Author Topic: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com  (Read 5957 times)

Offline Drago

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Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« on: March 08, 2012, 03:51:24 PM »
Decent way to buy miles if you need to top off, or if you have a way of turning the magazines into more cash (Charity perhaps?)
Here's the link, and no, I haven't tried yet.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1322448-magazines-com-40-ultimate-rewards-points-per-dollar.html

I'm trying to think of a way to increase the take. As I see it now, if it works as described you can earn up to 5% cb on your cc, and 60x points which have a value of between .90 and 1.2 for most ppl. (Please don't yell about how they're worth so much more for you. I'm talking about their average worth.)

They also have some books, so if there's s/t you were looking at anyhow, it's a great time to buy. (edit, T&C says not good on books)

Let me know if you can think of other ways to maximize the deal.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2012, 04:32:59 PM by Reuven »

Offline zale

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2012, 07:13:26 PM »
There isn't much you can do IMO, that's exactly why they offer 60 on the dollar. They figure that you will probably spend $10-20 max.

Same goes for the flowers.

Offline Drago

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2012, 12:00:48 AM »
There isn't much you can do IMO, that's exactly why they offer 60 on the dollar. They figure that you will probably spend $10-20 max.

Same goes for the flowers.
Yea, but at 60x, you're effectively buying miles at 1.67 cpm which is better than buying them upfront, And if you're receiving a benefit for using your cc, it's even less.  So if I use a 5% cb cc, it's 1.58 cpm, which is quite a deal IMO.

Offline lala

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2012, 02:17:37 AM »
Decent way to buy miles if you need to top off, or if you have a way of turning the magazines into more cash (Charity perhaps?)
Here's the link, and no, I haven't tried yet.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1322448-magazines-com-40-ultimate-rewards-points-per-dollar.html

I'm trying to think of a way to increase the take. As I see it now, if it works as described you can earn up to 5% cb on your cc, and 60x points which have a value of between .90 and 1.2 for most ppl. (Please don't yell about how they're worth so much more for you. I'm talking about their average worth.)

They also have some books, so if there's s/t you were looking at anyhow, it's a great time to buy. (edit, T&C says not good on books)

Let me know if you can think of other ways to maximize the deal.

People on FT and other places were reporting that lately purchases made using the GC were not earning the points

Offline Drago

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2012, 03:41:26 AM »
People on FT and other places were reporting that lately purchases made using the GC were not earning the points
YMMV as always
I tried w ten dollars and will update when it posts

Offline zale

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2012, 10:31:57 AM »
Yea, but at 60x, you're effectively buying miles at 1.67 cpm which is better than buying them upfront, And if you're receiving a benefit for using your cc, it's even less.  So if I use a 5% cb cc, it's 1.58 cpm, which is quite a deal IMO.

You are correct, if you are looking to buy UR points, then this is a great way to do so.

However, you were also asking if there is a way to get them for free in a roundabout way, to which I had answered that I don't see any practical way (IMO).

The only way I can think of is if you become a magazine wholesaler, selling to places like Doctor's offices etc...

In general, not just with UR, but with all reward malls (MR, AA etc..) when you look through the lists, it becomes obvious that they are carefully thought out. Places that they expect you to spend no more than a few dollars will always have the highest point ranges (Magazines.com, WSJ.com, Restaurant.com, Ink refills), and places that they expect you spend no more than a few hundred dollars will be in mid to low range. (Groupon etc..)

Places where you can potentially spend thousands of dollars will pretty much always be in the low range. (Target, Walmart, Apple, Home Depot etc...) and places where they can expect you to spend many thousands of dollars over the year, such as flights and gas will be in the very, very low range.

I say this "in general", because sometimes there are exceptions. (Such as Nordstrom with AA or BA)

Anyhow, if you do find a way around this, please do share.



