Feb 18, 15, 5:57 pm
Last edit by: rrgg
AAdvantage eShoppping by Cartera Commerce
Using, earning miles, problems, etc. (Consolidated thread)
Using, earning miles, problems, etc. (Consolidated thread)
American Airlines is not the contact for Cartera / AAdvantage eShopping .
AAdvantage eShopping FAQs and an e-contact form can be found via the "Contact Us" link at the bottom left corner of the home page.
If you have trouble getting purchases to track, there's also a browser extension to help.
Cartera website: http://www.cartera.com
Cartera Commerce, Inc.
One Cranberry Hill
Lexington, Massachusetts 02421
Tel. (781) 541-6800 Fax: (781) 541-6801
For general inquiries, please contact [email protected] or 888.456.6255
Cartera Commerce, Inc.
One Cranberry Hill
Lexington, Massachusetts 02421
Tel. (781) 541-6800 Fax: (781) 541-6801
For general inquiries, please contact [email protected] or 888.456.6255
MODERATOR GUIDEPOST (Please do not alter contents following)
This thread is the sole thread to address issues with AAdvantage eShopping (operated by Cartera Commerce). Other queries or complaints will invariably end up merged into this thread. All posts must comply with FlyerTalk Guidelines and Rules / TOS, or may be summarily deleted or edited by moderators.
This thread is the sole thread to address issues with AAdvantage eShopping (operated by Cartera Commerce). Other queries or complaints will invariably end up merged into this thread. All posts must comply with FlyerTalk Guidelines and Rules / TOS, or may be summarily deleted or edited by moderators.
A related article, highlighting an interview of Cartera Commerce CEO Tom Bercher, is "Secrets of Cartera Commerce Revealed: Inside the Company that Brings You Miles for Online Shopping" by Gary Leff on March 3, 2014. Link.
As described in this thread, AAdvantage Shopping now offers a downloadable button installable on your desktop (not mobile) device to facilitate e-shopping. Link.
Older posts may be read at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-pre-consolidation/1656169-archive-aadvantage-e-shopping-cartera-questions-discussion-vendor-consol.html
Notes about Giftcards.com:
- A separate thread exists for discussing Giftcards.com and likely has more data points than this generic thread.
- Purchases from giftcards.com earn miles on the first $2,000 spent in the named calendar month, meaning for example between March 1st and March 31st.
- Giftcards.com has had various limits over the years, and it was always by calendar month.
- Some data points show the $2,000 monthly limit is not always enforced.
- In 2022, larger orders track more slowly, and you may need to wait a full month to see miles.
AAdvantage eShopping / Cartera Questions / Discussion / Vendors / Issues
Oct 8, 22, 12:38 pm
#1651
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 476
Originally Posted by SFflyer20
Given the amount of work involved in buying and tracking all this stuff I'm not particularly interested in doing the VGCs without the discount.
It seems like a really good way to get 4 miles for every dollar you spend (1 mile for normal AA credit card spend and 3 miles for each gift card dollar). If you have an AA Executive card it can also help you get to the 10,000 loyalty point bonus.
Oct 8, 22, 1:02 pm
#1652
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA "mid tier" elite | Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 9,330
Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
As I haven't done any of these before, can you explain what is the difficulty.
It seems like a really good way to get 4 miles for every dollar you spend (1 mile for normal AA credit card spend and 3 miles for each gift card dollar). If you have an AA Executive card it can also help you get to the 10,000 loyalty point bonus.
It seems like a really good way to get 4 miles for every dollar you spend (1 mile for normal AA credit card spend and 3 miles for each gift card dollar). If you have an AA Executive card it can also help you get to the 10,000 loyalty point bonus.
Many of us use them for utility bills, health insurance etc. (where you can overpay), to buy things below 250 dollars and use the balance to reload Amazon or use PayPal to split payment between 2 cards.
I have a spreadsheet that has
- Date purchased
- Card number
- CVV
- Expiration dates
- Original balance
- Current balance
- Use (comment field where I write what I used it for)
Oct 8, 22, 2:39 pm
#1653
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, SW A-List Preferred, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Diamond
Posts: 455
Originally Posted by Antarius
The upside is exactly as you said. The downside is that it's more work. You can only buy 250 USD on a card, so you are limited in their use slightly.
Many of us use them for utility bills, health insurance etc. (where you can overpay), to buy things below 250 dollars and use the balance to reload Amazon or use PayPal to split payment between 2 cards.
I have a spreadsheet that has
Many of us use them for utility bills, health insurance etc. (where you can overpay), to buy things below 250 dollars and use the balance to reload Amazon or use PayPal to split payment between 2 cards.
I have a spreadsheet that has
- Date purchased
- Card number
- CVV
- Expiration dates
- Original balance
- Current balance
- Use (comment field where I write what I used it for)
And I take screenshots of the gift card.
Oct 8, 22, 11:13 pm
#1654
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 476
That all sounds like great advice.
Much of my credit card use is at grocery stores and restaurants that don't sell gift cards on giftcard.com. What I gather is that there is no way for me to use a virtual visa card to for this type of shopping, since these virtual visa cards can't be used on Apply Pay as far as I know.
