[Expired] Office Depot/Max: $10 off $300 in Mastercard Gift Cards [4/1-4/7]

This deal has now expired, they are now offering $15 off instantly when you purchase $300 in Visa gift cards.

The Offer

Direct Link to offer (ad page 22)

  • Buy $300 in Mastercard gift cards at Office Depot/Max and get a $10 instant discount

The Fine Print

  • Offer Valid April 1-7, 2018 Limit 1 discounted offer per transaction.
  • Discount applied at register.
  • Offer valid in-store only on Mastercard® Gift Cards.
  • Subject to availability. See gift cards for details, terms, conditions and (if applicable) fees.
  • All trademarks are property of their respected owners. Product not available in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
  • The gift cards featured are not sponsors or otherwise affiliated with Office Depot® or OfficeMax®. While supplies last.
  • No rain checks. Mastercard® Gift Cards may be used only at merchants in the U.S. The Mastercard® Gift Card is issued by U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to a license from Mastercard® International.
  • Mastercard and the Mastercard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of Mastercard International.
  • No Cash Access.
  • For use in the U.S. only. See Gift Card for terms and applicable fees.

Our Verdict

Use a card that earns at a high rate on office supply stores to maximize this. You can also use Visa SavingsEdge to get another 10% back on Visa business cards (up to $5 per card). The $10 discount almost negates the fee on these cards, it’s really on a good deal if you’re meeting minimum spend requirements or have a card that earns 5x/5% back.

Hat tip to reader Gators5220

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64 Comments
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Jared
Jared (@guest_576611)
April 2, 2018 16:12

The Visa Savings Offer DOES NOT work with Visa or MasterCard Gift Card purchases. I have purchased these twice and have yet to receive the $5 credit back on my credit card in the manner that I have received the credits in the past. Perhaps it will be awarded on future statements or after April 30 when the promo ends.

Just don’t count on receiving it. If you do get the credit, it will be icing on the cake.

James B.
James B. (@guest_576617)
April 2, 2018 16:27

I did receive the $5 credit after purchasing VGCs on my last statement.

DAVID
DAVID (@guest_576362)
April 1, 2018 21:16

Noticed a variable load $500 mastercard gift card at officemax. They wouldn’t let me buy it with a credit card. YMMV

dan
dan (@guest_576453)
April 2, 2018 02:06

if correctly recalled. OD/OM last changed the variable $500 to cash only; for the $200 or fixed amt, they still accept CCs

86
86 (@guest_576454)
April 2, 2018 02:14

Sounds like they’ve had problems with fraud. A cashier (different business) told me that’s why they changed their policy on these not long ago, that that’s what the fraudsters buy, the $500s. The individual store has to take the loss on each one. This is why we can’t have nice things…

icemule1
icemule1 (@guest_576313)
April 1, 2018 14:31

Be careful with these. I had mine drained last year by a scammer.

James B.
James B. (@guest_576320)
April 1, 2018 16:44

How many and how much was drained from your MGCs last year by the scammer?

Did you recover all the lost funds?

Lil Ol' Me
Lil Ol' Me (@guest_576270)
April 1, 2018 01:25

Dumb question, regarding AMEX and Level 3 data… If you make a purchase, and AMEX has Level 3 data will it always come through when viewing the account online. I.e. If you make a purchase and do not see any additional details show up on the transaction are you MS/RAT safe?

86
86 (@guest_576455)
April 2, 2018 02:25

If it’s a business or government CC, and you’re buying at an office supply store, they know what you purchased in detail. Don’t know if this is applicable to any consumer cards.

“In addition to all of the data fields that make up level 1 and level 2 transactions, level 3 transactions require the following data fields:

Ship-from ZIP/postal code
Ship-to/destination ZIP code
Invoice number
Order number
Item product code
Item commodity code
Item description
Item quantity
Item unit of measure
Item extended amount
Freight amount
Duty amount

… In order for a transaction to be approved by major credit card companies as a level 2 or level 3 transactions, all of the required data fields must be submitted along with the initial transaction.”

Davi
Davi (@guest_575981)
March 30, 2018 19:26

Anyone know if the AMEX SPG is MS friendly with this? Need to start meeting the spend with that card.

Jeff
Jeff (@guest_576127)
March 31, 2018 08:26

No. ODOM sends level 3 data to Amex.

Abe
Abe (@guest_575943)
March 30, 2018 17:25

I got approved for the INK Cash with the recent $500 bonus offer exactly a week ago. Hopefully my INK cash card arrives before this deal ends.

