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Staples Ink Reward Spend increased to $50 every 6 months
June 2, 2022 at
06:25 AM
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Office & School Supplies
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Thread Details
Just received the following email
Dear Staples Rewards® Member,
Thank you for being a Staples Rewards member. We would like to inform you of the updated Terms and Condition to the Ink & Toner Recycling program beginning on June 2, 2022 (view updated Staples Rewards Terms here). The minimum spend requirement for earning ink recycling will change from $30 to $50.
The Ink & Toner Recycling program terms and conditions include the following: Each Member is eligible to receive Ink and Toner Recycling Rewards ("Recycling Rewards") on ink and toner recycling, as described below, performed at Staples U.S. stores or online at staples.com/rewards, if the Member has spent at least $50 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days. Ink and/or toner purchases made on the date of recycling are included toward minimum purchase requirement. Coupons, taxes, rewards redemptions, and shipping charges do not count towards the $50 minimum purchase requirement. Ink + Toner Resellers and remanufacturers, including companies or individuals that purchase goods with the intention of selling the goods to a third party, are strictly prohibited from earning and redeeming Ink and Toner Rewards. Limit of 10 ink or toner cartridges can be recycled per month.
Thank you for being a Staples® customer and a member of the Staples Rewards program. We value and appreciate your business.
-The Staples Rewards Team.
https://www.staples.com/grs/rewar...amoverv
Dear Staples Rewards® Member,
Thank you for being a Staples Rewards member. We would like to inform you of the updated Terms and Condition to the Ink & Toner Recycling program beginning on June 2, 2022 (view updated Staples Rewards Terms here). The minimum spend requirement for earning ink recycling will change from $30 to $50.
The Ink & Toner Recycling program terms and conditions include the following: Each Member is eligible to receive Ink and Toner Recycling Rewards ("Recycling Rewards") on ink and toner recycling, as described below, performed at Staples U.S. stores or online at staples.com/rewards, if the Member has spent at least $50 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days. Ink and/or toner purchases made on the date of recycling are included toward minimum purchase requirement. Coupons, taxes, rewards redemptions, and shipping charges do not count towards the $50 minimum purchase requirement. Ink + Toner Resellers and remanufacturers, including companies or individuals that purchase goods with the intention of selling the goods to a third party, are strictly prohibited from earning and redeeming Ink and Toner Rewards. Limit of 10 ink or toner cartridges can be recycled per month.
Thank you for being a Staples® customer and a member of the Staples Rewards program. We value and appreciate your business.
-The Staples Rewards Team.
https://www.staples.com/grs/rewar...amoverv
48 Comments
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My question is: Is it NEW that we can now make the qualifying ink purchase online instead of having to do it in-store?
Before this $50 change, I know I HAD to buy $30 of ink at a physical Staples store (NOT online). I learned this the hard way. Note that the same ink that's sold in the Staples stores are cheaper online, such that you get more "value" if you could purchase ink online. Also, Staples always gives better % back in rewards deals for online ink purchases. Does anyone know for sure if you can now purchase the $50 of ink online?
Why I *think* you can purchase the $50 of ink online:
Note that I haven't personally tried this, but I was wondering if anyone else has.
This states: "Spend at least $50 on ink or toner in store or online within 180 days prior to recycling. You will earn $2 back in Staples Rewards for every eligible cartridge you recycle."
At the dropdown at the bottom of the webpage, it unfortunately doesn't explicitly state in-store vs online: "...if the member has spent at least $50 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days. Minimum purchase requirement is net of coupons, taxes, rewards redemptions, and shipping charges..."
Step #1 states: "Spend at least $50 on ink or toner - Buy in store or online within 180 days prior to recycling." and the footnote also states: "*Each member is eligible to receive Ink Recycling Rewards ("recycling rewards") on ink and toner recycling, as defined below, performed at Staples® stores or online at staples.com/rewards..."
In January they had 50% back in rewards promo so I bought $51+tax ink online -- got $25 rewards back and full $51 amount counted towards $50 ink min spend
My question is: Is it NEW that we can now make the qualifying ink purchase online instead of having to do it in-store?
Before this $50 change, I know I HAD to buy $30 of ink at a physical Staples store (NOT online). I learned this the hard way. Note that the same ink that's sold in the Staples stores are cheaper online, such that you get more "value" if you could purchase ink online. Also, Staples always gives better % back in rewards deals for online ink purchases. Does anyone know for sure if you can now purchase the $50 of ink online?[/LIST]
Do note though that if you have the ink shipped to you it sometimes takes a couple of days in effect for the ink purchase to be credited (the purchase date in their system). It isn't usually done on the actual date the order was placed so if you try to recycle cartridges on the same day you bought it online it probably won't credit properly and likely need to chat with customer service to get your first $40 reward manually issued to you. But the subsequent ones should credit fine automatically. Or just plan to buy the ink online a couple of days in advance of returning the cartridges to the physical store to be safe.
My question is: Is it NEW that we can now make the qualifying ink purchase online instead of having to do it in-store?
Before this $50 change, I know I HAD to buy $30 of ink at a physical Staples store (NOT online). I learned this the hard way. Note that the same ink that's sold in the Staples stores are cheaper online, such that you get more "value" if you could purchase ink online. Also, Staples always gives better % back in rewards deals for online ink purchases. Does anyone know for sure if you can now purchase the $50 of ink online?
Why I *think* you can purchase the $50 of ink online:
Note that I haven't personally tried this, but I was wondering if anyone else has.
This states: "Spend at least $50 on ink or toner in store or online within 180 days prior to recycling. You will earn $2 back in Staples Rewards for every eligible cartridge you recycle."
