[scamelo]

Sorry, had to rant as this really makes me mad.


I am posting this here in the Stop & Shop forum because Stop & Shop here in NJ has had the best as far as Gift Card deals in the past year. Last summer there were buy Buy $50 in GC and get a $15 OYNO and a few other great deals that helped me out so much.

American Express has already pulled their gift cards out of the state. I believe a few more, from what I read are to follow before the June deadline.

I was always hoping that my S&S would continue to have these deals (they currently have a not so great one buy $50 get $5 on Visa and Marriott running), but now seriously doubt they will continue to have these in NJ.

I believe most of the GC deals in other states involved gas points at S&S, so not sure how great the deals were in other states, but last year here they were awsome here.

I hope they reverse/change this soon. I can't believe our state government . Its only allowing 2 years to use up a card or the money is theirs.

I know I use mine up quickly regardless of the expiration date, but don't think everyone does.

[SPOILEDTCANGEL]

yep... just remember come election time only we have the power to change all these new laws going into effect its getting so bad here that I am now searching for houses in PA. It's not just the gift cards but taxes are getting higher, they are pulling alot of school funding, police everywhere have been laid off due to funding but the people in office aren't lowering their salaries i was born and raised here and always proud to be a "jersey girl" but its time to get out.

[delsol1]

I don't get it. All gift cards? Like Macys, Kohls etc There are no ex on them, how would that work?

[coffeewench]

WOW, what a crazy law!!! I googled it as I'd never heard of it before. Congratulation NJ, you just became crazier than California.

I'm in awe!

[scamelo]

From what I have read, if I understand it properly ( not a lawyer here , science major) when you buy a card in NJ you will have to give a zip code. Not clear if its your zip or stores zip. Once that is put in, it tells the state of NJ somehow via retailer that your card was ativated and you know have two years to use it, regardless of store/card expiration date. What is not used in 2 years now becomes state property. I am not clear if somehow this happens if you can collect the money from the state if you have the receipt, but it would cause a lot of work for GC companies and they seem to be pulling out of NJ.

Also, if card is bought in NJ, and given to relative in other state, it still applies.

If you google NJ gift card law a bunch of stuff comes up. None if it good.

It will become the burden of the GC company to give state a report each year.

Here is one article.

Gift cards: Endangered in NJ? | Bankrate.com

and more

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/0...ift-cards.html


http://www.sutherland.com/files/Publ...2011.16.10.pdf

[delsol1]

Originally Posted by coffeewench

WOW, what a crazy law!!! I googled it as I'd never heard of it before. Congratulation NJ, you just became crazier than California.

I'm in awe!

OK, I have to google it now. My mind is just thinking of ways around it, like use online, trade/gift to someone in another state, ebay....have to google, very interesting.

[scamelo]

Oh, its easy to go around, yes buy online, or for me I am on PA border but not stop & shop GC OYNO deals there, or have a friend or relative buy in states that don't have S&S deals, but my initial reason to post on S&S forum was because Stop & Shop in NJ only gives us CATS for GC Deals and they would be ruined specifically for us here in NJ.


We can all go around the rule easily, but then not enjoy the OYNO CAT deals we enjoyed at Stop & Shop.

By having this post moved from the store forum to this forum, it totally changed what I intially had in mind and my intent when posting.

[delsol1]

Originally Posted by scamelo

From what I have read, if I understand it properly ( not a lawyer here , science major) when you buy a card in NJ you will have to give a zip code. Not clear if its your zip or stores zip. Once that is put in, it tells the state of NJ somehow via retailer that your card was ativated and you know have two years to use it, regardless of store/card expiration date. What is not used in 2 years now becomes state property. I am not clear if somehow this happens if you can collect the money from the state if you have the receipt, but it would cause a lot of work for GC companies and they seem to be pulling out of NJ.

Also, if card is bought in NJ, and given to relative in other state, it still applies.

If you google NJ gift card law a bunch of stuff comes up. None if it good.

It will become the burden of the GC company to give state a report each year.

Here is one article.