Offline Ergel

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2012, 10:50:21 AM »
Is that why home depot is 10 points per dollar? It is very simple how it is set. The mall gets a percentage of sales (just like Dan when you use his link) and they are giving you a portion of that
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Offline zale

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2012, 01:10:12 PM »
Is that why home depot is 10 points per dollar? It is very simple how it is set. The mall gets a percentage of sales (just like Dan when you use his link) and they are giving you a portion of that

Correct, but my statement stands either way, as the stores that you will spend serious money on are not giving away their profits.

As a side note, Home Depot isn't always 10 points per dollar, it usually hovers in the 5-6 per dollar range. Even so, 10 per dollar is great, but not revolutionary for two reasons:

1. You are not buying a refrigerator every day.
2. If you are a contractor, or even doing your own home improvement, you are likely going in to a physical B&M store to get your goods. You are not ordering lumber and sheetrock online. They know this, and they know that the range you are likely to order online is in the $1,000 or less range.

My point is, the things that you will spend thousands of dollars on are usually capped to a mid to low range bonus.

Come back to me when they start giving 10-20 points for flights and gas.


Offline Ergel

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Re: Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2012, 01:16:00 PM »
Correct, but my statement stands either way, as the stores that you will spend serious money on are not giving away their profits.

As a side note, Home Depot isn't always 10 points per dollar, it usually hovers in the 5-6 per dollar range. Even so, 10 per dollar is great, but not revolutionary for two reasons:

1. You are not buying a refrigerator every day.
2. If you are a contractor, or even doing your own home improvement, you are likely going in to a physical B&M store to get your goods. You are not ordering lumber and sheetrock online. They know this, and they know that the range you are likely to order online is in the $1,000 or less range.

My point is, the things that you will spend thousands of dollars on are usually capped to a mid to low range bonus.

Come back to me when they start giving 10-20 points for flights and gas.
Points per dollar means they are givings' percentage. It doesn't make a difference if its 5 percent of ten dollars or a thousand. Its all a question of profit margin
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Offline zale

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Re: Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2012, 01:33:04 PM »
Points per dollar means they are givings' percentage. It doesn't make a difference if its 5 percent of ten dollars or a thousand. Its all a question of profit margin

You are basically saying that Magazines.com is giving away more than 60% of their profit to Chase. Chase is giving you 60 cents on the dollar, so Chase must be getting even more than that.

Offline Dan

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2012, 01:45:55 PM »
You are basically saying that Magazines.com is giving away more than 60% of their profit to Chase. Chase is giving you 60 cents on the dollar, so Chase must be getting even more than that.
The 60 UR is merely a workaround with a loophole that may be closed already, the rate is 40 UR.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Drago

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2012, 07:39:27 AM »
You are basically saying that Magazines.com is giving away more than 60% of their profit to Chase. Chase is giving you 60 cents on the dollar, so Chase must be getting even more than that.
Do we know how much retailers pay Chase per point?

Offline Ergel

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Re: Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2012, 07:43:05 AM »
Do we know how much retailers pay Chase per point?
Retailers don't pay chase anything per point. chase is giving you the points after the retailer gives chase a percentage
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Offline Drago

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2012, 12:37:33 PM »
Retailers don't pay chase anything per point. chase is giving you the points after the retailer gives chase a percentage
Similar concept, the percentage that the retailer pays chase is likely likely correlated with the points u can earn in the mall. Any idea what that correlation is?

Offline Ergel

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2012, 01:07:39 PM »
I would bet its 80-90% but that's a pure guess
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Offline Drago

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Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2012, 02:24:25 PM »
I would bet its 80-90% but that's a pure guess
You think that the retailer pays Chase btw 80-90% of revenue?!? Profit?!

Offline Ergel

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Re: Re: Receive 60x at UR Mall from magazines.com
« Reply #16 on: March 11, 2012, 03:24:11 PM »
You think that the retailer pays Chase btw 80-90% of revenue?!? Profit?!
Sorry. I meant chase probably gives you 80-90% of what they are getting from the retailer (if they give you 40 points probably means they are getting like 45-50%)
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