Southwest and Disney Gift cards doorbuster sale

[TheHolleys87]

@RX8 Thanks for posting! I bought the Disney cards.

To anyone who owns DVC:
Disney allows you to prepay your annual maintenance fees online and run a credit balance. Whenever discounts like this pop up, I buy the card online, and then immediately apply it to my DVC dues. That way nothing gets lost, and I've put a dent in the fees before they come due at the end of the year.

This is definitely an easy way to get a discount on your DVC maintenance fees.

We do the same. Through the year we buy DGCs with the 5% Target CC discount and also buy as many as we can at times of special offers like Sam’s this week. Currently we’re “saving up” for a WDW trip in January with DD, DSiL and toddler DGD, so I’ve been transferring the email GC funds to physical GCs via the Disney gift card website and then deleting all of them from the website, so none of the funds are accessible through cyberspace.

 

[RX8]

I purchased the Southwest $429 GC deal before they dropped the price to $419! I just got refunded from Costco the $10 per gift card. Although I filled out an online price adjustment yesterday, I was told that took 5-7 days. I believe that this was an automatic refund so anyone else who bought at $429 should get their refund soon, if not already.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Update: The Sam’s Club ad book showed that the $500 Southwest gift card price was going to be $429 for the sale starting today. However, the actual sale price is only $419. That is lowest I have ever seen the price to be. Still good through 5/5 and limit is still two.

Due to my membership to Sam's Club being expired, it took me till today to get it renewed as it would not let me do it online for some reason and now the Sams Club GC's are sold out for Southwest... So I went back to Costco and bought more there...thanks again for letting all of us know about this great deal

 

[Sugarcubesea]

I purchased the Southwest $429 GC deal before they dropped the price to $419! I just got refunded from Costco the $10 per gift card. Although I filled out an online price adjustment yesterday, I was told that took 5-7 days. I believe that this was an automatic refund so anyone else who bought at $429 should get their refund soon, if not already.

I also saw that Sunday, they dropped the price to $419, how would I get a price adjustment?

 

[RX8]

@Sugarcubesea If you did not get an email from Costco you can request a price adjustment.

Here is the link that explains the price adjustment. You can follow the instructions and click the box to do it online but I would recommend calling since you will get your answer immediately. The number to call is 800-955-2292. There should be no issues in getting your refund of the difference.

Price Adjustment - Costco.com Orders

Welcome to the Costco Customer Service page. Explore our many helpful self-service options and learn more about popular topics.

customerservice.costco.com

 

[joestein]

Bought $100 (2 $50 cards) worth of gift cards to a local restaurant at Costco last year - paid $75.. Just tried to use them this past weekend. Bill was $107 gave both cards plus credit card. They came back and told me that one of them had no money left on it.

This is the first time I have eaten here, so either they didn't create the card correctly or they somehow stole the credit off the card. I buy giftcards all the time at Costco for local places. This has never happened before. Now I have to go back to Costco and tell them what happened. Not sure how that will work out.

What happens if you buy a Southwest Gift Card for $500 and they say the credit was used. Aggravation might not be worth savings.

 

[RX8]

Bought $100 (2 $50 cards) worth of gift cards to a local restaurant at Costco last year - paid $75.. Just tried to use them this past weekend. Bill was $107 gave both cards plus credit card. They came back and told me that one of them had no money left on it.

This is the first time I have eaten here, so either they didn't create the card correctly or they somehow stole the credit off the card. I buy giftcards all the time at Costco for local places. This has never happened before. Now I have to go back to Costco and tell them what happened. Not sure how that will work out.

What happens if you buy a Southwest Gift Card for $500 and they say the credit was used. Aggravation might not be worth savings.

I think that the most likely cause would be that the card was not activated at time of purchase. Less likely is someone hacked the card and used the funds. Before checking with Costco, maybe check with the restaurant or card provider to determine which of these scenarios happened? If the card was used, can they provide details on date and location?

If you need to go to Costco, having this additional detail will help. Costco always leans toward customer satisfaction so I would be surprised if they don’t resolve for you.

For what it is worth, I have purchased many gift cards from Costco, including Southwest cards, and have never had an issue.

 

[dioxide45]

I think that the most likely cause would be that the card was not activated at time of purchase. Less likely is someone hacked the card and used the funds. Before checking with Costco, maybe check with the restaurant or card provider to determine which of these scenarios happened? If the card was used, can they provide details on date and location?

If you need to go to Costco, having this additional detail will help. Costco always leans toward customer satisfaction so I would be surprised if they don’t resolve for you.

For what it is worth, I have purchased many gift cards from Costco, including Southwest cards, and have never had an issue.

Does Costco do anything to activate physical gift cards at purchase? When I buy, I give them the big cardboard thing and they give me the receipt to take to the merchandise pickup window. The person walks out with a packages of two cards. Do they scan them to activate them behind closed doors? If they came in the same packages I am not sure how one could be activated and the other one not activated.

 

[dioxide45]

Bought $100 (2 $50 cards) worth of gift cards to a local restaurant at Costco last year - paid $75.. Just tried to use them this past weekend. Bill was $107 gave both cards plus credit card. They came back and told me that one of them had no money left on it.

This is the first time I have eaten here, so either they didn't create the card correctly or they somehow stole the credit off the card. I buy giftcards all the time at Costco for local places. This has never happened before. Now I have to go back to Costco and tell them what happened. Not sure how that will work out.

