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ink/toner cartridge recycling primer/faq for Office Depot / OfficeMax and Staples (vers. 2020.07.15)

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So, the below is what I have worked up so far. This is a work in progress and now I am looking for corrections/input/suggestions.

For example, what other information is wanted or what information included below is not wanted.


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ink/toner cartridge recycling primer/faq for Office Depot / OfficeMax and Staples (vers. 2020.07.15)

  • Office Depot / OfficeMax:
    • Recycle:
      • Value: $2 in Rewards per cartridge recycled -- see purchase requirement below.
      • Limit: 10 per calendar month - no per day restriction.
      • Type: Ink or toner cartridge -- all brands -- OD/OM does not accept damaged cartridges for recycling.
    • Purchase requirement:
      • To qualify to recycle for a month, qualified purchases of $10 or more must be made in that month.
      • Qualifying purchases exclude taxes; delivery fees; postage stamps; gift and prepaid cards; and purchases made with Rewards Certificates, Merchandise Certificates, and Merchandise Cards.
    • Recycling Rewards:
      • Issued:
        • Recycling Rewards are paid out monthly together with Standard Rewards in the form of a Rewards Certificate.
        • Rewards are paid out to the penny.
        • Rewards Certificates are made available within 30 days after the end of the month in which the Rewards are earned. Generally around mid-month.
      • Usage: Reward certificates may be redeemed on purchases (excluding all gift and prepaid cards) at Office Depot or OfficeMax stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, online and by phone. Unlimited use until exhausted or expired.
      • Expiration: Per the terms of the program, Reward certificates are valid for 60 days after the date of issuance. All reward certificates expire at 11:59 PM ET on the date printed on the certificate. In practice, Rewards certificates are valid for two months after the month in which they are issued. For example, for Rewards issued sometime in July, the Rewards are valid until the last day of September at 11:59 PM ET.
    • Member services:

  • Staples:
    • Recycle:
      • Value: $2 in rewards per cartridge recycled -- see purchase requirement below.
      • Limit: Membership Level:
        • Standard: 10 per calendar month - no per day restriction.
        • Premier ($1000 in qualified purchases): 20 per calendar month - no per day restriction.
        • Plus (paid membership): 20 per calendar month - no per day restriction.
      • Type: Any used ink or toner cartridge sold at any retail stores in the US.
    • Purchase requirement
      • $30 $50 in ink/toner purchases in the past 180 days.
    • Recycling rewards:
      • Issued: Monthly, on a separate rewards certificate from purchase rewards, usually in the middle of the month after the month in which the recycling occurred. The rewards certificate is printable from the rewards site (ink rewards certificates can also be emailed or US Mailed).
      • Usage: Recycling rewards -- and purchase rewards -- are redeemable for most merchandise in Staples stores, online at staples.com® or by phone at 1-800-333-3330 but cannot be redeemed for or applied against taxes, cash, credit remittance, delivery charges, custom printing orders placed online, promotional products, any purchases made on print.staples.com, documents.staples.com, staplespromotionalproducts.com, staplescustomprinting.btobsource.com, shopstaplesmobile.com, appcenter.staples.com, Staples gift cards, third-party gift cards, prepaid phone cards, postage stamps, prior purchases, Staples Industrialsm purchases or any purchases made on other provider Web sites.
        • Online: One transaction - must use full amount of reward check.
        • In-store: Two transactions - a balance coupon is issued in-store if rewards check is not used all at once. Balance coupon has same expiration date as rewards check and must be used all at once in-store or online.
      • Expiration: Rewards expire the last day of the month following the month of issuance, at the end of the day EST and cannot be redeemed after the expiration date. Expired, lost or misdirected Rewards will not be reissued.
    • Member services

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FAQ section (vers. 2017.07.26):


Q. (OD/OM) Do you have to recycle or make a qualified purchase first?

A. It does not matter.


Q. Where can I get used ink/toner cartridges?

A. Family and friends, neighbors, thift shops, garage/rummage sales, and of course like everything else, eBay.


Q. If I purchase an item with Rewards will that purchase count toward my purchase requirement for recycling?

A. No. By the extent the purchase is paid for with Rewards, it will not count as a qualifying purchase for the purpose of the recycling purchase requirement.


Q. (Staples) Is there any way to have the opportunity to qualify to recycle 20 carts per month without making $1000 or more in qualified purchases?

A. There are two other options if you want the opportunity to qualify to recycle 20 carts per month but do not want to make the $1000 or more in qualified purchases to reach Premier:With either option, you are still required to have spent at least $30 on ink and/or toner in the past 180 day to qualify to recycle.


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Office Depot OfficeMax Rewards Everything - the new rewards program beginning 07/01/2017.

The Staples Information Thread

Warning: Office Depot Worklife Rewards changing June 17

Office Depot Ink Recycling Policy: 20 cartridges per month as of 4/1/2010

Office Depot Ink Cartridge Recycling changing?