DD
DD (@guest_575845)
March 30, 2018 12:09

I just got the AMEX SPG. Is this MS friendly with this promotion? Will these be easily audited by the RAT team (or whatever they are called)? I am looking to meet the minimum spend relatively quick.

Jeff
Jeff (@guest_576128)
March 31, 2018 08:28
  DD

Amex sends level 3 data to Amex. Tread carefully.

jed
jed (@guest_576348)
April 1, 2018 20:09

Really, Amex sends level 3 data to Amex?

Ian Pearson
Ian Pearson (@guest_575837)
March 30, 2018 11:36

Will this MC gift card link to Bluebird as a debit card and allow withdrawals/Bluebird-loads? I was able to do this with a Citi MC rebate gift card, but never with Metabank Visa gift cards.

Stacking Points
Stacking Points (@guest_575860)
March 30, 2018 13:08

Maybe, but honestly, that’s something you should try on your own and keep quiet about if it works. If the general public finds out about more methods to liquidate VGC/MCGC, those methods will get shut down.

Steven
Steven (@guest_575798)
March 30, 2018 09:57

Do these MCGCs liquidate as easily as the VCGs?

flyernick
flyernick (@guest_575806)
March 30, 2018 10:28

No, they are a pain in the neck, at least at WM. Possible at some WM’s with a patient CSR, not even possible at others. YMMV. The above comment has some details, and IME, it depends on the payment terminal style of the WM.

James B.
James B. (@guest_575820)
March 30, 2018 10:50

The MCGCs used to be easy to liquidate at USPS. That is no longer an option. MCGCs cannot be liquidated at my local WMs. In summary, the answer is no.

H XU
H XU (@guest_575859)
March 30, 2018 13:03

I know WM is not friendly to MGC. What about other places, such as Kroger?

Jonathan
Jonathan (@guest_575883)
March 30, 2018 14:28

I’ve easily liquidated MGC at Kroger-owned stores in the past, but it’s been a while. I doubt anything has changed.

PG
PG (@guest_576378)
April 1, 2018 22:29

Not anymore in my neck of the woods

Marshall
Marshall (@guest_575882)
March 30, 2018 14:28
Vince
Vince (@guest_575777)
March 30, 2018 08:48

The problem with these promotions is that Office Depot has hard coded its registers to not accept credit cards for these gift cards.

Ian Pearson
Ian Pearson (@guest_576316)
April 1, 2018 15:06

Just experienced a hard coded register in Kirkland WA. Went to buy a $500 gift card, which rang up at $490. When I attempted to pay with my Chase Ink card, the register displayed a lengthy cash-only message.

86
86 (@guest_576325)
April 1, 2018 17:31

OD/OM sells open loop gift cards in-store in denominations larger than $200?

The Value Traveler
The Value Traveler (@guest_576342)
April 1, 2018 19:42
  86

they havent sold any $500 ones in awhile…are you sure your at OD? I know Staples does but they want cash only.

Ian Pearson
Ian Pearson (@guest_576377)
April 1, 2018 22:16

Yes, I went to the Office Depot/Max in Kirkland WA. The nearest Staples is far away, in Redmond.

Ian Pearson
Ian Pearson (@guest_576440)
April 2, 2018 00:44
  86

This was a variable-load card for upto $500.

Jamws
Jamws (@guest_576456)
April 2, 2018 02:26

Are you sure it was a regular gift card and not a reloadable debit card?

MickeyMouse
MickeyMouse (@guest_576545)
April 2, 2018 11:40

To chime in on this:

The $500 Variable Loads will not work with Credit/Debit (it is hard coded) however, the $200 Variables will work with credit, definitely with Ink Cash and Amex Simply Cash (both 5%!)

I had one OD/OM that had $500’s out of 10 in my area and I tried several times I even gave my ID to show it’s not Fraud because I wanted 2k worth @ the 5% the register said Cash Only.

They had a $10 Off $300 Promo going so I just grabbed (2) $200 MGC’s and I paid with credit without issue.

So yes they are hard coded not to accept any payment other than cash for the $500’s, but not the $200’s. It’s likely a couple years ago they had people stealing CC’s and using them to buy the $500’s then liquidate and decided for those Cash Only.

But purchasing (2) $200 MGC’s you pay a final total of $403.90. Meaning only $3.90 in service fees which is less than any other card. Plus with Ink Cash you profit at least $16.10 (or more depending on if you have another card to transfer to Chase partners).