AllieKat

That was my understanding as well, but there are configuration issues - remember Dairy Queen? "Invalid account number length" or some such thing.

billatq

Weird. They might have changed something, but it's still in my wallet on the website. Doesn't work on the smartphone.

billatq

Yeah, the claim is that it works at all the merchants that take Discover. The reality is that it works at a subset of the places that take Discover and JCB.

I had a merchant in San Francisco that takes JCB not be able to take my card last time I visited. And despite the fact that my cafe at work takes my regular Discover card, their system won't take the JCB.

I've been able to sometimes get very knowledgeable clerks override it and run through Discover anyway when that happens, but it's quite rare.

kebosabi

Reciprocal is true when trying to use the Discover card in Japan. The claim is that Discover cards can be used in places where they accept JCB.

The reality is good luck in convincing any of the onsen hot springs hotels in Tamatsukuri-onsen, near Izumo in Shimane Prefecture (a place where they see very few foreigners) know anything about the minute intricacies of the JCB-Discover partnership deal. You get a hard time trying to convince them in fluent Japanese that they can process this Discover card over the JCB network, I'd imagine it'd be next to impossible to do that when you can't speak a word of Japanese.

In the context of things, just stick with VISA, MC, and to a lesser extent, AMEX. The Discover-JCB-Union Pay-Diners Club thing is too confusing to be a true "international" network.

kirax2

I've decided to add a cash back card to my repertoire, and this one has me intrigued, both for the 3% and for the potential discounts at Marukai/Mitsuwa/Sanseido etc. I notice that it's accepted at Target and 7-11, as well as Amazon, which are good signs. Has anyone tried at CVS? Please let us know if you've been successful! Thanks for your feedback.

ETA: (Also, does anyone else find it ironic that this card has a foreign transaction fee? Guess I won't be using it during my next trip to Japan!)

kebosabi

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kirax2

I know, it says on their site that they have a 1.1% FTF. I just find it ironic that a card targeting ex-pats would have a FTF! Perhaps the average user doesn't realize it, though, as it's hidden, as you point out.

kebosabi

Most Japanese expats in the US have multiple cards anyway so it's not much of a big deal I guess. They usually have a personal credit card issued in Japan which they use when they are back in Japan (obviously because all charges are in JPY), alongside what the US subsidiary gives them which they use as they live and work in the US (so all charges are in USD).

Take for example, the VP of my company. He has two ANA cards: ANA Card (issued by Mizuho Financial of Japan) as well as the ANA Card USA (issued by Bank of Omaha). The Japan issue ANA Card has a lot more features like Suica/PASMO capability and EMV chip while his Bank of Omaha issue ANA Card is a plain jane mag-stripe card.

Now those Japanese expats do shop frequently at Marukai and Mitsuwa while they are here stateside, so when they do, they might have an interest in earning 3% cashback by applying for a JCBUSA card. But the likelihood of them taking back their JCBUSA issued JCB card back to Japan, probably not. In all likelihood, they may already have a Japan issued JCB card to use when they are back home, so they're just going to use that instead.

billatq

I haven't actually tried it at CVS, but in the $50 promo that they're running for the summer, they specifically call CVS out as a featured merchant. I've yet to not have one of those "featured merchants" not work, but YMMV.

reclusive46

Something I always find odd is that Diners Club (Non US/Canadian cards) always works in the US on the Discover network for card present transactions (Also easy to explain to a merchant they accept it as it has a Discover logo on the back). You'd think JCB and China UnionPay would as well.

kebosabi

Reciprocal agreements I suppose? My Discover card has both Diners Club and Discover logo on the back, but it lacks a JCB or Union Pay logo. Therefore, Discover and Diners Club probably worked out an agreement to put each others' logo on the back of their cards, but said agreement isn't worked out between Discover-JCB-Union Pay?

thehawk75

In regards to this $50 promo. If you plan on doing it, don't leave it till the end. I just figured out that you can at most do a max of 10 transactions per day on the card. Doesn't matter if they're all low value.

BTW, anyone go to one of those 'Plaza Lounges' they mention on the website?

I note there is one at the Kodak Theater (or whatever it's been renamed to).

Would be a little more useful if they had one at an airport (assuming it is a lounge in that sense).

kebosabi

JCB Gold card holders and above (Platinum, The Class) do have JCB airport lounge access across airports in Japan as well as complimentary Priority Pass, overall benefit being a "meh," especially if you already have OW Sapphire/Emerald or *A Gold status from an airline (i.e.: AA or UA) which gets reciprocal benefits for JAL and ANA domestic lounges within Japan which provide better service than JCB lounges.

That being said, I don't know if Gold, Platinum, The Class cards are even available outside of Japan. Though, perhaps Platinum status can be achieved by invitation as JCB Int'l clearly lists an English page for JCB Platinum cardholders with no mention on how to obtain one: http://www.jcbcard.com/platinum/index.html

AllieKat

The difference is Discover IS Diner's Club - same company, different country.

kebosabi

Good catch, forgot they are the same company now. ^