OfficeMax Ink Recycling Policy Change Starts 1/1/10

Just got back from recycling inks at OfficeMax and they say they are changing the way it works. Read the details and you will agree with me that it is now the WORST RECYCLING PROGRAM of any office store. I included a scan of the flier that was given to me.

Here are the Basics:

Starting Jan 1, 2010, you can only recycle up to 20 ink cartridges PER MONTH.
You can no longer do bulk recycling.
You only get rewards in the amount that you spent. Purchases made from rewards do not count towards that amount.

So, they basically took the worst parts from Staples and Office Depot's Recycle Program and made theirs the worst recycle program of the office stores.

[Mods, if this does not belong here, please move to an appropriate forum. I just thought this would help a lot of folks that use OM's recycle program.]

yup, they learned it from Office Depot. I got the flyer too yesterday and thought will post but you beat me. I wish they had not changed the policy but then again what can we do.

imteddy said: yup, they learned it from Office Depot. I got the flyer too yesterday and thought will post but you beat me. I wish they had not changed the policy but then again what can we do.

Does Office Depot exclude purchases made with recycle dollars?

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WishingOnAStar said: Starting Jan 1, 2010, you can only recycle up to 20 ink cartridges PER MONTH.
Hope it's not "up to 5 cartridges per week for up to 20 per month".

where did you hear this

nedflip44 said: looks like Office Depot has gone back to allowing 5 cartridges a day without any restriction on money spent there!!
They just became the best for recycling,unless they change rules and regs in midstream!!
nedflip44

OK, this really stinks but bear with me on this process.

I have always used my ink recycling rewards to get AMEX gift cards, some places won't let you and some will. ASSUMING that they don't all stop letting you get them. . . .

Use the ink recycling rewards you earned in December to buy AMEX gift cards when you get the credits in January.
Use the gift cards (not the maxperks rewards) to purchase stuff ( $54 worth, pretax)
This will then allow you to turn in 18 cartridges and get credit, as you made a legit purchase for $54 (the AMEX card works like a credit card)
When you get the $54 reward in Feb. use it to buy a $50 AMEX card (the 50 plus the 4 could by 5 dollar activiation fee).
Then use this card to make a qualifying purchase in Feb

Repeat every month. You will never earn AMEX gift card $ again, but can continue to get free stuff, in $50 incriments, every month.

Sound like this will work???

Im in So Cal. (Bakersfield, CA) Which Office Max's around here let you get AMEX or Visa or MC gift cards....TIA

pooh 83 - Not sure, from Ohio, about 2/3 of the stores I go to permit the purchase of gift cards.

Crazypalooza - Buying the AMEX will NOT be the purchase, but what you buy WITH it will be. And you will use the credit you earn to buy the next AMEX card, and use the AMEX card to make the next months qualifying purchase, since the AMEX card is essentially a credit card. So the purchase OF the card will not count (as it is a GC and bought with rewards) but the purchase WITH the card will. I could always be mistaken, but I think I am correct.

That would be awesome! But the sign that was scanned at th etop of this page from OMAX says that purchases made with you Rewards do not count.

they just sent out emails to maxperks customers with this policy change as well. confirming its nationwide.

In my store, if I return something purchased with my recycling reward, I get a regular plastic gift card (with no expiration date). Not certain, but I think purchases made with the regular gift card would be qualified purchases. Anyone know?

really disappointed like all of you. can someone help me clarify the example provided:

For example, if you bring in 20 cartridges throughout Month 1 and spend $50 on qualified purchases, your Month 1 recycling rewards earned will be $60, but the rewards that will be issued to you will be $48 (which is $3 for each of 16 cartridges). The remaining $12 for the last 4 cartridges will be held in your account in a “pending” status until you make additional

question: do I need to make a purchase at the same time or in the same month that I do the ink recycle?

question: in the example above what happens if I make a $100 qualifying purchase and turn in 20 ink carts. does the remaining $40 in the qualifying purchase carry over or get credited as part of your total qualifying purchase?

I am going to try the AMEX thing today and consolidate all my statements into 1 card to see if that will work.

The big tell here is that they ended the Bulk Recycling program entirely. Since the bulk program provided no incentive to ever visit an OM store they must have been getting paid well by the manufacturers - at least enough to cover administrative costs, shipping, and the rewards. My guess is that whoever pays them for the cartridges instituted some sort of limit making such a bulk program far from profitable.

However, although the above helps me understand why the bulk program was ended, I cannot deduce any justification for the changes made to the in-store program. If $3 per cartridge was not profitable at 10 cartridges per week it won't be profitable at 20 per month. Furthermore, even if you like the new program, you now only need to visit the store 12 times a year as opposed to 52.

With both Office Max and Office Depot requiring purchases to get ANY rewards, isn't Staples the new best option? Are they still 10 per month at $3 each with no purchase required?

bnzjamin said: Are they still 10 per month at $3 each with no purchase required?

Yes. Staples Rewards

vnw98 said: Hey I am new to this. Is there a post on fat wallet on how all this works. Do I buy empty cartridges and then take them into these stores and they will give us a credit for in store purchases. Thanks

Read this listing on eBay. They pretty much give you the run down. Office Max has changed their policy obviously.

Ebay Description of stores ink cartridge policy

that has to do with qualifying purchases. I found what I was looking for on the officemax terms and conditions website

Reward cards are not redeemable for OfficeMax brand gift cards and are not redeemable for cash unless otherwise required by law. No amount of your reward card may be applied as payment to any credit account.

I am going to try to redeem towards the AMEX card and see if that will work.

bnzjamin said: ... and longer lines were tolerable ...There's almost never anybody in my store.

one more reason to stop shopping at officemax...

thanks for the heads-up

no problem getting the AMEX cards. I had my printout of the officemax terms and conditions with me in case I received some push back. wished I had tried this sooner!

Thanks!