Gift cards: Endangered in NJ? | Bankrate.com

and more

AP: 3rd company to yank gift cards from NJ | Nation / World News - The News Tribune


http://www.sutherland.com/files/Publ...2011.16.10.pdf

So, I guess if I lived in NJ, would have to be sure to use before 2 years. Wonder happens with Merch Credit, say your Macys gc is about to ex, so you make a quick purchase, change your mind and return it? Must say I usually use before 2 years, but do have a couple old ones.....

[scamelo]

I don't know if most merchants in NJ will have gift cards to sell if/when this totally goes thru. So far 3 are pulling out unless something changes. AMEX and Two others, one that controls Itunes, and one that controls lots of others.

I guess my point also was that we will not get the deals at stop & shop when this is all done.

[coffeewench]

Well, I'm not sure anyone shopping at Stop&Shop is going to have any better input. It sounds like something beyond the store's control (huge merchants pulling out) and certainly beyond an average shopper's control.

It's a really lousy law...I hope you guys can get it overturned. Since politicians tend to bend over for major corporations, I suspect this won't last long.

[scamelo]

No, no better input, but those in NJ might understand the agony better. Last summer I got hundreds of dollars in gas GC at 30% off at S&S. Can't beat that. I could have bought more but the ran out of cards . First week CAT was rolling and I paid $35 for a $50 GC many times. Second week they changed it and no rolling, but still get $50 in gas and get $15 in free groceries was hard to pass up. I don't know if they would repeat same one, but even buy $50 get $10 was a great one too.

I hope it won't last long or something will change to we can continue to enjoy what were awesome OYNO deals. The stores will have no control over who pulls out of state if it does stay into law. It just kills so many great deals for me. So sad.

Like it was mentioned above, will have to really think about who I am voting for next election for sure.

[joshmamabear]

Wow! I'd also miss that if it was taken away from me.

I've read some controversies regarding this buy GC get X in return, either in the form of OYNO or another GC.

what comes to mind is the past GC deal @ KMart, I forgot the exact year. Deal was buy $50 KMart GC and get a $10 KMart GC. Nice, eh? It got sweeter because the same $50 GC can be rolled to buy another $50 GC and get a NEW $10 GC and so on and so forth. That spread like wildfire on the net BEFORE KMart realized what was happening and why their promo was such a bestseller Needless to say, they changed the rules of the game ~ no more GCs to buy another GC and that is how the deal was killed instantly

there's similar deals sometime ago involving Visa GCs and the same scheme was applied by those who know how to work the system. they bought the first Visa GC with cash/debit/credit to get the reward and then proceeded the buy the next Visa GCs with the same GC they just bought and they earned several hundreds in rewards while just "paying" for one GC.

If companies do not proof read their offers and plug all loopholes, they're likely to pay more than they expect because people outsmarted them.

[scamelo]

Originally Posted by joshmamabear

Wow! I'd also miss that if it was taken away from me.

I've read some controversies regarding this buy GC get X in return, either in the form of OYNO or another GC.

what comes to mind is the past GC deal @ KMart, I forgot the exact year. Deal was buy $50 KMart GC and get a $10 KMart GC. Nice, eh? It got sweeter because the same $50 GC can be rolled to buy another $50 GC and get a NEW $10 GC and so on and so forth. That spread like wildfire on the net BEFORE KMart realized what was happening and why their promo was such a bestseller Needless to say, they changed the rules of the game ~ no more GCs to buy another GC and that is how the deal was killed instantly

there's similar deals sometime ago involving Visa GCs and the same scheme was applied by those who know how to work the system. they bought the first Visa GC with cash/debit/credit to get the reward and then proceeded the buy the next Visa GCs with the same GC they just bought and they earned several hundreds in rewards while just "paying" for one GC.

If companies do not proof read their offers and plug all loopholes, they're likely to pay more than they expect because people outsmarted them.

What you're talking about is totally different. We wont be able to do any gift card deals in NJ. But those of you in other states will. I am not referring to just taking advantage of retail glitches but just common deals. All retailers have deals many take advantage of. That is a store issue if there is abuse or a glitch of some kind not a state issue.

I am now wondering if this all goes thru if- we will be able to do target gift card deals.
This is not about company loopholes at all. Its about the state taking consumers money.

