American Express Membership Rewards - ExpressPay Acceptance

I bet a lot of Amex cardholders still don't know about ExpressPay keychain fobs, but they can be convenient if you can count on them. They are even built-in to some credit cards like Blue and Clear (I think).

I just moved from the NYC area to Texas and I'm really disappointed in the acceptance and even functionality of this service down here.

Generally countrywide, some chains have moved to accept it like 7-11, CVS, and McDonald's. I was pleased to see more and more locations in the northern NJ area like ShopRite grocery stores, gas stations, etc, get on the bandwagon. It's convenient and the media never leaves my hand. (although the line on a statement is obtuse)

On the other hand even in this technophile city of Austin, the situation is very bad. The only working reader I've ever found was at a McDonald's (and the cashier was literally agog with amazement over the whole thing). In four months I have only seen two other readers: one at a movie theater and a burger joint, but they were nonfunctional and the staff was very surprised that they even existed and did not know how to perceive them (something I also saw in NJ, but when the transaction went through back north, the clerks got happy). When they said the read didn't work, I didn't know if it was due to their total ignorance of the system or just another computer muck-up. Despite my fears, I was not charged twice. After I proffered my traditional Amex card that is linked to the same fob, the sale went through as a regular credit card transaction, so I guess it's a technological problem.

Any other thoughts on how ExpressPay is working out across the nation? It's a handy way to gain points on whatever card you have ... if it works. Having seen the situation in two regions, I wonder if AmEx is just concentrating their efforts or are giving up entirely.

This subject comes up every once in a while on the forum, but it is not available on all AMEX product lines. I have still seen no mention of a Platinum keyfob or chip card (or for that matter Gold or Cent).

This subject comes up every once in a while on the forum, but it is not available on all AMEX product lines. I have still seen no mention of a Platinum keyfob or chip card (or for that matter Gold or Cent).

I have the keyfob for my plat card all you have to do is call cs and they will send you one and link it to the plat card. I use it everyday to buy my morning cup of coffee.

I have the keyfob for my plat card all you have to do is call cs and they will send you one and link it to the plat card. I use it everyday to buy my morning cup of coffee.

Wow, I'll give it a shot.

Wow, I'll give it a shot.

Just called AMEX Platinum and they said not Express Pay for Platinum.

Clerk in a 7-11 (in which stores I use it the most, hands down) yesterday had never seen ExpressPay used before and swore I had to sign a slip before I told him for the third time there wasn't anything to sign, and left.

Just called AMEX Platinum and they said not Express Pay for Platinum.

Ok. I called Expresspay, 18776216155. Wow,this is far more complicated than I had imagined. Cutting to the chase, YOU CAN GET A KEYFOB with the AMEX Platinum.

Here is the deal. There is not Expresspay version of the AMEX Platinum, only the Starwood AMEX and the AMEX Blue. However, if you call Expresspay, they will process a separate Expresspay Application for you and have that simply attached to your AMEX Platinum account. In other words, your Expresspay account is processed through Expresspay and not AMEX. You can actually contact Expresspay at any time and have the card that it is attached to changed to any of a number of cards.

You have two options this way wit your card. A $150 a day limit version that is charged directly to your card or a pre load card. Typically they default to the $150 a day version. Charges appear on the card you have attached it to.

If you attach to AMEX Platinum, you will not get an Expresspay "credit card", but only a Keyfob.

Also, right now if it is attached to your platinum, you will not receive AMEX advertised Expresspay MR bonuses. You will still get your MR points, however, I guess occasionally there are MR bonuses for certain items purchased through Expresspay, but as your card is not really a true AMEX Expresspay, you will not receive those bonuses yet.

My CSR mentioned that there is a goal to offer AMEX Platinum a secure chip embedded Platinum card which will have Expresspay built into it as well as a the FOB. However, that roll out has been delayed while AMEX decides whether or not to make that chip also an RFID chip compatible with FLICA.

Interesting to say the least.

