For some people, buying a gift card is the perfect present. They’re available at many retail stores, and if you need some quickly, and don’t have the time or inclination to buy a “thing” for whatever the occasion is, a gift card is quick and easy. Buying an Amazon gift card is particularly good because Amazon offers a huge variety of items the recipient can choose from.
Other people like to buy gift cards because of its advantages to help with manufactured spending. If you already know what manufactured spending is, you don’t need us to explain it. If you’re new to points and miles and aren’t familiar with the term, this is an excellent explanation of manufactured spending. Again, Amazon gift cards are good for this purpose.
However Doctor of Credit mentioned in late June that a reader of theirs had written to them and said that Staples was no longer selling Amazon gift cards. The continued by saying that:
Reddit user OkPhilosopher6566 confirms that a notification came down to remove them in all NY state stores by July 1st, 2024.
July 1st has come and gone and it appears that it’s true – Amazon gift cards are no longer being sold in the entire state of New York. And it’s not that they’re just being phased out – they’ve been pulled entirely.
Why would they pull them?
Well, it’s Amazon so, much like any large corporation, of course they’re not going to give a particularly transparent reason for anything they do that’s “new and different.” 😉
However a spokesperson for the company did say in early July that from time to time, they will experiment with different ways customers can purchase gift cards. They say experiments are periodically done to provide a better shopping experience for customers (I love when companies say they’re doing for the benefit of the customers. They’re so full of it. How could “You can’t buy Amazon gift cards in a convenient place” be a better shopping experience???).
They concluded by reminding people that customers can always purchase a gift card on its website.
Is this happening everywhere?
As of this writing, no. Only in New York.
How does this affect buyers?
For those buying Amazon gift cards just to buy a present, it’s really just a minor inconvenience. You can still buy the gift cards online and give them as eGifts or get a physical card mailed, among other options.
Or, if you live near enough to a bordering state or even country, you can buy them in CT, MA, NJ, PA, VT or Canada (although you’d have to deal with exchange rates for the latter).
But if you made purchases with points and miles in mind, when you bought Amazon gift cards at office supply stores such as Office Depot and the aforementioned Staples, you got 5x Ultimate Rewards points with the Ink Business Cash. That opportunity will no longer be available in New York at this time.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
