Target policy changed on GC

[trenty]

Well both behaviors occurred at the same time - the way it worked for you (and me) and the way like the website (no GC to pay if GC in the cart) - from what I recall so it's still not definitive I don't think. So it could be that's what the glitch is that somehow some stores got the website way, which isn't desirable, and that's what they're fixing. Or since some regions had already decided to not allow it due to fraud issues, it may be that they're trying programming options for those regions to opt into and the "glitch" was it was turned on nationwide. BUT, secretly I'm really thinking that this is the way it will work once they decide to change corporate policy; and they may be evaluating how much not allowing GC - GC purchases hurts the bottom line during this "glitch" period to then decide how/when/where to roll it out.
I'm trying to be optimistic about it even though it's not really in my nature

I hope your optimism works. I am not hopeful and will not be cashing out for Target gcs in the near future. After my trip, maybe since I often use target to send things to my son at college. But for now all my reward earnings are going towards a Disney trip so it's going to be mostly Paypal cash-outs for the next few months.

 

[miztressuz]

I hope your optimism works. I am not hopeful and will not be cashing out for Target gcs in the near future. After my trip, maybe since I often use target to send things to my son at college. But for now all my reward earnings are going towards a Disney trip so it's going to be mostly Paypal cash-outs for the next few months.

Agreed. I only cashed out for Target to combine with my FWP gift cards. Otherwise I was doing Best Buy for shopkick, and now swagbucks, points or occasionally Walmart if another deal popped up. But the FWP gift cards are not as desirable now with the change, so I'm pretty sure I'll be at Target way less if or when this becomes permanent... which I'm sure hubby is ok with.

 

[trenty]

What is FWP?

 

[miztressuz]

What is FWP?

Sorry, Free with Purchase. The ones you for Buy 3 of something get $5/10 target gift card.

 

[trenty]

Sorry, Free with Purchase. The ones you for Buy 3 of something get $5/10 target gift card.

Got $5 today. The cycle continues. Lol

 

[trenty]

So...I could not use target gc to buy disney gc directly. But I could ring up all my other things with the disney gift card. When it came time to pay it only took the target gc amount for the other items I bought. I had to use another form of payment (I used my red card) for the disney gc. This was on self-checkout.

This, to me, is confirmation that the policy has in fact changed. Others here posted that when the computer "glitch" first appeared disney gc had to be rung up totally separate from any items that were being paid for with a target gc. Looks like they worked out that kink and everything can be rung up together - as long as you pay for the disney gc some other way. Still have some free target gc money I will just use as I did today. But my earnings from swagbucks, etc will be used mostly for Paypal for now and maybe Walmart if they keep letting us buy disney gc with a walmart gc.

Forgot to mention...I could only find ONE $50 Disney gift card in the entire store. I checked by all the registers and could only find the one card.

 

[kristenrice]

I agree with DizMe...I was planning on accumulating those gift cards from Target "deals" to help pay for our trip. Sad days!

Agreed. I only cashed out for Target to combine with my FWP gift cards. Otherwise I was doing Best Buy for shopkick, and now swagbucks, points or occasionally Walmart if another deal popped up. But the FWP gift cards are not as desirable now with the change, so I'm pretty sure I'll be at Target way less if or when this becomes permanent... which I'm sure hubby is ok with.

Even though it will be more difficult for me, as long as I can "lump" my Disney gift cards in with my regular Target purchases, I can still make it work in my brain. Here's the way I see it...when I save up $25 in FWP cards, I will make sure that I am buying $30 in groceries or whatever. Then, I'll toss a $25 Disney gift card in my cart too. In my brain, the $25 FWP cards will cover the Disney card just like it used to but in the computer, they will pay for the $30 in groceries and my RedCard will pay $23.75 for the gift card.

