Office Depot and OfficeMax are back with a familiar money-saving gift card promotion that is catching the attention of deal hunters and points enthusiasts.

Shoppers who buy $300 or more in Visa gift cards in store can receive an instant $15 discount at the register, creating an opportunity to reduce out-of-pocket costs and, for some, to generate valuable rewards on their preferred credit cards.

The current offer is advertised as running from January 25 through January 31, 2026, at participating Office Depot and OfficeMax locations across the United States.

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Details of the Latest Office Depot and OfficeMax Visa Gift Card Deal

The core structure of the promotion is straightforward: purchase $300 or more in Visa gift cards in a single transaction at Office Depot or OfficeMax and an instant $15 discount is applied at checkout. The offer is valid on in-store purchases only, with no promo code required and no need to submit mail-in rebates. The discount comes off automatically once the $300 threshold is reached, making the deal easy for shoppers to access during a regular store visit.

According to promotional material and coverage from deal and rewards blogs, the current iteration of the offer is scheduled to run from January 25 through January 31, 2026. A limit of 10 discounted cards per household or business is advertised, although actual enforcement can vary from store to store. Some locations may adhere strictly to published limits, while others may allow additional volume at the manager’s discretion, particularly for regular business customers.

The Visa gift cards carried by Office Depot and OfficeMax are typically variable-load or fixed-denomination cards issued by major networks such as Visa and distributed by third-party gift card providers. Standard activation fees apply on each card, often around $6 to $8 per card depending on the denomination. Those fees are the key cost that the $15 instant discount helps offset, turning what would normally be an expensive way to shift spending onto a gift card into a potentially profitable or at least break-even strategy for savvy shoppers.

How Shoppers Are Maximizing the $15 Savings

Frequent users of this promotion generally agree that the most efficient way to capitalize on the offer is to purchase Visa gift cards in increments that align neatly with the $300 threshold. Because the discount applies for each $300 in qualifying purchases within a single transaction, larger buys can trigger multiple $15 rebates at once. Shoppers often structure their cart around three $200 cards for a $600 total, which yields a $30 instant discount at the register.

That strategy is popular because a $600 transaction with three $200 cards allows consumers to secure two full $15 discounts on a single purchase while minimizing the number of activation fees they pay. When activation fees are roughly $6 to $8 per card, a $30 discount across three cards can more than cover the fees, leaving a small net gain even before credit card rewards are factored in. Enthusiasts sometimes scale up to the promotion’s effective limit by buying nine or ten $200 cards in separate or combined transactions, seeking to maximize total savings.

Reports from previous rounds of this promotion suggest that the registers typically recognize multiples of $300 and apply the rebate repeatedly in the same transaction. For instance, a $900 purchase in eligible Visa gift cards could generate a $45 instant discount. While that pattern is not explicitly spelled out in the brief in-store advertising, it has become a well-documented aspect of the deal among points-and-miles communities and online forums that track Office Depot and OfficeMax gift card offers.

Why This Promo Matters to Points and Miles Collectors

The real draw of the Office Depot and OfficeMax Visa gift card promotion for many customers is not simply the $15 in savings, but the ability to stack the discount with lucrative credit card rewards. Several popular business and consumer credit cards offer category bonuses on office supply store purchases, often awarding as much as 5 points or 5 percent cash back per dollar spent. When a shopper can buy Visa gift cards at close to face value, those category bonuses can translate into a substantial haul of points, miles or cash back.

For example, a business card that earns 5 points per dollar at office supply stores turns a $600 purchase into 3,000 points. If the $30 instant discount from the promotion effectively negates the activation fees, those 3,000 points are generated at little or no net cost. For rewards enthusiasts who value those points for premium cabin airfare or upscale hotel stays, the promotion becomes a tool for manufacturing travel rewards using everyday spending or controlled gift card cycling.

Some shoppers add additional layers to the strategy by checking for targeted offers through card-linked services and shopping apps that occasionally rebate a percentage of Office Depot or OfficeMax purchases. While terms on these programs can exclude gift cards or limit eligibility, instances where they combine with the in-store Visa deal can further improve the economics of the promotion. This has made Office Depot and OfficeMax gift card weeks a recurring fixture on the calendars of serious points and miles collectors.

Activation Fees, Fine Print and Potential Pitfalls

Despite the appeal of a $15 instant discount, the Office Depot and OfficeMax promotion is not without caveats. The most visible friction point is the activation fee charged on each Visa gift card. In recent promotional periods, these fees have typically hovered just under $8 per card for $200 denominations. That means a shopper who buys three $200 cards is likely to pay nearly $24 in fees, partially offset by the $30 discount. Shoppers who structure their purchases suboptimally or choose smaller denominations may find that the promotion does not fully cover the fees.

