Sorry to hear about your problem, but with a caveat. Similar problem here. I know you'd rather read a solution, but begging your patience, allow me to convey the details of my similar experience. Here's what you said...
<<Kade said he would submit an inquiry to their technicians and I would hear something within three business days. Is anyone surprised that 1) I still can't purchase a discounted gift card, and 2) I have heard NOTHING from AARP? >>
and my answer is not surprised because of a similar experience. Details are that about 6 weeks ago, out of nowhere, the system said my fitness tracker had gone offline. Some triple figure number of times, over about a 10 day period, I reinstalled it, attempts including every available fitness tracer I have the AARP utilizes (3 or 4 of them), and the result was always failure.
Now for the common denominator between us.
I called in twice. Both times, I got the usual thanks for being an AARP member since 1845 as if I am a HAPPY AARP member, but I digress. Both times, I was supposed to hear back from some sort of techie to address or solve the problem. 3-5 business days, I was told. And I specifically asked for a phone call, not an e mail. 2 weeks later, I get an e mail asking me for a freaking screen shot so they could address the problem.
And making matters worse, as others also experienced, at the start of the month, my wife did not get credit for some of the extra credit prereqs in timely fashion costing her chances to bid on a couple items that disappeared by the time that the problem solved itself later that day. A call was placed tocall the problem to their attention, and the usual we'll have a tech rep call you and here we are, 8 calendar days later, and the repeated 3-5 business days has nearly evaporated with no call.
So to answer your question, no I am not surprised.
But that was an outstanding post you contributed with nary a detail missed.
I thank you for that, and thank you for reading all this.