For now, I am going to stick with redeeming my Swagbucks for Best Buy. Right now, I have 6 months worth of points saved up to cash out at 2200 points per month for a $25 gift card (13,200) from now until October 1. AS OF NOW, the best return is to cash out for BB and then every other month, take the $50 into the store and use the QR code to earn the 500 SB bonus along with the 100 SB shopping credit. The risk is that if BB decides to stop allowing GC->GC transactions, I am stuck with $50 in BB gift cards that I have no use for. In order to minimize the risk, I am working hard to earn up $25 increments and cashing out those extra earnings to PayPal. I stack that with my monthly gift card and use my BB Visa in the store to buy the $50 gift card. Since I am an elite member, I earn 6% rewards on the $25 ($1.50) plus the 600 SB for a net earnings of $7.50...that's 15% earnings on FREE money! Can't beat that

 

[miztressuz]

Even though it will be more difficult for me, as long as I can "lump" my Disney gift cards in with my regular Target purchases, I can still make it work in my brain. Here's the way I see it...when I save up $25 in FWP cards, I will make sure that I am buying $30 in groceries or whatever. Then, I'll toss a $25 Disney gift card in my cart too. In my brain, the $25 FWP cards will cover the Disney card just like it used to but in the computer, they will pay for the $30 in groceries and my RedCard will pay $23.75 for the gift card.

For now, I am going to stick with redeeming my Swagbucks for Best Buy. Right now, I have 6 months worth of points saved up to cash out at 2200 points per month for a $25 gift card (13,200) from now until October 1. AS OF NOW, the best return is to cash out for BB and then every other month, take the $50 into the store and use the QR code to earn the 500 SB bonus along with the 100 SB shopping credit. The risk is that if BB decides to stop allowing GC->GC transactions, I am stuck with $50 in BB gift cards that I have no use for. In order to minimize the risk, I am working hard to earn up $25 increments and cashing out those extra earnings to PayPal. I stack that with my monthly gift card and use my BB Visa in the store to buy the $50 gift card. Since I am an elite member, I earn 6% rewards on the $25 ($1.50) plus the 600 SB for a net earnings of $7.50...that's 15% earnings on FREE money! Can't beat that

Exactly. If you shop Target regularly anyway, while it might be a little more work, it'll still be worth it. I just don't shop there regularly (or at least I try not too, hehe). I go every couple months to restock the pantry or cleaning supplies. Our grocery selection is 'eh' at best and rarely competes with traditional grocery stores. And since the items that come with the FWP gift cards are rarely discounted (or discounted marginally), it's not a huge draw now that I don't have a trip planned and I stocked up on a bunch of stuff last year during the promos for the trip we just completed. (I literally don't need to buy anything HBA for the rest of the year... probably good on paper products too ) It was just so much easier for me to walk in with $100 worth of FWP/SB gift cards and pick up a $100 Disney with my $4 gallon of milk, than having to wait until I have X amount of stuff to buy to cover the GC Lot more accounting the current way.

Hopefully we are a small portion of the best buy thing and it sticks around for a while, that's not a bad ride to hop on and I only wish I had BB in a more convenient location

 

[afan]

Exactly. If you shop Target regularly anyway, while it might be a little more work, it'll still be worth it. I just don't shop there regularly (or at least I try not too, hehe). I go every couple months to restock the pantry or cleaning supplies. Our grocery selection is 'eh' at best and rarely competes with traditional grocery stores. And since the items that come with the FWP gift cards are rarely discounted (or discounted marginally), it's not a huge draw now that I don't have a trip planned and I stocked up on a bunch of stuff last year during the promos for the trip we just completed. (I literally don't need to buy anything HBA for the rest of the year... probably good on paper products too ) It was just so much easier for me to walk in with $100 worth of FWP/SB gift cards and pick up a $100 Disney with my $4 gallon of milk, than having to wait until I have X amount of stuff to buy to cover the GC Lot more accounting the current way.

Hopefully we are a small portion of the best buy thing and it sticks around for a while, that's not a bad ride to hop on and I only wish I had BB in a more convenient location

I agree, more hassle but I'm there anyway. I would do best buy but I'd be out if they ever change things, I.don't really buy anything there because it's generally cheaper elsewhere. I cash out my first for target and the rest is PayPal so it takes 2 months to get to a 50 gc. So the most I would be stuck with is 25 maybe 50 if the timing was just right, it's still more risk to sit on a bb card until I have a use.

 

[kristenrice]

I agree, more hassle but I'm there anyway. I would do best buy but I'd be out if they ever change things, I.don't really buy anything there because it's generally cheaper elsewhere. I cash out my first for target and the rest is PayPal so it takes 2 months to get to a 50 gc. So the most I would be stuck with is 25 maybe 50 if the timing was just right, it's still more risk to sit on a bb card until I have a use.