What happens if you buy a Southwest Gift Card for $500 and they say the credit was used. Aggravation might not be worth savings.

I've bought Landry's cards both in store and online without issue but there are a lot of issues with gift card balances being stolen by scammers. How they do it? I don't know. As for the SW cards, the trick mentioned earlier in the thread might work. Make a flight reservation and then cancel it more than 24 hours later to get back flight credit that doesn't expire. Since it is now in your Southwest account, it should be safer from some gift card thieves.

 

[joestein]

Does Costco do anything to activate physical gift cards at purchase? When I buy, I give them the big cardboard thing and they give me the receipt to take to the merchandise pickup window. The person walks out with a packages of two cards. Do they scan them to activate them behind closed doors? If they came in the same packages I am not sure how one could be activated and the other one not activated.

That is exactly the way it works. I think they get them activated by the business. Not sure how it works for the larger national chains or businesses like Southwest Airlines.

 

[dioxide45]

That is exactly the way it works. I think they get them activated by the business. Not sure how it works for the larger national chains or businesses like Southwest Airlines.

I got the impression that they were already activated just sitting back in the room behind the locked door. That would open up a whole bunch of risk though. I know when you pay at the register it doesn't do anything to activate it because they just go and grab a pack of the cards. I've also seen then grab the cards and just hand them to me, so I know they aren't scanning them to activate. At least not the ones I have purchased.

 

[joestein]

I think that the most likely cause would be that the card was not activated at time of purchase. Less likely is someone hacked the card and used the funds. Before checking with Costco, maybe check with the restaurant or card provider to determine which of these scenarios happened? If the card was used, can they provide details on date and location?

If you need to go to Costco, having this additional detail will help. Costco always leans toward customer satisfaction so I would be surprised if they don’t resolve for you.

For what it is worth, I have purchased many gift cards from Costco, including Southwest cards, and have never had an issue.

There were 2 slips of paper in the envelope - I guess the activation receipts. They both look similar. The business wasn't able to help me. I should have asked for a record of how the card was used, but the waitress just dropped it off and said the balance was used and left.

Personally - I would prefer a 50% refund - no urge to ever return.

 

[dioxide45]

There were 2 slips of paper in the envelope - I guess the activation receipts. They both look similar. The business wasn't able to help me. I should have asked for a record of how the card was used, but the waitress just dropped it off and said the balance was used and left.

Personally - I would prefer a 50% refund - no urge to ever return.

Is there a website where you can check the balance? Perhaps it also provides transaction history? Someone somewhere should be able to provide some information. The best solution may just be to see if Costco will help make it right.

 

[RX8]

There were 2 slips of paper in the envelope - I guess the activation receipts. They both look similar. The business wasn't able to help me. I should have asked for a record of how the card was used, but the waitress just dropped it off and said the balance was used and left.

Personally - I would prefer a 50% refund - no urge to ever return.

I hate to think this but another possibility is that the waitress took your good gift card and swapped it for another gift card that had no balance hoping you would think that you had already used it. I’m sure they had used up gift cards lying around at the restaurant.

 

[Janann]

I hate to think this but another possibility is that the waitress took your good gift card and swapped it for another gift card that had no balance hoping you would think that you had already used it. I’m sure they had used up gift cards lying around at the restaurant.

That's a possibility. I always use a Sharpie to write my initials or something else unique on the card so that I know its mine. Even when I'm told that I've used the last of the card, I take it home and check online to make sure the money is really gone.

 

[Janann]

Here's a link to a complicated gift card scam that happened near me. Its possible for cards to be compromised before purchase.

Two arrested in 'draining' scheme involving 4,100 tampered gift cards: What to know about the scam

Authorities seized over 4,100 tampered gift cards from Apple, Sephora, Amazon and Footlocker as part of a "gift card draining" scheme.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Sugarcubesea]

@Sugarcubesea If you did not get an email from Costco you can request a price adjustment.

Here is the link that explains the price adjustment. You can follow the instructions and click the box to do it online but I would recommend calling since you will get your answer immediately. The number to call is 800-955-2292. There should be no issues in getting your refund of the difference.

Price Adjustment - Costco.com Orders

Welcome to the Costco Customer Service page. Explore our many helpful self-service options and learn more about popular topics.

customerservice.costco.com

@RX8 , thank you so much --- Costco just sent me a digital GC for $30 for the price adjustment....this was such a good deal

 

[PigsDad]

Good deal!! I wish southwest was giving me as much competitive prices on their flights but unfortunately, they are being beat by the low cost carriers even with paying for luggage.

One of the main reasons I fly Southwest is for the best-in-class leg room. Their seat pitch is more generous than all of the major major US carriers, without paying a huge fee for "extra legroom seating". The low cost carriers such as Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant all have worst-in-class leg room.

Kurt

 

[PigsDad]

Here's a link to a complicated gift card scam that happened near me. Its possible for cards to be compromised before purchase.

Two arrested in 'draining' scheme involving 4,100 tampered gift cards: What to know about the scam

Authorities seized over 4,100 tampered gift cards from Apple, Sephora, Amazon and Footlocker as part of a "gift card draining" scheme.

www.usatoday.com

That's why eCards are much better, IMO. I have to log into my account to get the card information; it isn't just sitting on a rack in a store.

Kurt