Deal has ended, view more Staples deals by clicking here.
Update 8/10/25: Deal is back from 8/10 to 8/16
Update 7/13/25: Deal is back for the week of 7/13 – 7/19. (ht Chatan) Stack with Chase Offer.
The Offer
- Staples stores will be selling $200 Mastercard gift cards with the $6.95 activation fee waived.
The Fine Print
- Limit 9 per customer per day; check with your local store to see their rules
- In-store only
Our Verdict
As always remember to use a card that earns at a high rate on office supply store purchases. Or stack with a Chase Offer or use your Amex Business Gold for the $20 office supply credit.
Update History:
- Update 5/18/25: Deal is back from 5/18/25 – 5/24/25 (ht CreditCaper)
- Update 4/17/25: Deal is back from 4/20-4/26/25
- Update 3/20/25: Deal is back from 3/23/25 – 3/29/25. Hat tip to FM
- Update 2/20/25: Deal is back from 2/23-3/1
- Update 1/24/25: Deal is back from Sunday, 1/26/25 through Saturday, 2/1/25 (ht FM)
- Update 11/28/24: Deal is back from 12/1 – 12/7
- Update 10/31/24: Deal is coming back for 11/3 through 11/9 (ht kawnipi)
- Update 10/3/24: Deal is back from 10/6 – 10/12. Hat tip to FM
- Update 9/5/24: Deal is coming back for 9/8 through 9/14. The new limit now is 9 per customer per day. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 8/8/24: Deal is coming back for 8/11 through 8/17. Limit 8. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 7/11/24: Deal is back from 7/14 – 7/20
- Update 6/14/24: Deal is back from 6/16 – 6/22.
- Update 5/16/24: Deal is coming back for 5/19-5/25. Limit 5 this time. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 4/18/24: Deal is coming back for 4/21 – 4/27 (ht GC Galore)
- Update 3/21/24: Deal is back from 3/24 – 3/30 (ht GC Galore)
- Update 2/22/24: Deal is back from 2/25 – 3/2
- Update 1/25/24: Deal is coming back for 1/28 – 2/3 (ht GCGalore)
- Update 12/28/23: Deal is coming back soon for 12/31 – 1/6. Limit 8. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 12/3/23: Deal is back this week 12/3 – 12/9. Limit 8. (ht Emi S)
- Update 11/2/23: Deal is coming back for the week of 11/5 – 11/11. Limit 8. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 10/5/23: Deal is back 10/8 – 10/14
- Update 9/7/23: Deal is back for 9/10 – 9/16. Limit 8 this time. (ht captduk)
- Update 8/10/23: Deal is coming back soon for 8/13 – 8/19. Back down to a maximum of 5 cards this time. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 7/13/23: Deal is back from 7/16 – 7/22
- Update 6/18/21: Deal is back and valid 6/18 – 6/24 (ht GCG). Stack with Chase Offer for 10% back.
- Update 5/18/21: Deal is back and valid 5/21 – 5/27
- Update 4/20/23: Deal is back and valid 4/23 – 4/29.
- Update 3/23/23: Deal is back and valid until 3/26 – 4/1.
- Update 2/23/23: Back until 2/26 – 3/4.
- Update 1/26/23: Deal will be back and valid until 1/29 – 2/4 with a max of 8 this time. (ht kawnipi)
- Update 7/14/22: Deal is back, valid from 7/17 until 7/23
- Update 12/1/22: Deal is back and valid until 12/4 – 12/10. Hat tip to GC Galore
Does Staples use a specific merchant category code (MCC) that will identify this as a gift card purchase? I need to spend $1k for the Chime bonus, and the terms say no gift cards. Any tips?
These MasterCard ones are the worst. They’re made with cheap paper. One of my gift cards came defective, with the card numbers scratched off. How the hell am I supposed to use this?
I was just thinking they must have updated the cards. The ones I bought this week seem to be a new design that are sturdier.
I know it limit 9 per day but wonder if I can buy more than 9? will it trigger any thing? I need to pay 20k tuition by the end of this week 🙁 appreciate any insight. thx
I think the register is hard coded at 2k.
Confirmed. They won’t sell more than $2K of any gift cards in a transaction. Not aware of any limit on how many transactions you can do though.
I think the registers are hard coded at 1999 so even without the fee it won’t allow you ring up 10.
9 per store. Dont use ur ph/account number while buying.
I bought 36 cards from 2 stores yesterday with P1+P2 cards
If u use ur ph number, u will need a different number for P2, these cards dont earn points, so no need to add ph
i bought $4k in the same day same store but different card
this works well with the SYW offer. Spend up to 1k in office supply stores, among other cats. and get 10% back (100.00). Temporally beats Ink at Staples.(5%) This works for 3 months. Spend 1k for the next 3 months. Aug/Sept/Oct
I never had trouble with these offers. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to post, others after the statement closes. I am pretty sure it will work. I will report back. ill buy 5 on Tues. If it works,, I’m in for the next 2 months. here’s hoping…
What does SYW stand for?
Shop Your Way rewards.
Referring to the offer here. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/targeted-citi-sears-sywr-spending-offers-for-august-october/
I have trouble using these cards without paying a fee to use. My rent and electricity charge fees. My Internet is bank draft to get the discount and cell is only about $60 and I get 5% back on a biz cc. Groceries ai get 6% back with AE cc.
I literally live across the street from Staples so I would love to take advantage of this, but have trouble figuring out how to spend.
My other big expense is dog sitting/daycare which I pay with Venmo at one place and the other is smaller so I don’t think I can pay with gift cards.
