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Staples Rewards

post #1 of 9
1/6/09 at 5:59am
Thread Starter 
I found out that Staples changed their HP toner cartridge recycling program. No longer do they give out $3 coupons, they make you sign up for Staples Rewards and you only get them issued quarterly. And it looks they wont give you cash but Points to be spent at Staples..

Does anybody else actually give you cash anymore? The whole credit thing is a ripoff.

Jay
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post #2 of 9
1/6/09 at 8:41am

Re: Staples Rewards

I'm not sure what you mean by the "credit thing", but various stores offer cash-equivalent in-store rewards for repeat shoppers.

BestBuy rewards sends $5 or $10 certificates as you accrue points from buying at BestBuy.

Borders Rewards card offers discounts and coupons on books.

Chase Rewards credit card has 1%+ cash back (or more, if you're patient, and/or buy through their web portal: Target.com had a 9% cash back bonus over Christmas via Chase. I got $20 cash back on my Xbox purchase from Circuit City over Labor Day via Chase)
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post #3 of 9
1/6/09 at 10:14am
Thread Starter 

Re: Staples Rewards

Staples used to give you $3 coupons (as good as cash) so I could buy anything over $9 (you could only use 3 cartridges at a time) and get that for (price - $9). So, basically I would use that as coupons whenever I needed anything at Staples..

Now, you basically get $3 in CREDIT from Staples payable to you at the end of the quarter and you can trade in up to 3 toners per day. Basically you are giving them a loan and then you get CREDIT from Staples at the end of the quarter that you have to use at Staples. They don't give you cash.

I'm not a bank and rather not lend Staples my money. Or rather, my company's money because I get the cartridges from work, they toss them out (!!!!).

I found some online companies which will give you a check 21 days after you send them your toner cartridges (via prepaid senders so it's free), maybe I'll try those. I have a small stash of toner cartridges at home and I was looking to buy some CD-Rs.... But not with that policy so I returned the CD-Rs and left.

Jay
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post #4 of 9
1/6/09 at 1:50pm

Re: Staples Rewards

I've got a business rewards thing through them that works out pretty well. Depending on what I order, (paper, ink and toner, etc) I usually end up getting a rewards coupon for about $40 each month....not much in the greater scheme of things but it's a free case of copy paper. Best part is free delivery so I don't have to hassle driving to the store and loading and unloading stuff. To me, that's well worth the price of admission. The toner cartridges for my HP printer(s) come with a prepaid label to send them back to HP for recycling when they're empty.... and though I could probably get a couple of bucks from the refill guys, it's just not worth the hassle.

Mort (who loves Staples and the rewards are gravy)
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post #5 of 9
1/6/09 at 2:42pm

Re: Staples Rewards

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay H
Staples used to give you $3 coupons (as good as cash) so I could buy anything over $9 (you could only use 3 cartridges at a time) and get that for (price - $9). So, basically I would use that as coupons whenever I needed anything at Staples..

Now, you basically get $3 in CREDIT from Staples payable to you at the end of the quarter and you can trade in up to 3 toners per day. Basically you are giving them a loan and then you get CREDIT from Staples at the end of the quarter that you have to use at Staples. They don't give you cash.

I'm not a bank and rather not lend Staples my money. Or rather, my company's money because I get the cartridges from work, they toss them out (!!!!).
Except for having to wait a few months, I don't see the difference. Both are "cash" by your explanation: credit spendable at Staples. And that wait is normal for a rewards program. Whether it's BestBuy or Discover, you have to wait until you've accrued enough points to redeem for credit or cash (real cash).

I think you might have a quixotic quest to get instant cash from a retail store's rewards program.

Besides, what do you care? You're taking discarded toners from work and someone else is giving you money for it. You don't have any skin in the game; you're not loaning anyone any money as you didn't buy the cartridges to begin with. Or are you buying office supplies for the company and are looking out for its best interests?
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post #6 of 9
1/6/09 at 4:16pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Staples Rewards

It is different because usually when I need something that Staples carries, I'll grab 3 toner carts. and go to staples, get my $9 in coupons and buy whatever I need and pad it if I need $9 (since you can't buy $8.99 with the $9 coupons).

Now, if I want to do the same, I just have to wait until the end of the quarter and then wait to see whether my "account" is credited, go Back to staples and then shop. I don't plan that far ahead!

Jay
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post #7 of 9
3/19/09 at 4:46am

Re: Staples Rewards

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay H
Basically you are giving them a loan and then you get CREDIT from Staples at the end of the quarter that you have to use at Staples. They don't give you cash.

I'm not a bank and rather not lend Staples my money. Or rather, my company's money because I get the cartridges from work, they toss them out (!!!!).

Jay, no offense here -- really. However, to say that you are "loaning" Staples your "money" is positively absurd. You're talking about empty ink cartridges. Its not your money -- its your trash.

Based on that logic, the waste management company that my city contracts to take care of curbside collection owes me some kind of per-month interest dividend based on the weight of all those plastic vitamin water bottles and aluminum vegetarian chili cans I recycle each week. After all, all that waste ends up being melted down and reused -- right?! That's my money -- right?!

Then you go on to say

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay H
I found some online companies which will give you a check 21 days after you send them your toner cartridges

So may I ask, aside from waiting 21 days instead of 30 or 40 -- what is the difference??

I must be missing something here.
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post #8 of 9
3/19/09 at 6:12am
Thread Starter 

Re: Staples Rewards

I presume Staples has some kind of agreement to sell the refilled toner cartridges or has some kind of procedure to get money for them, so while you give the toner cartridges which has a value to staples, you have to wait to get your credit. Before, you could simply bring your empties and get $3 on the spot such that if you were like.. "Oh Crap, I need some pencils", you could bring your cartridges and use them like coupons. And since the coupons did expire, you were better off saving the cartridges and using as needed. Now, at least for the first payperiod, you had to wait til Staples sent you a coupon (I received it mid-march for toners given in january) and you had to register for their Staples Rewards program. which they problem sell your info with.

This was a surprise to me when I first gave them some cartridges back in January. I haven't really had any need for anything in Staples til then so when they told me of their policy change, I was surprised and returned what I was going to buy to wait for my coupon to arrive...

The old system was a lot simpler and easier for the consumer!

Quote:
So may I ask, aside from waiting 21 days instead of 30 or 40 -- what is the difference??

This was me just being pissed off at Staples for a bit.

However, I was going to buy TurboTax with the toner cartridges back in Jan, but because I didn't get the coupon til mid march, I just went and did my taxes by hand.

Jay
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post #9 of 9
3/19/09 at 11:43am

Re: Staples Rewards

Jay, I too didn't like the change, but it doesn't bother me too much.

Speaking of "money" - Maybe Staples has a deal with HP where they get money back from returned cartridges? If so, wouldn't it make sense for them to wait until THEY got paid before passing the savings on to you?

The economy has changed and so has business. I'm sure Staples doesn't want to give out any more money until they're sure they've been able to cover that 'loss'.
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