American Express (USA) online shopping portal gone? (fka Bonus Points Mall)
Aug 3, 2012, 4:01 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,060
My Amex PRG is normally my go-to spending card, as it works way better for me on air mile redemptions. However, I just checked my spending for last month, and Amex lost out on about 20-30% of my spending as a result of the shopping portal being down, most of which has gone to Chase. Hopefully Amex is listening. Does anyone else have similar statistics?
Aug 3, 2012, 4:09 pm
#107
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,967
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...d-ur-mall.html
Aug 3, 2012, 4:39 pm
#108
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 698
I just called, requesting about 5k points in unearned bonuses for purchases at online retailers apple, bed bath, overstock and crate & barrel. I was given a flat "no, there is no way for us to post bonus points manually", which I know is not true.
The rep's story was not consistent: she first said the site was decommissioned, then that it's down until further notice...
The rep's story was not consistent: she first said the site was decommissioned, then that it's down until further notice...
Aug 3, 2012, 7:07 pm
#109
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: skymiles, onepass
Posts: 18
update
Just got off the phone with Membership Rewards: asked about the status of the website and was told that the website has been down for about 2 months and that they do not know when it will come back up. It WILL come back, the question is just when. Apparently, they were performing some updates, and they ran into some major errors that caused them to take the whole thing down.
I told the (nice) girl that this is a major blow to the Premier Rewards program (and even a bigger one for the Platinum holders, at 10x per purchase). I asked whether they would match the points if I just went to the brick and mortar store and called AMEX afterwards. Answer: No.
This blows, and really atypical of Amex customer service. They screwed up and they don't provide an alternative. This is my first disappointment with Amex (member since '99)
I told the (nice) girl that this is a major blow to the Premier Rewards program (and even a bigger one for the Platinum holders, at 10x per purchase). I asked whether they would match the points if I just went to the brick and mortar store and called AMEX afterwards. Answer: No.
This blows, and really atypical of Amex customer service. They screwed up and they don't provide an alternative. This is my first disappointment with Amex (member since '99)
Aug 4, 2012, 9:00 am
#110
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,215
For folks who used secure message to inquire status about Bonus points, did it work recently? I tried three different browsers but it did not seem to pop up any windows for me to type a secure message. Any help would be appreciated.
Aug 12, 2012, 10:44 am
#112
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1
I visited the American Express earn site at www.membershiprewards.com/earn yesterday for the second time in as many weeks and was concerned about the fact that it was still down. I was trying to buy some bigger-ticket items from Home Depot and wanted the 12x points (if that is even still available). I had no idea it has been down for two months! In any case, I called Membership Rewards customer service about the site outage and the rep I spoke too was totally devoid of information. She said that she was sorry it had been down so long, but they are trying to improve the functionality of the site. She had no ETA on when it might be back and didn't take my bait of whether it would be days, weeks, or months. She had no idea, or if she did she wasn't giving any information out.
I started searching the Internet about this problem and found this forum. After reading some of the posts, I was concerned they might be removing the possibility of earning bonus points via an online portal completely based on some of the responses I've seen here. I ended up reading this whole thread and then sending a secure message to American Express. Here was the response I received:
So it does sound like they will be bringing the site back at some point. Who knows when.
I started searching the Internet about this problem and found this forum. After reading some of the posts, I was concerned they might be removing the possibility of earning bonus points via an online portal completely based on some of the responses I've seen here. I ended up reading this whole thread and then sending a secure message to American Express. Here was the response I received:
Thank you for writing in.
I assure you that we are not discontinuing earn site. We recently identified unforeseen system issues within the earn page at www.membershiprewards.com.
Once we can deliver the best possible customer experience, we will restore the program on the site and the offers will resume to normal.
We are working to restore the earn feature as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Redacted]
Email Servicing Team
American Express Interactive Services
I assure you that we are not discontinuing earn site. We recently identified unforeseen system issues within the earn page at www.membershiprewards.com.
Once we can deliver the best possible customer experience, we will restore the program on the site and the offers will resume to normal.
We are working to restore the earn feature as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Redacted]
Email Servicing Team
American Express Interactive Services
Last edited by mia; Aug 12, 2012 at 12:19 pm Reason: Remove American Express employee name
Aug 15, 2012, 9:52 pm
#113
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
I spoke to a supervisor yesterday, and was told that from what she's been told, the Amex rewards mall has been discontinued. Period. She said unless something drastically changes, Amex is not planning to bring it back.
Hmmm. That sucks.
Hmmm. That sucks.
Aug 16, 2012, 12:11 am
#116
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,691
i've been told the same, Mr Rebates is better especially if you do it through a referral, and get the 20%, Amex was equivalent to 15% in my view if using for F class redemption, not the end of the world, beyond a strategy problem, they had IT problems they obviously couldn't manage
Aug 17, 2012, 3:49 pm
#117
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Frozen in Carbonite
Programs: UA Aluminum 0.6MM, Bonvoy Life Sentence, Hyatt Eliteist, AA Super Plutonium
Posts: 2,878
I called amex about this yesterday right before i put a 5k order through on apple.com they said. its down for maint and they are not sure when it will be up, nor will they go back and give credit to people like me that were not able to get credit for a purchase when we should of.
Aug 21, 2012, 7:13 pm
#118
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 1
They said they got rid of the bonus points mall, but they are working on a "new" website which is basically like the mall + in-store purchases. However, transferring everything over from the bonus point mall to the new system is causing errors. Kind of like copying files from Windows to Macintosh and trying to make them work correctly.
On another note, I just got my 2X points from customer service. He said that I didn't purchase it through the mall (which I'm pretty sure I did - maybe error due to multiple windows open?), but he gave me the points anyway.
On another note, I just got my 2X points from customer service. He said that I didn't purchase it through the mall (which I'm pretty sure I did - maybe error due to multiple windows open?), but he gave me the points anyway.
Aug 23, 2012, 6:26 am
#119
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Okinawa
Posts: 2,611
Aug 23, 2012, 10:35 am
#120
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,691
i was on the phone to MR yesterday about missing Bonus Points Mall points, the CSR didn't take general calls, she was senior, i called her back with an extension number, she told me the talk of a replacement for BPM was all rumor and nothing definite at this stage