Staples Rewards Program: 5% Back in Rewards on Everything + Free Shipping w/ No Minimum (Effective March 15th)

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1. 

   Krissy February 28, 2013 at 10:18 am MST

   I’m wondering if this means fewer “free after rewards” items. Also, the ink recycling rewards are only good if you purchase $30 in ink and toner in the 180 days prior to recycling your cartridges:?( I’ll be recycling what I have before 3/15! Still, I am excited about 5% across the board and really excited about free shipping!

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  Ann February 28, 2013 at 10:21 am MST

  Yeah, I’m not thrilled about the new stipulation on the ink/toner recycling. I turn in 10 toners/month now (my office goes through a LOT of ink) and get a “free” $20 certificate each month. Now I’d have to spend $30 in the 180 days prior to qualify, where I didn’t have to buy anything before.

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  Joe Ruggan March 15, 2013 at 3:16 pm MST

  If your office goes thru “A lot of Ink” than this program is perfect for your business needs

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  Ayo February 28, 2013 at 11:09 am MST

  Hey! I looked at the statements but didn’t see where ink recycling was mentioned. Could someone direct me? Thanks!

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  jcatz824 February 28, 2013 at 5:49 pm MST

  I received the info abt. the ink recycling in an email that Staples sent me today. You can still recycle up to 10 a mo. but you have to spend $30. on ink or toner in the 180 days previously to get the $2. a cartridge back in rewards. Since I usually use my rewards to at least help pay for the ink, I don’t think I’m going to like this deal. I’m sure they won’t count using rewards to pay for ink – pretty sure they want me to spend cash.

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  Trinity February 28, 2013 at 11:25 am MST

  Woah… they changed their ink recycling reward now??? OMG. Where can I read up about this?!!! I just finally started doing mine this month. Yikes!!!

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  Ashley57 February 28, 2013 at 12:13 pm MST

  It was in the fine print of the e-mail. Here is it exactly: “Recycle any ink or toner cartridge, up to 10 per calendar month per Plus customer or up to 20 per calendar month per Premier customer, and, if the member has spent at least $30 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days, the member will receive $2 back in Staples Rewards per cartridge. Ink and/or toner purchases made on the date of recycling are calculated toward minimum purchase requirement. Minimum purchase requirement net of coupons, taxes and shipping charges. We will recycle additional cartridges but rewards will only be issued for 10 per calendar month per Plus customer and 20 per calendar month per Premier customer. Ink Recycling Rewards are issued online monthly, separately from your standard Staples Rewards statement. Ink resellers and remanufacturers are strictly prohibited from earning Ink Recycling Rewards.”

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  Trinity February 28, 2013 at 12:26 pm MST

  Thank you. I don’t think I got the email or if I did I may have just sent it to trash. Ahhh. THANK YOU.

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   Tracy February 28, 2013 at 10:19 am MST

   So funny they are offering free shipping no minimum and just a month ago, Staples freaked out over the free shipping they advertised, then canceled orders unless we paid crazy shipping amounts. Interesting.

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  vikky February 28, 2013 at 10:45 am MST

  thats excatly what i thought 🙂

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   I LOVE SHOES February 28, 2013 at 11:17 am MST

   I’m thinking the changes are based on the announcement of Office Max and Office Depot merging. It appears that I will be losing 10% back on ink and paper, but I do buy other things from Staples. I love Staples. I just hope the changes don’t draw me away.

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   michelle February 28, 2013 at 11:24 am MST

   Not at all thrilled with the $30 ink purchase minimum in order to recycle. I suppose there were too many people with multiple accounts. I wonder if Office Depot will follow suit. Ink is too expensive for my budget at Staples. I like the free shipping and 5% though.

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  Trinity February 28, 2013 at 11:33 am MST

  Hi Michelle. So, if I turn in my 5 per month, I have to have purchased $30 worth of ink in the past 180 days? Does that mean that my $10 reward will roll over?? I tried googling this new ink recycle thing with Staples but haven’t found anything. 🙁 TIA.

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5. 

   Betty February 28, 2013 at 11:31 am MST

   So if I use staples bucks towards buying anything, will that count towards my $30 total that I’ll need to recycle toner?

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  jac February 28, 2013 at 12:10 pm MST

  It looks like it has to be $30 in actual out of pocket expense, and only ink counts. From the fine print in an email from Staples:

  Recycle any ink or toner cartridge, up to 10 per calendar month per Plus customer or up to 20 per calendar month per Premier customer, and, if the member has spent at least $30 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days, the member will receive $2 back in Staples Rewards per cartridge. Ink and/or toner purchases made on the date of recycling are calculated toward minimum purchase requirement. Minimum purchase requirement net of coupons, taxes and shipping charges. We will recycle additional cartridges but rewards will only be issued for 10 per calendar month per Plus customer and 20 per calendar month per Premier customer.

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6. 

   Tanya Willey February 28, 2013 at 11:36 am MST

   When did the ink recycling change? I had been turning them in almost monthly and just realized a few days ago that I hadn’t gotten rewards in a LONG time, and I guess that’s why? It would have been nice to get notification if they stopped it…

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  Kim D February 28, 2013 at 12:04 pm MST

  The ink recycling has not changed yet– it will change on 3/15 as noted above. And they’re not stopping it, they are just changing it so you have to make a $30 ink purchase every six months. I have been turning them in every month and have gotten the rewards every month. Are you sure your rewards aren’t available to print on line?