I don't like the risk of being stuck with $50 in BB either. I decided to console myself by saying that if I got stuck with it, I can always use a new phone case (it's like getting a new phone, but cheaper!) or some new headphones or a supply of new charging cords since we are always losing/breaking ours. I'd be able to use it, but just not on something practical like at Target.

 

[kitkat50]

It's to stop the use of stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards

 

[jujubiee4]

Well disappointing to say the least. The only savings grace is yes cards can still be used to buy
groceries or other items. Target is by far not the cheapest store option around me and i rarely
go. However they do price match Amazon so i will probably save what i have left for Christmas shopping.

 

[karen4546]

awe man !!! i have been procrastinating going to Target to get Disney GCs for several months. NOw i have $350 in TArget GCs. I rareley go there.....crap crap crap

 

[SUSIEQ]

Well disappointing to say the least. The only savings grace is yes cards can still be used to buy
groceries or other items. Target is by far not the cheapest store option around me and i rarely
go.

Same here. I have absolutely no use for Target anymore, unless this "glitch" is fixed.

 

[disorganizedchaos]

Forgot to mention...I could only find ONE $50 Disney gift card in the entire store. I checked by all the registers and could only find the one card.

This was me FOREVER. I even asked employees and told them the website said "available in store". They had no idea. Then I walked by the greeting cards for the 8,926,201 time and noticed the huge gift card display. That's where the $50 disney gcs are!

 

[disorganizedchaos]

I don't like the risk of being stuck with $50 in BB either. I decided to console myself by saying that if I got stuck with it, I can always use a new phone case (it's like getting a new phone, but cheaper!) or some new headphones or a supply of new charging cords since we are always losing/breaking ours. I'd be able to use it, but just not on something practical like at Target.

You can convert your first $25 a month in SB to a Best Buy gc then redeem for PayPal. I say this because PayPal never has the discount (2200 SB for a $25 gc). Then you'd only be "stuck" with one Best Buy gc a month. You can have PayPal deposit the $25 into a bank account and still redeem $50 at Best Buy.

 

[KCervasio]

I went to Target yesterday since prior to reading this update regarding the glitch, I bought $1,500! in discounted Target gift cards ready to use in store to purchase my Disney gift cards. They called corporate in front of me and told me that they said it is a known glitch and they are currently working on it to fix it. The Target manager kindly gave me her name to personally check back with to see when this would be fixed. I’m going to stay on the positive side of this and hope and believe that they WILL fix this! I am not sure of the timeframe but if they keep saying they will fix it to so many people I can’t see why they wouldn’t or just say that the policy changed? Fingers crossed!

 

[gmar1210]

I went to Target yesterday since prior to reading this update regarding the glitch, I bought $1,500! in discounted Target gift cards ready to use in store to purchase my Disney gift cards. They called corporate in front of me and told me that they said it is a known glitch and they are currently working on it to fix it. The Target manager kindly gave me her name to personally check back with to see when this would be fixed. I’m going to stay on the positive side of this and hope and believe that they WILL fix this! I am not sure of the timeframe but if they keep saying they will fix it to so many people I can’t see why they wouldn’t or just say that the policy changed? Fingers crossed!

Sorry to burst your bubble but it is not a glitch per the target near me. Glitches are not hard to work out. Target just finally caught on with shoppers taking advantage of the discounts available for target giftcards (ie 5% off and sometimes free with purchase). They could possibly be losing money on all of these transactions involving exchanging target giftcards for disney giftcards.

 

[KCervasio]

Sorry to burst your bubble but it is not a glitch per the target near me. Glitches are not hard to work out. Target just finally caught on with shoppers taking advantage of the discounts available for target giftcards (ie 5% off and sometimes free with purchase). They could possibly be losing money on all of these transactions involving exchanging target giftcards for disney giftcards.

You might be right....however if it it is indeed a policy change, then why not just state that? They very easily changed the policy regarding purchasing the Disney gift cards using gift cards online so why not just state that moving forward you are not allowed to buy any gift cards using gift cards in store? Seems like it is poor PR to announce to so many of us who have spoken to corporate that it is due to an computer system error which they are intent on fixing. I’m still going to hold out hope (fingers crossed)

 

[robinb]

awe man !!! i have been procrastinating going to Target to get Disney GCs for several months. NOw i have $350 in TArget GCs. I rareley go there.....crap crap crap

I also have a $300 Target Gift, but I do shop at Target. You can either wait it out and see if they start accepting Target gift cards or you can sell your cards through a place like Raise.