Deal has ended, view more Office Depot/Max deals by clicking here.
Update 6/29/25: Offer is live again for 6/29 – 7/5
Update 6/1/25: There were reports this was going to go live today 6/1 – 6/7. I’m leaving it marked ‘Expired’ until this is confirmed. Now confirmed as working.
Update 5/4/25: Deal is back and valid 5/4/25 to 5/10/25
The Offer
Check your Office Depot/Max store for the following deal:
- Purchase $300 in Mastercard gift cards and get $15 discounted instantly at the register.
The Fine Print
- Limit 1 per household/business
- In-store only
Our Verdict
You can buy two $200 Mastercard gift cards or one $200 and one $100 Mastercard gift card. Best way to maximize is to buy three $200 Mastercards. Remember, MetaBank increased the fee on $200 Mastercard gift cards from $6.95 to $7.95.
These deals are made better when you use a card that earns at a high rate at office supply stores. Or use your Amex Business Gold card for the $20 credit. There’s also a Chase Offer for 10% back or the same with other bank offers. Also, Dosh offers 2% back, though they exclude gift cards in the terms.
Post History:
- Update 3/12/25: The deal is live now, per multiple reader reports. Apparently it went live yesterday. (YMMV in your location.) I assume it will be valid through March 15th.
- Update 3/9/25: this reported deal did not end up materializing; per reader comments, no discount is coming off at checkout.
- Update 3/6/25: Deal should be back from 3/9 – 3/15
- Update 2/13/25: Apparently on this week according to reader Timo
- Update 1/12/25: Deal is back from 1/12-1/18
- Update 12/16/24: Back this week until 12/21/24. Hat tip to reader Raj
- Update 11/17/24: Deal is back from 11/17-11/23
- Update 10/20/24: Deal is back from 10/20 – 10/26 according to reader Nightwisper
- Update 9/22/24: Deal is back from 9/22-9/28
- Update 8/25/24: Deal is back from 8/25 – 8/31.
- Update 7/28/24: Deal is back from 7/28 through 08/03. Hat tip to ChurningExperiences
- Update 6/30/24: Deal is back 6/30 – 7/6 (ht Eric)
- Update 6/5/24: Deal is back 6/2 – 6/8 (ht GCGalore)
- Update 5/5/24: Deal is back 5/5 – 5/11 (ht ninerizer)
- Update 4/7/24: Deal is back from 4/7-4/13. Hat tip to reader Gator
- Update 3/10/24: Deal is back from 3/10 – 3/16, limit 10 (ht BrickTaunter)
- Update 2/11/24: Deal is back from 2/11 – 2/17.
- Update 1/14/24: Deal is back from 1/14-1/20
- Update 12/17/23: Deal is back until 12/23/23
- Update 11/19/23: Deal is back from 11/19 – 11/25. Hat tip to reader Anonymous
- Update 10/22/23: Deal is back for 10/22 – 10/28 (ht F. and joremero) I assume this is again with a limit of 10 again (?)
- Update 9/25/23: Deal is back from 9/24 – 9/30.
- Update 8/27/23: Deal is back from 8/27-9/2. Hat tip to FM
- Update 7/30/23: Deal is back forr 7/30 – 8/5. Limit 2. (ht reader Fathiss who bought 3 x $200 and got $30 off). Stack through 7/31 with the Chase Offer.
- Update 9/28/23: Reposting as this has a limit of 10.
- Update 6/4/23: Deal is back from 6/4 – 6/10 (ht reader KH)
- Update 5/8/23: Deal is back from 5/7/23 – 5/13/23 (ht FM)
- Update 4/10/23: Deal is back from 4/9-4/15.
- Update 3/12/23: Deal is back 3/12 – 3/18 (ht MoonWorth2430)
- Update 2/12/23: Deal is back 2/12 – 2/18
- Update 1/15/23: Offer is back for 1/15/23 – 1/21/23. Added image below. (ht reader Chris S)
- Update 12/12/22: Report that this is back until 12/17. Hat tip to MCT
I went to my local OfficeMax. They didn’t have any $200 prepaid Mastercards out on the racks, but when I asked the cashier, she had a small stack behind the counter. I wonder why they do this on purpose?
