Rapid Travel Chai

Discover is again running Online Shopping & Department stores as its Q4 5% cashback category, up to $1,500 purchases through December 31, 2014.

There is another offer for which many were targeted, Choose a Store, with 5% cashback, up to $1,000 purchases through November 30, 2014. Eligible stores are Applebee’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe’s, Olive Garden, Shell, and Walgreen’s. You must choose only one to register. Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe’s and Walgreen’s all sell their own gift cards online, and also have various gift cards in store. Dan’s Deals maintains a list for Lowe’s.

FrequentMiler posted this on his Quick Deals and oddly there was little discussion.

I have little experience with Discover other than using Amazon Payments last year for Q4 Online Shopping. I could repeat that, but would rather see if I can double up with Choose a Store.

Readers, what do you think? Order up to $1,000 in gift cards from one of these stores online?

Does the ShopDiscover portal ever credit its own 5% for Bed Bath and Beyond or Walgreen’s (no Lowe’s in the portal) for gift card purchases even though specifically excluded? What if mixing in non gift card purchases?

Any ability to use these in-store for prepaid debit cards rather than retailer gift cards? Such as (1) Lowe’s online gift card to (2) Staples gift card in-store at Lowe’s to (3) prepaid cards at Staples? I try to avoid getting sucked into too much of this so am not a regular at Staples.

I don’t want to get stuck with money to spend at any of these stores. I also don’t want to waste a lot of time and have the benefit eaten up in fees.