Today’s reader question comes from Josh, who asks:
I have been regularly loading my prepaid red card with Visa Debit cards, both from Ag Fed and Giftcards.com. Today I went in and attempted to load $500 on my card. I went to a cashier and was told I had to go to CS. I tried another cashier and got the same response.
I went to CS and they called a couple of other workers over to figure out how to do it. (Apparently the system changed). They took my card and said I couldn’t load it with a gift card. I explained that wasn’t the case, but they said it was and I didn’t push the issue.
Is this new? Just this one location? Fort worth. Is the party over?
All manufactured spending is local
There’s a saying that many people say regarding manufactured spending: “All manufactured spending is local“. Â What that means is that what might work in one area may not work everywhere else.
For instance, here in southwest Ohio, we have a working Kate, grocery stores that will let you buy gift cards with a credit card, and also let you split up money orders with multiple debit cards. Â On the other hand, there are no Simon Malls anywhere close
(SEE ALSO: Planning a #Cincinnati / Southwest Ohio miles and points meetup)
So the short answer is that I don’t think that this is the end of Redbird debit card loads
A new Target system
One thing that IS true is that Target has gotten a new POS system. Â I personally don’t do a TON of manufactured spending, but I did load a Redbird a few days ago, and just like Josh, the workers at Target could not figure out how to do it.
Eventually, after a few tries and a few employees (and one crashed POS system), they found someone who knew how to do it. Â I didn’t quite catch exactly how it works, but it involves hitting the “K8” button several times. Â I’d imagine if you Google around for this, you’d find more info. Â (I get yelled at whenever I post too many “circles and arrows” type instructions)
Hang up, call again
Just like with credit card reconsideration calls, or trying to book a complicated award ticket, sometimes you’re just going to get someone who either doesn’t know how to do what you want them to do, or seemingly isn’t willing.
So just like the advice in those cases is to “Hang up, call again”, that would be my advice to Josh in this regard. Â He said that he lives in Fort Worth, so I’m sure there are several Target stores in the area. Â Try other Targets, or even try this same Target at a different time. Â Doing a little research beforehand to be able to help the cashiers find the right buttons can also be useful. Â The more Target employees that get involved, the more chances someone is going to come up with their own “rules” (like no gift cards)
Good luck! Â Has anyone else had any issues with loading Redbird in the new Target system? Â Leave us a note in the comments!
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
“All manufactured spending is local“ just means YMMV. The new system training for the folks at Target has been spotty IMHO. Even if the folks have that laminated sheet with the new procedures, many clerks can’t seem to follow it without assistance from someone who has actually done a transaction.
I could not agree more! Great way to put it
In my experience (and from following posts online) the new registers are fine, other than being a bit slower as a process. Its the Target cashiers that don’t know how to load with the new POS that causes the issues; they’re not trained on this (Redbird is a small piece of the Target pie, they don’t train people much on it) and they often try to make educated guesses.
I’ve put together a detailed K8 loading guide that should help with this: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NoonRadar/posts/82eSPgNCGi5
I hear Dan saying people would yell at him for circles and arrows, but I think it is helpful to know how to do it and help the Target cashiers in the process if they don’t know, as opposed to just walk in there and have them call up supervisors and managers telling them this guy/gal is trying to load with a bunch of plastic cards but I don’t know how to do it.
Loaded $2k yesterday. While I did notice the POS system changed, had no issues loading, other than CS person had to call someone else for help. My store (San Antonio) only lets you load at CS desk but everyone is very helpful and many of them know me so no issues for me.
That was my experience as well here in Cincinnati. I had to do it at the CS desk, and the first 2 people I talked to didn’t know how to do it with the new system, but once they found someone who did, they were very pleasant. After I loaded a $500 card, the cashier even preemptively asked me “Did you want to load another $500?”
Dan, I’m in Cincy as well, and at the Oakley target I had a kid working the CS desk ask me “how many additions sir?” and proceed to tell me he’s loaded 8×500 for people and it’s easier just to ask in advance. Walked out smirking after that one…
Nice. I have had a nice lady at that store and also a grouchy guy. Haven’t seen any “kids” yet – I’ll have to be on the lookout 🙂
Cincinnati Premium Outlets in Monroe (exit 29 off I-75) is a Simon mall. Should be convenient for someone living in West Chester/Mason or northern Cincinnati. I have not tried buying GCs there yet but it should work. The customer service office is located in the food court.
Hmm I’ll have to see if I can fit that into the schedule (I live 30-40 mins from there). That would be a great topic for the upcoming Cincinnati miles and points meetup!
Here in Kitsap County Washington, near Seattle, we don’t have Redbird. I got a bluebird account but our Walmarts don’t have a Kate machine. I have had no luck finding any bank debit cards around here which is how I understand I could then load through CS at Walmart. I am at a loss for what to do next.
You can load Bluebird at a Walmart (in person) Moneycenter or at a cashier, although loading with gift cards is YMMV. Or you can buy a Redcard on eBay, the Reddit forums, or on other sites.
I’m located just south of you and have an extra – activated, preloaded and new-in-package temporary Target Prepaid Redcard; if you’re interested shoot me an email at nomad1711 at geemail dot com
Sunny , try Fred Meyer for Visa gift cards . The cashiers at Wally should be able to load Blue at the register . Try a smaller denomination trial run then go for the $20-$500 variable at $500 when you’re confident . You’ll soon find out which Wally cashiers you like best and others will learn the system . Be very patient and courteous .
The new system is really not easy for CSRs to use. I went yesterday and got a CSR who had loaded for me using the new system the previous week. She had forgotten how to do it and got lost three times before figuring it out again.
I would say that I can only load about half the time I go to Target these days. Too many CSRs are clueless, and they aren’t going to play with the system too long if there are other people in line behind me. They will just say that the system is down.
I’m the original poster. Went back to the same Target yesterday and went to CS. After three people tried, they called over the manager. She finally figured it out and I was able to do a load of $500. I didn’t want to push anything, so I left it at that, but was glad to see that it CAN be done.
Josh
I think with the new Target system they have to push a key with a letter and an 8 on it, maybe F8 W8 something like that. My local Target cs has 2 registers only one of them has the 8 button that will allow the debit load
I went to my local Target in NJ today and loaded $1000 (split $500×2) without a issue. They are using new POS.
Does this process help with meeting minimum spending limits on credit cards? I did not want to use Plastiq.com or have the charges converted to cash advance.
It can – I know that some people use Redbird as part of a manufactured spending strategy to help meet minimum spends
I live in N KY and my Target options are limited. So when we took some road trips over the past month, I spread out my Redbird loads throughout KY. Many of the stores had just converted to the new system and it was probably 50/50 with people that knew how to do it and people who didn’t. I was at Targets in Bowling Green and a couple in Louisville. Nobody said I “couldn’t” do it. They just didn’t know how. Eventually I unloaded all my Visa gift cards.