To avoid the questions: 1) Do NOT pay for this with Rewards Checks, and 2) Do NOT bother using the 25% Rewards coupon - you already get 100% and you're not going to get 125%
I figured the holiday run on the batteries would be the end. Just converted all those rewards over by doing the FAR software. Hmmmmm...now to decide if we need yet more batteries.
As I understand it, it is not truly FREE since you don't get money (cash) back, only rewards that you have to spend at Staples. Unfortunately, that's not the same thing, as I always realize when I am struggling to spend my OD rewards from their FREE deals....
giselmey said: As I understand it, it is not truly FREE since you don't get money (cash) back, only rewards that you have to spend at Staples. Unfortunately, that's not the same thing, as I always realize when I am struggling to spend my OD rewards from their FREE deals....
The trick is to convert the rewards to cash by using them to purchase FAR items when available.
giselmey said: As I understand it, it is not truly FREE since you don't get money (cash) back, only rewards that you have to spend at Staples. Unfortunately, that's not the same thing, as I always realize when I am struggling to spend my OD rewards from their FREE deals.... Think of it this way: Consider ether you get the batteries free or whatever you buy with the rewards coupon. But you end up with $14 dollars worth of free goods !!
Why do they keep doing this? I mean, even though I have a 2 year supply now, I have to buy more. Hopefully there will be another chance to convert rewards to cash when the time comes.
haramkhor said: giselmey said: As I understand it, it is not truly FREE since you don't get money (cash) back, only rewards that you have to spend at Staples. Unfortunately, that's not the same thing, as I always realize when I am struggling to spend my OD rewards from their FREE deals.... Think of it this way: Consider ether you get the batteries free or whatever you buy with the rewards coupon. But you end up with $14 dollars worth of free goods !! No, you get $28 worth of stuff for $14.
I am all in favor of doing Staples Rewards deals.. I will probably have close to $400 in Rewards this month. I am not going to do this deal because I don't need more batteries, and I don't need more Rewards to spend.
Does anybody actually have a link or a scan showing this offer? I am not seeing it anywhere online and didn't get any emails or anything with this offer. So if it doesn't show up as a reward then I don't have any proof I should have gotten a reward....
broadstrike said: Does anybody actually have a link or a scan showing this offer? I am not seeing it anywhere online and didn't get any emails or anything with this offer. So if it doesn't show up as a reward then I don't have any proof I should have gotten a reward....
Not here but photos were posted on SD of the deal. Hopefully, we will see an email tomorrow.
When I went to my store yesterday evening, there was a different set of employees working and a yellow 8.5x11" sign at the checkout in a plastic stand that was *on its side and facing the cashier* that was "advertising" this deal (I read it through the back of the paper, lol). I also asked an employee that seemed nice and he confirmed it for me.
Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?
bytem3 said: When I went to my store yesterday evening, there was a different set of employees working and a yellow 8.5x11" sign at the checkout in a plastic stand that was *on its side and facing the cashier* that was "advertising" this deal (I read it through the back of the paper, lol). I also asked an employee that seemed nice and he confirmed it for me.
Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?
You are correct, tax is additional...but you can often use a coupon (such as the OM Elf one) to offset this.
BeanTech said: bytem3 said: When I went to my store yesterday evening, there was a different set of employees working and a yellow 8.5x11" sign at the checkout in a plastic stand that was *on its side and facing the cashier* that was "advertising" this deal (I read it through the back of the paper, lol). I also asked an employee that seemed nice and he confirmed it for me.
Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?
You are correct, tax is additional...but you can often use a coupon (such as the OM Elf one) to offset this. Thanks. I was surprised to read that people are still using the OM elf coupon even though it was pulled from the OM website. IIRC it expires 1/28? I'm just asking because my Staples is not coupon friendly (it is definitely employee-dependent, but a couple of them had a fit when I tried to use the OM 20% off bag a single time), so I don't want to give them a reason to decline me. Also, where do people get all the OD $xx off $yy coupons that they use at Staples?
Edit: I just now noticed that my status now shows me as a "Senior Member" and it made me laugh, since I still feel like a pretty recent member.
billrubin said: No, you get $28 worth of stuff for $14.
I am all in favor of doing Staples Rewards deals.. and I don't need more Rewards to spend.
My emphasis added.
What irks me is that according to the website, the 20-pack is CHEAPER than the 16-pack. What happened to a quantity discount, Duracell and Staples?
(I believe) It is clear that they are capitalizing on our greed for free batteries in the hope that we will not complete the included Staples Rewards transactions.
During Ace Hardware's entire month of November, they had these exact 16-packs of duracells for $7.99. Through the grace of a higher power, I did get them to PM ACE once, but ACE is not a recognized competitor according to the SPLS website, so I had to go with getting them to PM WMT.