At the dropdown at the bottom of the webpage, it unfortunately doesn't explicitly state in-store vs online: "...if the member has spent at least $50 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days. Minimum purchase requirement is net of coupons, taxes, rewards redemptions, and shipping charges..."
Step #1 states: "Spend at least $50 on ink or toner - Buy in store or online within 180 days prior to recycling." and the footnote also states: "*Each member is eligible to receive Ink Recycling Rewards ("recycling rewards") on ink and toner recycling, as defined below, performed at Staples® stores or online at staples.com/rewards..."
The only issue is determining the Staples recycling qualification transaction date. This primarily matters when you are trying to recycle at the end of the month and you were not already qualified for that month.
This can mess you up if you order but they don't ship by the time you need it to count, or if you set for pickup at a store and you don't pick it up in time.
If ordered online for pick up in-store, I am not certain which date they will use:
1) The "shipped-to-store" date
2) The "Ready for pickup" date if already in stock there
3) Your picked-up date.
So I make sure to make the pickup by when I need to as far as the date goes to make sure the qualification is met as I need. I used this method for my March qualification.
For delivery, the ship-out date to you is considered the sale date for recycling qualification purposes.
To recap with an example. I needed to requalify for March to recycle.
Mar 30 I ordered my ink online using a 30% Back in rewards coupon as it was for online use only.
Mar 31 they shipped it to the store I designated for pickup.
I picked it up Mar 31.
I recycled 20 carts while there.
Results:
My March Rewards section shows the purchase of the ink and the recycling of my 20 carts as I am a Plus member.
The 30% rewards pending shows as it should.
My qualification shows I am good through Sep 26, 2023.*
*That is 180 days from 3/30- but if they include their official qualification purchase date as day one that would be 180 days from Mar 31.
Regardless, the safe bet is not to cut it so close if possible. My issue was waiting for a percent back in rewards coupon and it hit on the 30th. I could have gotten 40% BIR had I ordered a week before the offer was available through 3/26, but I procrastinated and missed the chance.
I could have simply ended after the first sentence. I hope you can benefit from my experience and in-depth explanation. Let me know if you are needing more help.
As to the time they said you did not qualify when making an online purchase, what are the details as far as when that happened? Your order date? How did you order as far as dely, or for ship to store, or in stock at store and ready for pick up within minutes?
Your shipped to store, ready for pick up and pickup date, or their shipped to you date, delivery date?
In other words, using my example and details, give me the whole picture.
In January they had 50% back in rewards promo so I bought $51+tax ink online -- got $25 rewards back and full $51 amount counted towards $50 ink min spend
Do note though that if you have the ink shipped to you it sometimes takes a couple of days in effect for the ink purchase to be credited (the purchase date in their system). It isn't usually done on the actual date the order was placed so if you try to recycle cartridges on the same day you bought it online it probably won't credit properly and likely need to chat with customer service to get your first $40 reward manually issued to you. But the subsequent ones should credit fine automatically. Or just plan to buy the ink online a couple of days in advance of returning the cartridges to the physical store to be safe.
The only issue is determining the Staples recycling qualification transaction date. This primarily matters when you are trying to recycle at the end of the month and you were not already qualified for that month.
This can mess you up if you order but they don't ship by the time you need it to count, or if you set for pickup at a store and you don't pick it up in time.
If ordered online for pick up in-store, I am not certain which date they will use:
1) The "shipped-to-store" date
2) The "Ready for pickup" date if already in stock there
3) Your picked-up date.
So I make sure to make the pickup by when I need to as far as the date goes to make sure the qualification is met as I need. I used this method for my March qualification.
For delivery, the ship-out date to you is considered the sale date for recycling qualification purposes.
To recap with an example. I needed to requalify for March to recycle.
Mar 30 I ordered my ink online using a 30% Back in rewards coupon as it was for online use only.
Mar 31 they shipped it to the store I designated for pickup.
I picked it up Mar 31.
I recycled 20 carts while there.
Results:
My March Rewards section shows the purchase of the ink and the recycling of my 20 carts as I am a Plus member.
The 30% rewards pending shows as it should.
My qualification shows I am good through Sep 26, 2023.*
*That is 180 days from 3/30- but if they include their official qualification purchase date as day one that would be 180 days from Mar 31.
Regardless, the safe bet is not to cut it so close if possible. My issue was waiting for a percent back in rewards coupon and it hit on the 30th. I could have gotten 40% BIR had I ordered a week before the offer was available through 3/26, but I procrastinated and missed the chance.
I could have simply ended after the first sentence. I hope you can benefit from my experience and in-depth explanation. Let me know if you are needing more help.
As to the time they said you did not qualify when making an online purchase, what are the details as far as when that happened? Your order date? How did you order as far as dely, or for ship to store, or in stock at store and ready for pick up within minutes?
Your shipped to store, ready for pick up and pickup date, or their shipped to you date, delivery date?
In other words, using my example and details, give me the whole picture.
My specific situation was so long ago that I've forgotten what exactly transpired. I just know that after that experience, I told myself to always buy ink in-store. I *think* I contacted Staples (I forget if I called, emailed, or chatted) to ask why my online ink purchase didn't count, and I'm pretty sure they explicitly told me it's because the purchase wasn't in-store. So I then checked the (old) terms and conditions of ink recycling and I noticed that it said something to the effect of "the purchase had to be in-store" or had to be made at "a Staples store" (i.e., not at Staples.com).
In conclusion, I just now need to break my old habits and start buying my ink online now.
Thanks!