I have two US Bank gift cards in my Google wallet, that are hit or miss whether they will work at places like gas stations.
I am about to do a road trip. If I bought these cards with an Ink, maybe they would work for Airbnb?
Just looking for ideas. Thanks!
not worth the hassle for MO with these cards, unless a 500.00 card. My advice is the best. I think..Plus some groceries will look at your card and reject you. Not worth it.
I just must be missing something. Why would someone even bother buying these if they just plan on doing legitimate spending and getting some points or cashback? Despite the hassle, I’ve been able to meet min spend and get some really good SUB doing this. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother with these cards for any reason.
Makes sense, thanks. I thought it probably had something to do with front running spending or 5% cash back. I haven’t managed to get a 5% cash back card yet. I would like to though.
Well, yes if that avenue is open to someone. You had asked about legit expenses so I was just listing those. 🙂
because you get 5% when buying with an INK card and no fee. That’s $10.00 right there. You can use them for RX, doctors dentists. I paid a $170 bill from my dermatologist last month online. Plus copays at pharmacy in person. The doctor was paid online through their online billing system. Plus just use one at my local car wash $32.00 for “the works”. Where can you get 5% with a CC at these places?
Since you have rent, you may look into the Bilt Mastercard to get points on rent without fees. For internet and phone bill, keep them set to autopay from your bank account for the additional discount and submit a separate manual payment from your business credit card for 5% or 5x back value. Use these for other expenses that you can’t get 5%+ back. I use these Mastercard and Visa gift cards for property taxes, dog supplies, grooming, vet bills, restaurants, medical bills, oil changes, and in person shopping. I keep 2 in my wallet to use as catch all cards over my catch all card (capital one venture x). If you’re going to do an Airbnb, you can use the Ink for one larger Airbnb gift card from Staples to save you time from entering multiple card numbers if the Airbnb cost is larger. If you use Airbnb frequently like I do, it may make more sense to buy Airbnb gift cards from Target when they have 10% off sales plus 5% from credit cards.
Your internet provider requires a bank draft for the discount, not even a debit card? They banned that in my area since it discriminated against the unbanked so they have to allow the use of debit cards.
Yup bank draft for the $10 and I think $5 discount for debit card maybe. I’m annoyed because I prefer to put everything on CC.
Ah, so they do offer a bit. They’d get away with that here.
I prefer everything on a CC as well. Annoying to have to bypass TMO every month to do that but keep the discount. Totally worth it, but annoying 🙂
Maybe you can use the prepaid cards to buy Airbnb gift cards? But I guess you could just do that at a grocery store with your 6% in that case.
Spend them at restaurants, takeout, phone orders for local rest. And for dentist, doc copays. Plus they work at BJ wholesale. You can buy groceries even though you have the BCP from Amex. If you get over 6k for the year these gift cards are are great. PLUS, you can buy gas ,Amazon ,Wmart gift cards in your grocery along with food and use the AMEX. to get up to 6k for the year. Then use these…no fees to use.
Not a fan of using at restaurants. Most tend to put a hold on a percentage over the bill.
Most Staples also sell Airbnb gift cards, so you can just buy those. I use the Visa/MC gift cards to buy Costco Shop Cards to buy gas, to pay auto insurance, and to pay my daughter’s tuition. It is important to hold onto them for awhile after using them just in case something gets refunded to them.
State taxes, 2.3% in California. Underwithhold your income and pay estimated taxes. Because I live in Los Angeles County I will have a big payment come October 15.
According to the weekly Staples ad, the MasterCard deal will be back beginning August 10. Copy taken from ad…
No purchase fee when you buy a $200 Mastercard® Gift Card (a $7.95 value).
24536080. Valid 8/10/25–8/16/25. Offer valid in store only. Limit 9 per customer per day. Subject to availability.
According to the weekly Staples ad, the deal for no activation fee on $200 MasterCards is running again from 8/10/25 to 8/16/2025.
Has anyone been able to get this deal today? My wife bought 8 cards and was still charged the fee for each one.
Picked up 5 today no issue. It has to be the fixed $200 ones; the variable $200 ones don’t work where you can select the value up to $200.
Just in time for my tax payment 🙂 🙂
Maybe check your dates. Federal Q2 was due June 15.
How are you paying tax with GC?
Sorry, meant property tax
It doesn’t allow you to make payments more than twice.
$200 GC * 2 = $400 isn’t a lot.
According to the weekly Staples ad, the deal for no activation fee on $200 MasterCards is running from 7/13/25 to 7/19/2025.
Confirmed with purchase of 3 $200 MCs
Every time I buy MC gift cards I end up regretting it, and this time is no different. A lot of online places wont process them, I think due to the 2033 expiration date.
MCGC = run. That’s the saying but I have had no issues liquidating mine.
Yeah MC hit and miss now…. It was good few months ago.
they work fine for Travelers insurance, NYSEG etc Also Veiola water. All online
they also work for take out food orders and in restaurants.5% with INK can not be beat for dining.
You have to register them. Its not because of the 2033 expiration date. The reason why it may not work online is that its doing what a secure payment should do which is verifying certain pieces of information like zip code or some address. I have no problem using MCGCs for bill payments when registering the cards.
A lot of bills are like that which is why Vanilla cards are garbage for paying bills online unfortunately since Vanilla cards do not allow you to make purchases online. Vanilla cards are only good for in-store purchases.
I meant to say Vanilla cards are garbage since they do NOT allow you to register the cards online where you can enter address information which is crucial for online purchase/bill payment verification.
Are you sure you can’t register them here? MyGift Visa Gift Card https://share.google/DlJijq95CaEkT2fVQ