The offers are also limited to in-store purchases and are generally restricted to personal or business use at participating locations within the United States. Store-level rules can differ, particularly when it comes to payment methods, ID checks and volume limits. Some outlets may require a driver’s license for larger transactions or limit total gift card purchases per customer per day, especially if stock is low or if there are concerns about fraud or reselling.

Another factor to keep in mind is that the Visa gift cards themselves come with their own terms of use. Many are only valid in the United States and carry dormancy fees after a period of inactivity. While the card funds typically do not expire, monthly maintenance fees can erode unused balances over time. Consumers who buy large volumes of cards as part of the promotion are encouraged to keep records of card numbers, expiration dates and remaining balances to reduce the risk of losing track of funds or incurring avoidable fees.

How These Gift Card Weeks Fit Into Office Depot’s Wider Strategy

Deals on Visa and Mastercard gift cards have become a recurring feature in the promotional calendar at Office Depot and OfficeMax. Over the past several years, similar offers have surfaced multiple times a year, often running for a week at a time and cycling between Visa and Mastercard products. Observers of the office supply sector see these promotions as a way for the retailer to drive incremental foot traffic, move high-fee gift card inventory and generate ancillary sales on other merchandise as shoppers browse the aisles.

From a strategic perspective, gift card deals also align with Office Depot’s push to position its stores as multipurpose business hubs rather than solely traditional stationery outlets. In addition to paper, ink and office chairs, many locations now emphasize services such as printing, shipping and tech support alongside a broad range of gift cards. Promotions like the current $15 off $300 Visa offer nudge customers to visit regularly, where they may also purchase supplies, use print and copy services or explore small-business offerings while taking advantage of the discount.

The cadence of these gift card promotions has been frequent enough that deal-tracking sites maintain rolling lists of recent and upcoming Office Depot and OfficeMax gift card weeks. Shoppers who missed this month’s Visa promotion often expect another round, perhaps on Mastercard-branded cards, in the months ahead. That pattern reinforces a cycle of deal-driven visits that keeps the retailer top of mind among value-oriented customers.

Practical Tips for Travelers and Everyday Shoppers

For travelers, the Office Depot and OfficeMax Visa gift card promotion can be more than just a modest discount at the office supply store. Visa gift cards purchased at a discount can be used toward trip-related expenses ranging from airline incidentals and hotel bills to rideshare services and dining. Traveler-focused credit cards that earn bonus points at office supply stores turn the deal into a way to accumulate miles that can later be redeemed for flights and hotel nights, effectively tying a local office errand to future travel plans.

Experts advise treating the gift cards like cash to avoid overspending. Because the cards can be used virtually anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted in the United States, it is relatively easy to fold them into normal household budgets, paying for groceries, fuel or subscriptions that would have been charged to a regular credit or debit card. That approach reduces the risk of buying more gift cards than one can reasonably redeem and helps ensure that promotional savings are actually realized rather than lost through inactivity fees or forgotten balances.

Shoppers who are new to this type of promotion are often encouraged to start small, perhaps with one or two $200 cards, to become comfortable with the purchase process and redemption mechanics. Once they understand how the instant discount applies, how activation fees are displayed and how the cards function at checkout terminals, they can decide whether to scale up during the same promotional window or wait for the next iteration. Watching for register prompts and verifying that the $15 or multiple $15 discounts appear on the receipt is also a basic but important safeguard.

What This Week’s Deal Signals for 2026 Promotions

The return of the $15 off $300 Visa gift card promotion in late January keeps Office Depot and OfficeMax on a pattern that rewards attentive, deal-focused customers. The offer arrives just as many small businesses and families are settling into the new year’s routines, potentially needing supplies, printing services and technology upgrades. Tying a headline-grabbing gift card discount to that period may help the chain capture some of that spending in store rather than losing it to online competitors or big-box retailers.

Industry watchers expect more such promotions to continue throughout 2026, especially if shopper response remains strong and credit card rewards communities continue to amplify the deals through social media and specialized blogs. For Office Depot and OfficeMax, these events are a relatively simple lever: by partnering with gift card issuers and adjusting instant rebate levels, the retailer can influence store traffic and transaction volume over short, clearly defined windows.

For consumers, the key question is not whether similar promotions will return, but how to participate sensibly. Taking advantage of the $15 off $300 Visa gift card offer this week may make sense for those who have a clear plan to use the cards quickly and who can pair the promotion with a strong office supply rewards credit card. For others, the temptation to stockpile cards or chase rewards without a redemption strategy can easily outweigh the headline savings. As Office Depot and OfficeMax continue to lean on gift card promotions, the shoppers who benefit most will likely be those who approach them with both enthusiasm and caution.