moops380

Thanks for the response.

I have a stamps.com account (I use shipstation, but it is linked to stamps.com/eXpress1 and ups accounts), which automatically charges my card when it needs to be replenished, $400 at a time for stamps.com. I do not think I would switch just to save 1x either, as purchasing via stamps.com provides a savings (money and time) over directly purchasing from usps.

The T&C clearly state "courier, postage,..." qualify for the 2x points. Its just so strange that it changed when nothing in any of my shipping accounts is different. One day the 2x posted, the next day nothing. Certainly they can switch the category from 'misc' to something else, right?

buylowsellhigh

You can consider shifting over to endicia.com, it is still charging as USPS Postage the last time I checked..

mia

The terms also state:

If I understand correctly you are buying the postage through a third party reseller?

In any event I think it is worth discussing with American Express customer service because stamps.com is a sufficiently prominent online merchant that they may be aware of the problem. Just make it clear that you are more interested in a permanent solution than in a one-time credit.

moops380

I purchase postage from stamps dot com. Which is exactly what it shows on the Amex billing statement. In July all the purchases qualified for 2x, but now they do not. The exact same purchases from the exact same website with the exact same card.

I purchase postage also from express1 in the same manner (they offer better discounts on certain priority mail products). That still gives 2x.

Ill report back hopefully with good info.

moops380

The CSR was a bit surprised by it, but said the more recent purchases were posting from "photo stamps" which is photo.stamps.com, still stamps.com. They'll get back to me in 3-5 days as they need to look over the case. She did say it should not matter as long as the purchase is "of stamps."

A few more notes, it was sometime between august 14 and 18th that this change occurred. When I hit the dropdown on the left it provided further details. Looks like the category was/is just not set, so hopefully that'll be the fix. Otherwise I won't be putting 40k+ a year on my gold card for "photostamps." Again, both purchases below are directly from stamps.com.

AUG142014 USPS POSTAGE STAMPS.WASHINGTON DC $400.00

Doing business as:
USPS-STAMPS.COM
475 LENFANT PLZ SW
WASHINGTON
DC
20260-0004
UNITED STATES
Additional Information: 855-608-2677
Reference: 320142270204044018
Category: Business Services - Mailing & Shipping

AUG182014 STAMPS.COM USPOSTAGE877-782-6785 CA $400.00

Doing business as:
PHOTOSTAMPS
1990 E GRAND AVE
EL SEGUNDO
CA
90245-5013
UNITED STATES
Additional Information: 877-782-6785
Reference: 320142310264977215
Category: Other - Miscellaneous

mia

It looks as if the category is set as: Other - Miscellaneous

Electroman

There's a targeted 75k offer out there - I was approved for it on Monday. Yes, it does require $10k spending in 90 days; this offer gets you 50k for $5k spend and another 25k, for a total of 75k, if you spend $10k in 90 days. That won't be a problem for me, so I bit.

moops380

Sort of seems like a default/preset setting. Other-Miscellaneous. This is still stamps.com. photo.stamps.com and stamps.com are the same company. I have never heard of photo.stamps.com until this issue, and I don't buy from photo.stamps.com, I buy from stamps.com directly... so they must have switched their credit card processor and they neglected to pick a category, right? There are so many categories that related to 'stamps', 'shipping', and 'business services', they must have neglected to pick one. Whether that was on purpose or just negligence is yet to be known.

moops380

Thanks for the data point. Seems like a winner.

mia

I see that Stamps.com only recently acquired ShipWorks. I think what you are seeing is a normal shifting of the transactions from ShipWorks' merchant account to Stamps.com's own merchant account. PhotoStamps is simply another Stamps.com brand. (go to stamps.com, scroll down, and look for PhotoStamps in the Products column.)

In your place I would:

1. Make a purchase using a MasterCard or VISA to see what merchant name is used, and how the transaction is classified.

2. Contact ShipWorks to ask why the transactions are being run through photo.stamps.com, and explain that the merchant account classification is creating a problem in our bookkeeping system and also denying us a category bonus from our credit card company. I wouldn't expect an instant solution, but nothing will happen if they are not aware of it.

Iridium7777

just clicked on the wiki link and while the original offer is said to be expired it brought me to a 75K with 10k spend offer and 175$ fee waived first year.

is that considered good, i guess people like lower spend limits for it to be considered a "good" offer.

moops380

If you can meet the spend requirement I think its the best offer out there. The best offer of the year was a 10k/3 month offer, and some people made out real nice with that.

If the page is said to be expired, you should take screenshots of your process in case any problems arise.

moops380

I received a call from amex just now, they are investigating the situation and understand that nothing has changed from the end-user's standpoint. They also believe that the processor simply did not classify the merchant, letting it be other-miscellaneous by default.

I was told they will contact me by 11/25.

hitman1420

If I get rejected for this card, it doesn't count as a HP, right?

moops380

Should count either way. So not a good thing if you get rejected. Please do some research on what credit scores/activity are accepted for certain cards. good luck but ymmv.