Before you ask why I would want a PM to a lower price on a "free" item, read this again: billrubin said: I don't need more Rewards to spend.
I'm sorry SPLS and Duracell, but your batteries, though nice and of a higher quality, are NOT WORTH THE $14 PRICE. Every low draw consumer electronics item I put them in seems to attract green leakage from one of the battery terminals, corroding the battery retention spring. The overseas based help line for duracell is of little help in getting the consumer electronics item repaired.
hpmaster said: billrubin said: No, you get $28 worth of stuff for $14.
I am all in favor of doing Staples Rewards deals.. and I don't need more Rewards to spend.
My emphasis added.
What irks me is that according to the website, the 20-pack is CHEAPER than the 16-pack. What happened to a quantity discount, Duracell and Staples?
(I believe) It is clear that they are capitalizing on our greed for free batteries in the hope that we will not complete the included Staples Rewards transactions.
During Ace Hardware's entire month of November, they had these exact 16-packs of duracells for $7.99. Through the grace of a higher power, I did get them to PM ACE once, but ACE is not a recognized competitor according to the SPLS website, so I had to go with getting them to PM WMT.
Before you ask why I would want a PM to a lower price on a "free" item, read this again: billrubin said: I don't need more Rewards to spend.
I'm sorry SPLS and Duracell, but your batteries, though nice and of a higher quality, are NOT WORTH THE $14 PRICE. Every low draw consumer electronics item I put them in seems to attract green leakage from one of the battery terminals, corroding the battery retention spring. The overseas based help line for duracell is of little help in getting the consumer electronics item repaired.
rant off
hpm.
Isn't Duracell considered the top battery brand or is it Energizer or Rayovac?
Ha! And people say marketing doesn't work. For disposables the different in battery brands is so little that price is really about the only thing worth considering.
bytem3 said: Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?When you redeem the Rewards, they are tax free, so you only pay the sales tax one time. On the other hand, even if you are able to redeem the Rewards for something with a rebate (and thus turn it back into cash), you are still out the initial sales tax. If you have a manufacturers coupon for the batteries, that can cover much (or all) of the sales tax.
But sales tax is a valid reason for trying to PM them (as discussed in another post), that way you pay less in sales tax and have less in Rewards to spend later on.
Deals that are free after rebate also don't take sales tax into account.
macdough said: Confirmed in my local store today. Got the batteries and the tape. Saw 18 packs of Pumpkin Spice Keurig coffee marked down to $3.50!!Now that's a hot deal! I may have to go to Staples just to look for that!
hpmaster said: What irks me is that according to the website, the 20-pack is CHEAPER than the 16-pack. What happened to a quantity discount, Duracell and Staples? The 20 pack should actually be the same price as the 16 pack since according to the packaging, it's a bonus size. In any event, the odds are that these are $12.99 or less in-store. I'm surprised no one has posted the price they paid.
billrubin said: bytem3 said: Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?When you redeem the Rewards, they are tax free, so you only pay the sales tax one time. On the other hand, even if you are able to redeem the Rewards for something with a rebate (and thus turn it back into cash), you are still out the initial sales tax. If you have a manufacturers coupon for the batteries, that can cover much (or all) of the sales tax.
Deals that are free after rebate also don't take sales tax into account.
Red for Farside which I said I was going to do for the next OP who put FREE for items that are 100% back in Staples Rewards. Sorry Farside, I am just tired of posts about it not being FREE lol! Love your Recyclebank threads though.
mathfaster said: billrubin said: bytem3 said: Btw, when people keep saying that these are free (ARewards), are they just ignoring whatever state tax they are paying or is there something I'm missing?When you redeem the Rewards, they are tax free, so you only pay the sales tax one time. On the other hand, even if you are able to redeem the Rewards for something with a rebate (and thus turn it back into cash), you are still out the initial sales tax. If you have a manufacturers coupon for the batteries, that can cover much (or all) of the sales tax.
Deals that are free after rebate also don't take sales tax into account.
Red for Farside which I said I was going to do for the next OP who put FREE for items that are 100% back in Staples Rewards. Sorry Farside, I am just tired of posts about it not being FREE lol! Love your Recyclebank threads though. I'm with u on this.
knickdigger said: Perhaps a new tag is in order, like FARFFARSL -- Free After Rewards and Finding Free After Rebate Stuff Later It's nice, but personally, I think that YMGTFARMSTIYBEOFWFF has a nice ring to it: You Might Get This Free After Rebate/Rewards Minus Sales Tax If You Beat Every Other FatWallet Forum Frequenter.
Staples retail stores will price match prices at brick-n-mortar retail stores and at Staples.com.
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WM was $9.99 during Xmas time AMZN maybe cheaper now.
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