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The Offer
- Office Depot/Max stores are offering a $15 instant discount when you buy $300 in Visa gift cards.
The Fine Print
- Limit 1 per household/business
- Discount applies at register
- Valid 9/29-10/5
- Purchase fees may apply
Our Verdict
This is the best variation of this offer ($15 discount and on Visa gift cards). Either purchase two $200 cards or one $200 and one $100 card to trigger the offer. Remember to use a card that earns at a high rate on office supply store purchases. Staples has a no purchase fee deal during the same period.
Hat tip to reader Matt C
went to my local odom and got 4 vgc in 2 transactions and the manager said I could do that as long as I used 2 different credit cards… I think it’s interesting how they make up rules as they feel like it. I only have 1 cic… you think I’m really not going to use that card for both transactions? funny…
Funny story while hitting up the usual string of Office Depot Stores on my way home yesterday. At one store a guy was at the register and had 3 CCs out on the counter. I noticed he had a stack of VGC’s he was buying all with different cards. He saw me holding some VGC’s and just gave me a nod and smile as he walked out.
I bought two $200 cards and it seems neither are activated. Has anybody else ever had this happen? What did you do?
My office depot either stopped carrying VGC or they hid them all. Just stopped by today, and they had tons of MC and Amex gift cards. The guys working there tried convincing me they don’t carry VGC. They did in the past… Forgot about Everywhere cards, will give those a try.
They would have only hid the $200 ones (maybe $100). They also sell $50s and MC so there should have been a slot for them but I suppose it is possible that your store stopped carrying them. I had to ask tonight as the shelf was empty. The manager was able to find some locked up then went on to explain that people used to fight over them or steal them the week before and then bring them in during the sales. I said something about that being selfish and she doubled down and went on a diatribe about how it is theft even if they are not loaded.
That’s hilarious!
Why is it any more selfish to take them the week before and bring them back versus you going in and buying 20 of them.
Can’t imagine the store would allow 20 of them now a days. All our local stores require buying cards together and one transaction per day. Some stores used to allow buying 2 sets but now all limit to 1 transaction per day. One nice cashier told me the other day that the policy is so strict now that if he sold the cards separately he’d lose his job.
I was just trying to be polite as the cashier was obviously passionate about it. I do see her point though – even empty cards are store inventory and taking them screws up their count and likely carries some nominal cost so it could be considered petty theft. Buying 20 would be selfish too given there is a written max of one offer per customer.
anyone else notice that the VGC telephone activation menu changed recently-ish? i used to be able to activate a VGC in ~30sec total. now it takes 2.5min. kinda annoying
Why are you calling in? I change my pin online. It’s very quick.
Why are you changing the PIN?
Are yall buying the Visa everywhere (dining, fashion, etc.) cards or the non-category ones? None of my Office Depots have the non-category ones over $100.
Grocery Everywhere worked for me.
Do you guys find the phone tree is now annoying for the gift cards 800#. It takes fully 3 mins to find the balance and change the pin # since you can’t key in ahead.
I think they did it on purpose to waste people’s time.
I used to get thru 10 GCs in 6-7mins tops. Next 10 took me a fumbling 44-45mins. I got last 10 done in 38-39mins by enabling speakerphone, but now my card #s, expiration dates, CVVs and PINS are repeated aloud for anybody to hear.
Looking for lessons in how to make a macro/script.
You can set the PIN online super fast. Just go to the URL printed on the back of the card.
What’s the benefit to calling in? You can change the pin and register the card if you want online. Maybe 30 seconds per card.
There was a short time where online didn’t work for me at all, so the phone was a great alternative. I found it to be a little less tedious than online as you only had to enter the card info once to get the balance and change the pin. Clearly that has changed.
Anyone use their American Express business cash Card to meet spend requirements? It doesn’t earn membership reward points so I’m hoping I won’t get shutdown.
I don’t think you should by gift cards at a store with L3 data using an Amex to meet spending requirements. The shutdown isn’t exclusive to MR points from what I have heard. You still get a spending bonus, right? If so, I wouldn’t recommend buying gift cards to meet it.
new to MS, so it would be a bad idea to buy VGCs at l3 stores using amex business cards? even if you’re not under financial review?
I used that card previously and it didn’t earn the 5x at OD when buying gift cards.
The blue business cash card earns 2x in everything, not 5x.
Can i buy only 2 (I mean @200 x 2) in a single transaction? Or I can go and buy 4 also and discount will also apply to all 4? TIA
You’ll only get $15 off per transaction (min. $300) no matter how many gift cards you buy.
You would have to do 2 transactions if you want to buy 4 VGCs for the full discount.
Do they report L3 to Amex? I have some MSR to work on.
Yes