There are reports of some stores in the US where thieves take the cards and replace with their own barcode. You activate their card and the card inside is not activated since that is a different barcode. If cards are behind the counter, they are less likely to be tampered with.
These cardboard MGCs have some serious quality control issues. When I removed the security foil off the back of two cards, the last 4-6 digits of the card number also peeled off. Many of the cards have swiping issues at the POS; defective magnetic strips??? Anyone also having similar issues?
I did see any issues like this with the cardboard VGCs
CORRECTION: I did NOT see any issues like this with the cardboard VGCs
Yes, I had one of these mgc numbers stripped off when I tried to remove it from the package. I called the card service number for a replacement card, and guess what the rep with an Indian accent told me? “Next time don’t be so violently tearing the package, okay?”. So it was my fault that those cheaply made cards were so easy to tear. 🙁
LOL, how long did it take for Pathward to send you a replacement card?
Quite a while, almost 3 weeks.
Hi Lily, What is the quickest way to reach a human at Blackhawk and order a new MGC? When one calls the phone number on the back of the MGC, the voice menu does not offer the option of talking with a human.
I thought there was an option to report card problems, but if not just select “report lost or stolen card”, and that will definitely get you a live rep.
Thanks for tip! The voice menu requests the entire card number. Without the entire card number visible, how did you identify the card for the rep? With the card info at the bottom of the card?
Newbie question: Are Mastercards purchased at OD/OM considered debit cards or credit cards when used at merchants? Some merchants charge a 3% fee to use credit cards, but not debit cards.
I think if you ask the merchant to run it as a PIN-based transaction (you are asked to put in your PIN), it will be processed as a debit card
Works at the OD in West Ashley, SC.
This was the first time I bought $1,200 in MasterCards which required the cashier to type my driver’s license info into their system. But, other than that, I was able to split payments exactly as I specified. And all cards activated and registered perfectly with all funds intact and available.
How many different cards can you split payment across at the register?
Worked well in Chicago. Split between 2 Inks that had the additional OD 5% offer.
Did this with my Ink and got an extra 5% off.
Is it a brand-wide policy not to split payment for these, or just my local stores (can’t buy more than 3 of the same card and have to pay with a single card)?
Yes. More and more stores follow that policy.
No, there is no corporate policy against split payment. On the contrary, the procedure is described on the portal. Unfortunately, your biggest challenge is in finding an employee who bothered to learn the procedure. This is often where you get someone telling you it’s “against the rules”… where what they mean to say is “I don’t know how.”
My local OD seems to limit to one purchase, maximum 2 payment cards.
Almost every time I ask if I can split payment across multiple cards, they say that’s against their policy.
When I question them further, in all cases it has turned out that they thought I was asking to make multiple separate purchases, and when I correct them, they are happy to allow me to use multiple cards to pay for a single purchase.
Eric, what type of questioning do you use? Do you cite the policy or say you’ve done it before? I’ve had success in the past using multiple cards, but yesterday I was shut down.
I sometimes start out asking if they know how to split a transaction across multiple forms of payment (instead of asking if they can; I already know they can).
If they say they can’t do that, I then explain that I’m talking about just one transaction, but paying for part of it with one card and part with another.
If they still decline, I ask if they’re saying it’s against the rules, or that the system doesn’t let them do it (I already know neither is true).
If they say it’s against the rules (which I don’t think has actually happened, once they realize I’m not trying to make multiple separate purchases), I’d probably express confusion (“weird, I‘ve always been able to do it before”).
If they say the system doesn’t let them do it, I say it’s worked before, and that I’m sure we can figure it out. In this case, they’ve sometimes asked for help from another store employee, and it’s always ended up working.
Through all of this I’m very friendly and patient, and try not to seem like I’m contradicting them.
What a shame. OD or OM near me never have $200 card even on display.
Confirmed working in Florida. Bought $1200 worth, so had to go through the ID / manager override.