I have a plat card and a Keyfob for it. Just call the express pay people and ask for one. They put a daily limit on it- i think its about 150.00. I live in Texas also and have never seen the readers anywhere. I noticed at Taget the other day they had just installed Smart Card readers but no RF readers.

I ordered one for my Cent card - it is kind of fun, just swipe and go, but I noticed that the express pay locations are usually the places that don't require you to sign a receipt anyway, eg: 7-11, so it isn't that big of a time saver, just kind of a novelty, which I enjoy anyway.

I ordered my expresspay keyphob on the 19th of June. It arrived today. I am looking forward to taking it for a test drive. My only real question now is about my MR points. At what level will the points come? Will I get the bonuses that the Amex Partnered cards get? I doubt it. My understanding is that with my Platinum card, the Expresspay is linked, but not actually integrated with the account.

I had similar issues with mine. I have had mine for about 2 years now and I always use it at Sheetz gas stations (I'm in VA) for gas at the pump. One day I tried to buy a soda inside the store with it (they had the readers jammed in the corner of the counter under a bunch of crap) and it wouldn't work, they kept saying that you needed a "real credit card." Anyway, I wound up using the card it was linked to just fine, they didn't even realize the pumps had the capability. I sent an email to sheetz to complain and they said they would "retrain" the staff on them, but I never tried again.

I now have noticed they are in a better view, but never have seen anyone use it. I am always impressed with McDonalds though, it goes through instantly. None of the workers ever realize that I use it I think because they can't really see the card reader over their console and the same "box" does the key fob or a regular credit/debit card so they just assume I'm using a credit card I think.

Really I just use mine for gas at the pump (it's nice to have anyone who takes a car in our house be able to get gas on the Amex for it..well at Sheetz anyway)

People are begining to understand how they work I think because of the VISA fob advertising.

I find clueless clerks even in NYC! Although I have not experienced contactless payment acceptance outside of NYC very much I would imagine that only the big chains would accept it, and the mom and pop shops would not. (There are plenty of mom and pop shops in NYC that do accept contactless payment.)

I much prefer the PayPass product from MasterCard. I often use my PayPass at delis or smaller shops that are non-chain and I am not always sure that they take AMEX. Most movie theatre chains, McDonalds, 7-11, CVS, Walgreens are safe bets nationwide that will take Visa payWave/blink, MasterCard PayPass , AXP ExpressPay contactless payments.

I too have issue on "enforcing" the under $25 no signature rule. Most often it is at the smaller midtown NYC delis and such, where the receipt prints a signature line, but the employees frankly just don’t know the rule where under $25 not required (sans some exceptions). When I argue it makes my purchase time so much longer than what is expected for contactless payment.

[When I leave the shops I make a quick cell call to my card issuer customer service, they note the merchant name and address in the system, its gets forwarded to MasterCard (or AMEX in cases here) and I presume the merchant is contacted and retrained on the rules. ]

Bear in mind if the reader at the check-out counter does not work, you have every right to, (1) ask to try other check-out stations/registers, (2) politely ask for the manager and have them add the repair to their to-do list. I often find the "can we try other registers" line works well. The merchant's bank (acquirer) would not take too kindly to knowing that contactless readers are malfunctioning on-site.

This is interesting on the AMEX Platinum getting ExpressPay. Officially only the AMEX Blue and AMEX Starwood product in the USA will now be issued with ExpressPay embedded in the card. I guess it just takes a competent agent at the ExpressPay 800#. On initial roll-out it was key fob only with non enabled card. I don't like when issuers send you a new ‘card’ with contactless payment. If you have to pull out your card to use the contactless and wave you might as well swipe it, right? So a key fob or even mobile phone is better. Citi just switched to giving people the option of key fob or card embedded.

Do Citi Amex products have ExpressPay?

AMEX ExpressPay site; https://www124.americanexpress.com/cards/loyalty.do?page=expresspay

MasterCard PayPass site: (they have the nationwide directory of PayPass merchants: http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/aboutourcards/paypass/merchant_search.html