to fill out any kind of form.
YMMV as technically they have to fill a form with your ID and SSN and card info stating the reason for buying GC over 2K and above. Some don’t do if it is 2K exact without the fee included and some do take the fee(and any grocery) into account in that 1 transaction.
I also had situations where i was not asked to fill the form. It really depends on the associate at the CS if they know the rules.
I see. So the policy is probably “over $2K” rather than $2K+ but it seems that you’ve encountered some cashiers that don’t know the difference.
Right. It’s not worth it to fight that and I stayed away from 2K and limiting to 1.5 each time.
Always an awful experience buying gift cards from my nearest stop and shop. They treat you like criminals as you were to perform fraud or scam activity
The most convenient location to me asked for ID and then told me debit or cash only…the one ten miles away sold to me no problem. Not as convenient as Walmart self checkout but seems to vary a lot by store.
Are they allowed to make their own rules for “debit or cash only”? All S&S are owned by the same company (Ahold).
I remember when all S&S stores didn’t allow credit cards for gc purchases 3 or 4 years ago.
Not sure, but they are distributed around me every 5 miles or so and it seemed easier to just try my luck at a different one rather than try to escalate it or whatever. Annoying because my experience has been like Jason says, typically problematic but all the other grocery chains around me only sell $200 gc so if I really want that grocery spend…
No Acmes near you?
Says 68 miles!
You know what they say, no pain, no gain.
This is always store by store. Unless they strictly enforce it by logging it on the book, otherwise you might still buy more than $2000 a day. I just went to S&S yesterday Thursday for last minute Mastercard deal on gas points, the night swift staff knew me as a regular customer and didn’t even check my ID when I paid with credit card. YMMV.
I can confirm that is true in new jersey. Just bought mc gc
Curious how this will affect the $20 coupon for $100 GC they run around the holidays. I usually make three purchases back to back, are they going to allow only one purchase?
Northern Virginia Giants are still $5k maximum – just purchased this morning. Anything over $2k has to be done at Customer Service with The Book.
The Book?
As a practical matter customer service is necessary for pretty much any purchase. Anything over $250 requires The Key, and going to a regular line and having the cashier have to await a manager to bring The Key will make you immensely unpopular with other customers if the store is even remotely busy.
Are you sure it’s $250? IIRC it is $200.
Bought 5 $500 MCGC at Giant PA today for the gas points, and the lady who knows me mentioned that the limit is still $5k here.
Is this really that rampant of an issue? The world is not amply populated with our species
wat
They got tired of filling out the form for over $2000, apparently.