[scamelo]

Originally Posted by joshmamabear

Wow! I'd also miss that if it was taken away from me.

I've read some controversies regarding this buy GC get X in return, either in the form of OYNO or another GC.

what comes to mind is the past GC deal @ KMart, I forgot the exact year. Deal was buy $50 KMart GC and get a $10 KMart GC. Nice, eh? It got sweeter because the same $50 GC can be rolled to buy another $50 GC and get a NEW $10 GC and so on and so forth. That spread like wildfire on the net BEFORE KMart realized what was happening and why their promo was such a bestseller Needless to say, they changed the rules of the game ~ no more GCs to buy another GC and that is how the deal was killed instantly

there's similar deals sometime ago involving Visa GCs and the same scheme was applied by those who know how to work the system. they bought the first Visa GC with cash/debit/credit to get the reward and then proceeded the buy the next Visa GCs with the same GC they just bought and they earned several hundreds in rewards while just "paying" for one GC.

If companies do not proof read their offers and plug all loopholes, they're likely to pay more than they expect because people outsmarted them.

BTW on the Visa deals you are referring too, it would have to have been a spectacular reward because there are steep activation fees for buying them in most cases, so it not so simple as to just take first card and pay for next one as you would be short the fee to start off for the first two or three cards. Then you have to remember how much is on each card and its really a mess and not easy to do. Depending on the reward, and if you can roll the GC cards it might be an ok deal after the first few, but those high activation fees on Major CC kill most deals.

Last week SR had a OYNO deal buy any multipack get a $10 OYNO. Problem is they only had maybe 4 or 5 multipacks at my store. One was AMC, which we don't even have around here, one was Itunes, and one was Starbucks for those that drink Coffee. I believe there was also Applebees.

Another was a visa 3 pack of 3 $25 Visa Cards. However the activation fee was $8.95. So a pass for me. If you needed it for something good deal as you would get your fee back, otherwise not something to do just to do it.

[phillygirl71]

The news said that some of the Merchants have filed suit to block this.. They are trying to fight it.. It is very crazy.. The gov is really trying to put his hands deeper into your pocket..

[scamelo]

I hope they reverse this. I don't want to have to give my info to buy a GC, that is such baloney.

[phillygirl71]

I agree... It has that Big brother feeling to it..

[crissy148]

From what I understand, this is not applicable to merchant cards (so I can still get my Kohl's gift cards) but will apply to Amex, and similar (Visa, mastercard, etc). And I am annoyed. I did the Acme deal last year (buy $100 in gift cards- i bought Visa- get $20 Acme gift card). Um....if they pull out totally, as Amex is doing, then you can't even get these as gifts for other people. Which sucks, as that is something i have often gotten as a gift from others.

Um, ! they need to work this out!

[Maggiew]

Originally Posted by phillygirl71

I agree... It has that Big brother feeling to it..

I agree!!

[scamelo]

Originally Posted by crissy148

From what I understand, this is not applicable to merchant cards (so I can still get my Kohl's gift cards) but will apply to Amex, and similar (Visa, mastercard, etc). And I am annoyed. I did the Acme deal last year (buy $100 in gift cards- i bought Visa- get $20 Acme gift card). Um....if they pull out totally, as Amex is doing, then you can't even get these as gifts for other people. Which sucks, as that is something i have often gotten as a gift from others.

Um, ! they need to work this out!

I am still not all clear on all this but I read that in June if this does not get repealed the Itunes distributor and another big one that carries a bunch of cards will also be pulling out. Maybe store GC won't be affected but seems like besides Amex, Visa and MC others might.

[crissy148]

Originally Posted by scamelo

I am still not all clear on all this but I read that in June if this does not get repealed the Itunes distributor and another big one that carries a bunch of cards will also be pulling out. Maybe store GC won't be affected but seems like besides Amex, Visa and MC others might.

I hadn't heard about that other distributor- that would really stink! Itunes gift cards are a must for holiday gifts. guess it's back to cash....

[scamelo]

Crissy, if you read the middle link I posted above it mentions Itunes and others.

Really stinks I agree!