Over the summer, 8-13% discount gift cards were pretty common.  Sometimes hardly worth buying in advance - wait until you're in the store and figure out how much you'll spend, then buy on the app.

The last few months, % discount has been pretty low, 1-3%, and sometimes none available. 

I see they're creeping back up now, 4-6% range, saw a few 10% yesterday.

Anybody been tracking the Raise cards long enough to identify seasonality / cyclical trends?  I don't need data, just looking for insights. 

Mostly curious if we'll get back to plentiful 10+% discount.  They sure do stack nice with a 20% coupon and 10% CC.

 

15 minutes ago, rpaulson7 said:

Over the summer, 8-13% discount gift cards were pretty common.  Sometimes hardly worth buying in advance - wait until you're in the store and figure out how much you'll spend, then buy on the app.

The last few months, % discount has been pretty low, 1-3%, and sometimes none available. 

I see they're creeping back up now, 4-6% range, saw a few 10% yesterday.

Anybody been tracking the Raise cards long enough to identify seasonality / cyclical trends?  I don't need data, just looking for insights. 

Mostly curious if we'll get back to plentiful 10+% discount.  They sure do stack nice with a 20% coupon and 10% CC.

 

early fall there was a major jump in cards with balance issues or that tripped security at TRU.  I believe raise purged a lot of cards after that.  Target seemed to have the same issues around that time.  I suspect there were major retailer audits done before the holiday season, and in reaction to reseller concerns. 

I would also assume the holiday sales have kept the supply low as well.  people are less likely to sell cards, and the ones that do sell are snapped up faster. over the past week or two both TRU and Target cards have been regaining their disounts.  I would suspect they will return to their previous levels, soon.  And that the supply post holidays may push them higher for a bit.

So yes there are certainly seasonal trends.  But the early fall activity really did a number of the supply, before the season even got started.

 

as an extra note you may have also noticed that the ebay discounts have dropped as christmas neared.  20% for BRU was common in summer, but the past few TRU discounts were 15% and then 10%.

Edited December 22, 201510 yr by jay4e

25 minutes ago, rpaulson7 said:

Over the summer, 8-13% discount gift cards were pretty common.  Sometimes hardly worth buying in advance - wait until you're in the store and figure out how much you'll spend, then buy on the app.

The last few months, % discount has been pretty low, 1-3%, and sometimes none available. 

I see they're creeping back up now, 4-6% range, saw a few 10% yesterday.

Anybody been tracking the Raise cards long enough to identify seasonality / cyclical trends?  I don't need data, just looking for insights. 

Mostly curious if we'll get back to plentiful 10+% discount.  They sure do stack nice with a 20% coupon and 10% CC.

 

Yes, there is seasonality but I think the two main reasons are: 1) that in September a loophole was exploited that allowed for unlimited rewards to be earned with GC purchases of GCs that lead to some resellers getting greedy and then banned as BA states above.  With these players no longer in the game the supply has started to increase thus the more generous discounts.  2) The enforcement of the $2,000 limit on GCs and structuring of transactions for money laundering linked to terrorism.  We saw this more readily abused with Target GCs. 

I just took my tinfoil hat off

Picked up two today at 15% off. Good to see the card discounts coming back.