Office Max changes their ink recycling 05/10/09 (w/ additional policy changes 1/1/10)

Staples new ink recycling policy changes Starts July 1, 2010

Staples new ink recycling policy changes Starts Feb 1

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Last Edited by bb182 May 26, 2016 at 09:47 PM
To check how long it has been since you last purchased ink:
http://www.calendar-12.com/date_add_days (credit to E_W)

1,680 Comments

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Joined Apr 2009
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> bubble2 417 Posts
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PerfectLady
05-24-2010 at 07:33 AM.
05-24-2010 at 07:33 AM.
Thanks!! Good to have all the info in one spot. Looks like Staples would be the easiest to redeem.
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Joined Sep 2008
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> bubble2 3,868 Posts
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makeitslickER
05-24-2010 at 09:40 AM.
05-24-2010 at 09:40 AM.
good summary. Now we don't have to see same question being asked and answered 100 times in one thread. We can just say "REFER TO THIS THREAD IDIOT"
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Joined Aug 2009
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> bubble2 937 Posts
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ChewyBTC
05-24-2010 at 11:12 AM.
05-24-2010 at 11:12 AM.
Quote from makeitslickER :
good summary. Now we don't have to see same question being asked and answered 100 times in one thread. We can just say "REFER TO THIS THREAD IDIOT"
that would be nice bounce
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Joined Dec 2007
L3: Novice
> bubble2 220 Posts
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tonyli88
05-24-2010 at 12:38 PM.
05-24-2010 at 12:38 PM.
Just came back from my OM today and was told they could only take 1 rewards card per transaction now, even if it's from the same account. Going to print out the terms and conditions and show them to see what they say.
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Joined Jun 2009
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,055 Posts
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macrophage
05-24-2010 at 01:01 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:01 PM.
So if i were to start the Office Depot one clean (none recycled, no purchases), should I make a purchase the first month too?
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Joined Aug 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 14,648 Posts
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Original Poster
bpvh
05-24-2010 at 01:11 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:11 PM.
Quote from macrophage :
So if i were to start the Office Depot one clean (none recycled, no purchases), should I make a purchase the first month too?
Not sure what you are asking.

If recycling $x value of carts, you will need at least $x in qualified purchases to receive a payout.
Reply
Last edited by bpvh May 24, 2010 at 01:13 PM.
Joined Jun 2009
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,055 Posts
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macrophage
05-24-2010 at 01:15 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:15 PM.
Quote from bpvh :
Not sure what you are asking.

If recycling $x value of carts, you will need at least $x in qualified purchases to receive a payout.
Basically, how do I start taking advantage of this program?
Since we only earn as much as we spend should I start buying for the quarter I start recycling?

I do Staples ink recycling, but am not too sure about OD.
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Joined Aug 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 14,648 Posts
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Original Poster
bpvh
05-24-2010 at 01:20 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:20 PM.
Quote from macrophage :
Basically, how do I start taking advantage of this program?
Since we only earn as much as we spend should I start buying for the quarter I start recycling?

I do Staples ink recycling, but am not too sure about OD.
To earn recycling rewards, you need to both recycle and make qualifying purchases.

So, if you only do one or the other this quarter, there will be no payout this quarter. Both recycling and qualified purchases carryover from quarter to quarter until calendar year end when they cease to carryover.

So, to the extent you recycle and then to the extent of your qualifying purchases, you will receive a rewards payout.

Please see the first question in the FAQ at the bottom of the OP.
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Joined Jun 2009
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,055 Posts
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macrophage
05-24-2010 at 01:34 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:34 PM.
Oh the first question in the FAQ confused me because I saw quarters were 0 ink cartridges were recycled. I think I get it now.

So in essence...,
If I recycled 60 cartridges/quarter for every quarter and for each quarter, and I spend at least $180, I'll be getting $180 in rewards card every quarter for a total of $720 rewarded by the end of the year?
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Joined Aug 2006
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 14,648 Posts
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Original Poster
bpvh
05-24-2010 at 01:41 PM.
05-24-2010 at 01:41 PM.
Quote from macrophage :
Oh the first question in the FAQ confused me because I saw quarters were 0 ink cartridges were recycled. I think I get it now.

So in essence...,
If I recycled 60 cartridges/quarter for every quarter and for each quarter, and I spend at least $180, I'll be getting $180 in rewards card every quarter for a total of $720 rewarded by the end of the year?
If you recycle 20 carts per month for the 3 months during the quarter for a total of 60 carts, and have $180 in that quarter in qualified spending, you will receive a rewards payout for that quarter of $180.

Over the course of a year, you would need (3x20)x4 in carts recycled and $180x4 in qualified spending to max out.

As to the zero carts recycled in the 3rd quarter, it was just to show how the carryover process worked with regards to recycling and qualified purchases. If you wanted, you could recycle 20 carts each month during the year and then make a large purchase ($720+) in Nov. on Black Friday and then you would receive a fourth quarter recycling rewards payout of $720 near the end of Feb. of the next year.
Reply
Last edited by bpvh May 24, 2010 at 01:44 PM.
Joined Apr 2009
L4: Apprentice
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PerfectLady
05-24-2010 at 02:15 PM.
05-24-2010 at 02:15 PM.
Quote from bpvh :
If you recycle 20 carts per month for the 3 months during the quarter for a total of 60 carts, and have $180 in that quarter in qualified spending, you will receive a rewards payout for that quarter of $180.

Over the course of a year, you would need (3x20)x4 in carts recycled and $180x4 in qualified spending to max out.

As to the zero carts recycled in the 3rd quarter, it was just to show how the carryover process worked with regards to recycling and qualified purchases. If you wanted, you could recycle 20 carts each month during the year and then make a large purchase ($720+) in Nov. on Black Friday and then you would receive a fourth quarter recycling rewards payout of $720 near the end of Feb. of the next year.
GREAT explanation. I didn't realize that the inks would carry over that way. Which means I could have been recycling my max and getting paid out whenever I made purchases.
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Joined Jun 2009
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> bubble2 253 Posts
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40.oz
05-24-2010 at 03:23 PM.
05-24-2010 at 03:23 PM.
lexmark codes for free oem ink cartridges shipped directly from lexmark.com for trade.
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Joined Jul 2005
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,569 Posts
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nintendoangie
05-24-2010 at 10:59 PM.
05-24-2010 at 10:59 PM.
Nice thread. Well-organized. Smilie
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