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Valid through 12/18/2013:
Sears has updated their Terms in several online portals to now say: “Eligible on gift cards 12/16/13 – 12/18/13 only.” Here, for example, is a screenshot of the Ultimate Rewards Mall (note the red text at the bottom, last sentence):
The terms allowing gift cards are present in multiple portals including MileagePlus shopping, AAdvantage eShopping portal, and more. Double check your portal and take a screenshot before clicking through to buy gift cards.
It has long been the case that Sears’ physical gift cards earn portal points despite terms stating otherwise, but e-gift cards only earn points when the terms allow it. I believe that this means that purchasing e-gift cards will result in earned portal points through December 18th. This should make double-dips possible: First get points for buying e-gift cards through a portal, then go through a portal again (it doesn’t have to be the same one) to buy merchandise and pay with the purchased e-gift cards. Sears will accept up to 20 gift cards in one order. Sears gift cards can also be used at Kmart and Lands End (but Lands’ End will not pay out via portals when you pay with gift cards).
Hat Tip: Denton
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DID ANYBODY GET POINTS POR THIS TRANSACTION YET?
Some people have reported that they got points after submitting tickets to the portal
Any word on if the Freedom 5x will work with this? I see the comment saying it does list as Sears / dept store… but I have to think Freedom would still see it is Sears since most, but not all dept stores qualify anyhow. Or maybe its a YMMV and a follow-up call to make the case a purchase was indeed charged to Sears if the machines don’t catch it?
I bought e-gift cards at Sears with my Freedom card earlier in the quarter and all of the 5X points posted so I don’t see any reason that it wouldn’t still work
I need to buy a tv as a gift and fridge for myself, this might be the deal to do it with. Other than the security call, any reason I couldn’t buy $3k in GCs?
No reason, but do note that larger gift card orders generally take much longer to pay out via portals (e.g. it may take 3 or 4 weeks for the portal to see the transaction)
Your 20 gift cards per transaction at sears may be out of date. Was just there today and the register stopped the cashier at 15. Not that that is a big deal, just an FYI
Thanks for the update!
looks like Sears other gift cards (visa, outback, etc) links to Gift Card Mall, so I doubt that would count as a Sears purchase for 5x. If it did, that would be huge. Would love to know.
I agree that it probably wouldn’t count for any points. A reader told me he plans to test this so I’ll wait and see what happens with him.
What about making your purchase with a “Discover” (aka HIGC) ?
Yep, that will work if you can get by Sears’ security screening
Do you know if buying a Visa gift card at Sears.com and paying for it using the Chase Freedom card will work for getting the 5 pts/$ spent at select department stores for the quarter?
Thanks!
Great question. Yes, it should work if you buy e-gift cards. It won’t work with physical gift cards because they are sold and shipped by Kmart
I wonder. Could you buy an e-gift card, then use the e-gift card to pay for a Visa gift card? If that would work, then you should be able to use the Freedom card to buy the e-gift card and get the UR bonus points, then basically liquidate the e-gift card by buying the Visa card. I don’t have much need for a Sears e-gift card, but if I can use it to buy a Visa gift card, then it makes it much more interesting. Somehow, I have my doubts that this would be allowed but, if you have any ideas about this, I would appreciate hearing about it.
eGift card purchases thru Sears.com will not receive 5% Chase department store. As it registers as Online, Internet, Catalog.