Same problem for me with my AMEX Plat but not with my AMEX SPG, not sure why. I just requested another card eariler this week to be mail to me, will see what happened with the new card. What I had been doing is that for places that I do not visit often is to just chip it 3 times, then it will let you swipe. Some cashier doesn't know about this issue and ask you to use another card. What I do is just explain to them that after 3 times it will be able to swipe. Some places will show an error on the cashier terminal even when you swipe, but it will go thru, just a few second longer. For places that I do visit often, I just buy a giftcard from them, so I only need to deal with this hassle once, then use the giftcard.
Or buy a bunch of GCs at one place, or simply buy a bunch of SDM GCs at Shell that can be used to buy other GCs at SDM.
(The latter is my preferred method since I know a Shell in YVR with no chip terminal
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