Disclaimer:

The information on this site is for informational purposes only. I assume no liability for any inaccurate information. The logos on this page belong to their associated companies and are NOT works of my own. The logos are shown here so that current members or prospective members of the respective program can have an easier time viewing the gift cards and benefits, THAT'S ALL!!! Please warn me first before you SUE me, I will gladly delete the pages if necessary.

All the information below are extracted from the thread Gift Cards at 20% off through MemberWorks : At Home, LifeStyle Rewards, Galleria on REDFLAGDEALS.COM and MEMBERWORKS FAQ.

General

Q: Is this a scam?
The fact is, I don't know and I certainly hope not. 20% off does seem to be too good to be true, but believe it or not, many people are taking advantages of such programs.

Q:Should I join?
A: Well, while some people may think this is a very obvious question (20% off = YES), but it is NOT. In my opinion, it boils down to two questions, which you should ask yourself before you make the decision. First of all, can you gain enough from ESSENTIAL spendings to cover the membership fee. By essential spendings, I mean utility bills, gas, groceries, etcs, things that you have to buy even without joining the program. If you do, then you will at least not lose anything, but if you don't, don't join! It is just not worthy. The second question is, can you still stick with your original budget (make one if you don't have one) after joining the programs. The 20% off GCs are not here to help you with budgeting, they are here to destroy your budget, the GCs tend to increase people's spending a lot. So if you don't have enough self-control (mind power), then you shouldn't join. Sure, it is nice to have lots of fancy stuff at a lower price, but you don't need them! That is the key!

Q:Where can I get more information?
A: You can get more information from Felix's post at redflagdeals.com and MEMBERWORKS FAQ. I'd suggest anyone to read the FAQ for general introduction to the programs, and get up-to-date information from Felix's post. You can also get something from memberworks' own website (not much though).

Joining

Q: How can I join?
A: There are many ways. But in general, you can join either from banks/credit card companies or through some websites. You can check the list on Felix's post.

Q: Any online signup method avaiable?
A: Yes, people reported that they can still sign up for athome+ (or lifestyle rewards +) via vistaprint or Lavalife. Though those memberships might not have CT/HD/PC giftcards, or rebates, or FBO... So make sure having the other gift cards can make the membership worthwhile.

Q: Will I get different benefits/GCs even I sign up for the same program as others?
A: Yes, you might. Signup method is the key. As a rule of thumb, if you sign up using the first option, which are the banks/credit card companies, you tend to have a more complete package; if you sign up online using one of the websites, you might be missing some popular GCs and some rebates.

Q: Trial periods?
A: Some signup method offers you a trial period, either 7-day or 30-day. Usually, $1 is charge for such trial period. Once the trial period is up, you will be charged for the regular monthly fee.

Q: Can I use a different credit card to purchase GCs other than the one I used to signed up for the program?
A: Yes, you can, and the refunds will be credited to the card you used to make the purchase.

Q: Can I have multiple memberships for the same program?
A: No, at least you are not supposed to. But somebody did find ways to get around that and managed to get more than one membership from the same program. But when memberworks found out what they were doing, they cancel their membership, and they had to fight really hard to get the credits back.

Q: Can I have memberships for different programs?
A: Yes, you can, even for the plus programs. For example, if you are with Athome already, you can still sign up for athome+.

Q: What's up with the plus programs?
A: Well, simply put, the plus programs are the new (but similar) reward programs that are designed to protect memberworks. With the regular programs, people sign-up, order thousands worth of gift card, and then cancel the membership. With the plus programs' five gift cards per retailer per month policy, the members' buying power is reduced, hence, making it more profitable for memberworks Inc.

Using

Q: I paid $25 for a $25 worth of GC, where is the 20% off???? This is a scam!!!
A: Don't panic. You will received your $5 credit at the beginning of the following month. This credit will be applied to the credit card you used to make the purchase. Some people also reported that they received their credit in the middle of the month. Why didn't they just charge $20 at the first place? I think they are betting on the fact that some people might cancel the membership before they receive their credit, which is a source of income for them.

Q: What's the deal with the rebates?
A: You send in a receipt with the rebate forms they sent to you, and they will later send you a cheque with the promised $$$ amount. It is a good way to recover the membership fee that you pay to them, so make sure you send them in.

Q: How do I get the rebate forms?
A: You can order them from their websites, or call in and ask.

Q: What the deal with the dates on the rebate form?
A: They are big deals. The date when you make the purchase must be within the dates specified on the form. Note that you have to send in receipts within 30 days after you make the purchase.

Q: Can I "stack" multiple receipts?
A: Yes, you can. Just make sure each rececipt is qualified for the rebate.

Q: Can I send in photocopies of my receipts for rebates?
A: Yes, you can, but just to be safe, send in original receipts whenever you can. Only keep the original receipts that are needed for warranty, rebates, etc.

Q: What happens when the link to the GC disappear on their website?
A: Two things. Most likely, OOS (Out Of Stock). The other possibility is that it has been pulled from the program.

Q: What do I do if the giftcards appear to be oos?
A: Try to order it over the phone, if they don't have the english ones, ask if there's any french ones. Frankly, the stores don't care.

Q: Can these gift certificates be used to cover the sales tax applicable on the purchase price?
A: Yes, they can. They are just like your cold hard cash that sucks into GST/PST/HST/LXT/OPT.....

Q: Can HBC gift cards be used in paying off HBC credit card balances?
A: Most likely, no. But depends on who you are dealing with, they might allow it. So, you should try, but don't get your hopes up.

Q: Can I send in receipts for movie tickets with my theme park certificate?
A: Surprisingly, yes! I tried it, and it works.

Q: What is FBO?
A: FBO stands for Final Billing Offer. With FBO, you make one payment, either $17 or $30, for one year's membership. After one year, your membership will be terminated and you will have to re-join the program.

Q: Am I qualified for FBO?
A: The truth is, nobody knows. But if you paid your membership fee annually, then no. Otherwise, the only way to find out is to call in and ask. Note that even if you get rejected the first time, don't give up, keep calling in. It is toll-free, so it won't cost you anything other than some of your time. Remember, the key is keep calling in.

Q: Can I use other people's credit card for purchase of gift cards?
A: Yes. One person reported that he has used his wife's credit card to make purchases with his membership.

Canceling

Q: Can I cancel the membership at any time?
Yes, you can. It is your call. But before you do so, make sure you have received all the credits and rebate cheques that you wanted. Otherwise, canceling the membership will be like throwing your money away. Also note that, if you are paying membership fee annually, you might not get any refund back for the "unused" months.

Q: How long do I have to wait before I can re-join the programs?
It might be right away. But be sure to sign up with some different information, which might give you a better chance.

Q: My account is cancelled by error, what do I do?
Call in and complaint. They should be able to re-activate your account within a few days. Don't take no for an answer.

Q: Can they cancel my membership?
A: Yes, they can. They did that to some people who they think have multiple memberships for the same program. Even though you behave yourself accordingly, if the partnership between the companies and memberworks break down, your membership is gone too. No warning, though they will compensate for the fees and credits for the current month. Also, whoever you signup the membership through has the right to cancel your membership too. The classic one is vistaprint, a lot of people (including myself) have memberships cancelled by vistaprint.