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  jcatz824 March 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm MST

  I think it would be wise if everybody that expects Staples Rewards to check their accts. on the StaplesRewardsCenter.online. I just checked my acct. for every month for the past yr. to see how many cartridges I had turned in and each month came up ZERO. Thankfully, the Staples generic ink that I am able to use, does last me for quite a while, but I am positive that I have turned in cartridges in the last yr. I will have to see if I have any register tapes hanging around to prove that I did. I also need to contact them abt. a purchase I made last wk. I bought 2 of the Staples 5 reams of paper ($24.99 ea.), handed in an email to get $4.99 off of ea. one, the cost would now be $20. ea. (total $40.), also handed in a coup. for free earbuds w/$25. purch. and I handed in a coup. for $5. off a $25. (I had rec’d that when I bought something there the wk. before). When I checked out I questioned how the amt. could onlinee out to $42.80 but the only explanation I was told was that it was because of the tax. I had expected $5. to onlinee off of the $40. and the tax (here in NJ) would be $2.45 for a total of $37.45. It was the end of the night, and the mgr. or assist. mgr. that checked me out was distracted because they were getting ready to do inventory. Ok, so I paid $42.80 and I thought I would get the $40 back in Staples Rewards so I wasn’t going to do anything abt. not getting the $5.off but I just checked my Rewards act. and it only has me getting $37.04 back for that purchase. Bottom line is as the saying goes “something is rotten in Denmark” (no offense intended it’s just a saying) So everyone check your Staples Rewards acct.

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   shannon February 28, 2013 at 12:06 pm MST

   I’m guessing they will have very few items w/ 100% Rewards back? Not so happy about this new change.

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   Stefanie February 28, 2013 at 12:16 pm MST

   This is from the email I just got from Staples……

   As of 3/15/13 Staples Rewards® members receive 5% back in rewards on all items excluding taxes, postage, prepaid phone cards, delivery charges, coupons, gift cards and purchases made on third-party Web sites. Staples Rewards back are issued online monthly when the value of the Reward is at least $10. Rewards expire no less than 60 days after issuance. Monthly balances of less than $10 will roll over each month until the minimum is met for that calendar quarter. If the $10 minimum for the quarter has not been met, the balance will expire at the end of the quarter. Rewards members receive free shipping on all orders placed on staples.online® or by phone at 1-800-333-3330 for which a membership account is identified, excluding orders made at staplescopycenter.online, print.staples.online, staplespromotionalproducts.online and third-party Web sites linked to staples.online. Standard Staples delivery policies apply. Recycle any ink or toner cartridge, up to 10 per calendar month per customer, and, if the member has spent at least $30 in ink and/or toner purchases at Staples over the previous 180 days, the member will receive $2 back in Staples Rewards per cartridge. Ink and/or toner purchases made on the date of recycling are calculated toward minimum purchase requirement. Minimum purchase requirement is net of coupons, taxes and shipping charges. We will recycle additional cartridges but rewards will only be issued for 10 per calendar month per customer. Ink Recycling Rewards are issued online monthly, separately from your standard Staples Rewards statement. Ink resellers and remanufacturers are strictly prohibited from earning Ink Recycling Rewards. Staples Rewards membership is FREE. Limit one Staples Rewards account per person or at any mailing address. For full program details, visit staplesrewards.online.

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   Sandy February 28, 2013 at 6:40 pm MST

   I buy most of my toner/ink from Staples.online or Amazon.online ***MORE Importantly- lets face it, their prices are unreasonably high for toner and ink BUT they match Amazon.online and Walmart.online pricing. So to best utilize your $$ for recycling be sure to have them PM Amazon on these items.

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  LaKendra March 1, 2013 at 12:23 am MST

  h

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  LaKendra March 1, 2013 at 12:24 am MST

  Thanks for this info, Sandy! Had no idea they priced matched amazon.online too!

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10. 

    margaret in seattle February 28, 2013 at 11:38 pm MST

    tricky question. if i turn in my ink BEFORE the 15th, will i still get $2 back for each WITHOUT any ink purchased necessary since this downgraded prgram starts on the 15th? anyone knows?

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  jcatz824 March 1, 2013 at 12:53 pm MST

  I hope they do because I turned in 6 cartridges last night (2/28). I also questioned them abt. whether or not paying for ink with Staples Rewards counted towards the $30. purch. requirement and the answer was “yes” they do but I think I’ll be taking a wait and see attitude. Since the change hasn’t taken effect yet, even the mgrs. might not understand all of the rules.

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  Katie March 18, 2013 at 10:26 am MST

  correct. I cslled their customer service to make sure that was the case.

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11. 

    Andrea March 7, 2013 at 12:57 pm MST

    I also received a certificate for $5 in my letter with the changes to Staples Rewards. Wahoo for $5!

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12. 

    Larry Smith March 18, 2013 at 9:45 am MST

    I don’t buy anything at staples just recycle the ink and spend the $$$ when I get them to print.

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13. 

    Katie March 18, 2013 at 10:35 am MST

    I checked into this whole ink recycling program change with Staples. So, if you recycled your cartridges before March 15th everything remained the same, you will get the money without needing to buy $30 worth of ink. moving forward you will need to buy $30 worth of ink prior the recycling…so before you turn in ink cartridges in April make sure you spend st least $30 on ink….. you migh have done that already, if you login to your account and go to purchase history you can see if you have any qualified purchase from the last 6 months, per client services that would also count in….
    Using your Reward money to buy ink would not count towards the $30 purchase. Seems like we need to spend hard cash on ink to get the recycling reward….. I do not like this.

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14. 

    Katie March 18, 2013 at 10:36 am MST

    let mw know if you guys find out more details about this.

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