Much of my credit card use is at grocery stores and restaurants that don't sell gift cards on giftcard.com. What I gather is that there is no way for me to use a virtual visa card to for this type of shopping, since these virtual visa cards can't be used on Apply Pay as far as I know.
Originally Posted by Antarius
The upside is exactly as you said. The downside is that it's more work. You can only buy 250 USD on a card, so you are limited in their use slightly.
Many of us use them for utility bills, health insurance etc. (where you can overpay), to buy things below 250 dollars and use the balance to reload Amazon or use PayPal to split payment between 2 cards.
I have a spreadsheet that has
Many of us use them for utility bills, health insurance etc. (where you can overpay), to buy things below 250 dollars and use the balance to reload Amazon or use PayPal to split payment between 2 cards.
I have a spreadsheet that has
- Date purchased
- Card number
- CVV
- Expiration dates
- Original balance
- Current balance
- Use (comment field where I write what I used it for)
Oct 9, 22, 5:43 am
#1655
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, AA ExecPlat, Amtrak Select Exec, former WN apologist
Posts: 1,055
Originally Posted by TropicalTripper
Is there any reason not to go all out and spend all $2k today in case 3x is gone tomorrow? I mean, sure the CC may get declined before hitting $2,000, but other than that, is there any issue with this plan? I plan to do separate transactions for $250 after learning the hard way that any more than that takes much longer to post. Although, I'm not in a hurry for points to post since I'm 33k away from Platinum Pro.
Oct 9, 22, 6:41 am
#1656
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, SW A-List Preferred, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Diamond
Posts: 455
Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
That all sounds like great advice.
Much of my credit card use is at grocery stores and restaurants that don't sell gift cards on giftcard.com. What I gather is that there is no way for me to use a virtual visa card to for this type of shopping, since these virtual visa cards can't be used on Apply Pay as far as I know.
Much of my credit card use is at grocery stores and restaurants that don't sell gift cards on giftcard.com. What I gather is that there is no way for me to use a virtual visa card to for this type of shopping, since these virtual visa cards can't be used on Apply Pay as far as I know.
Oct 9, 22, 8:18 am
#1657
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: You name it 😉
Posts: 103
My order from vendor was lost in transit. The vendor reshipped under another order number without crediting back the original transaction. Also, Points received from original original order were deducted from my AA account. Now I am being told my purchase doesn’t qualify for points since the reshipment wasn’t handled through portal, which wasn’t even a possibility. Any ideas on how to handle this type of situation? I am thinking I should just return the reshipped order, get my cc credited and reorder. It’s only 3800 miles but it’s the principle. Of course these point would push me over threshold to Exec Plat and I have 3 trips coming up and would love the extra miles.
Oct 9, 22, 9:06 am
#1659
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA PlatPro, UA Silver, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,539
Originally Posted by dineaux
My order from vendor was lost in transit. The vendor reshipped under another order number without crediting back the original transaction. Also, Points received from original original order were deducted from my AA account. Now I am being told my purchase doesn’t qualify for points since the reshipment wasn’t handled through portal, which wasn’t even a possibility. Any ideas on how to handle this type of situation? I am thinking I should just return the reshipped order, get my cc credited and reorder. It’s only 3800 miles but it’s the principle. Of course these point would push me over threshold to Exec Plat and I have 3 trips coming up and would love the extra miles.
Oct 9, 22, 10:13 am
#1660
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: SNA/ONT
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 91
Originally Posted by coleslaw
Were the Loyalty Points actually clawed back or just the miles? I've had a few instances where an order was cancelled and the miles were taken back but my LP balance didn't actually change.
Oct 9, 22, 3:40 pm
#1661
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 111
Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
Much of my credit card use is at grocery stores and restaurants that don't sell gift cards on giftcard.com. What I gather is that there is no way for me to use a virtual visa card to for this type of shopping, since these virtual visa cards can't be used on Apply Pay as far as I know.
(But I am on an Android phone so YMMV)
Oct 10, 22, 11:31 am
#1662
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 476
Originally Posted by AirricK11
So far this year I've had about 15 clawbacks for varying things and not once has LPs ever been clawed back, just the RDM
Originally Posted by Cheynewalk
I found that virtual Visa Gift Cards could be used as the form of payment on the WholeFoods app and the Krogerpay app (my local grocery store). Save it as a credit card and choose it at checkout. You just can't go over the amount or the card will be declined.
(But I am on an Android phone so YMMV)
(But I am on an Android phone so YMMV)
Oct 10, 22, 11:51 am
#1664
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA "mid tier" elite | Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 9,330
Originally Posted by EQDsSUCK
Oh, that's very interesting that LPs are not taken away.
That said, don't count on that remaining for your status. AA is known for doing sweeps later and fixing thing, even many months after the fact. They could easily reconcile it.
Oct 10, 22, 11:56 am
#1665
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, WN
Posts: 73
Just imagine buying a $250 VGC and forget using it. There are tons of unintentional human or system errors that can cause you to forget about a purchase, and that’s why I always tried to keep a log of all gift cards I have bought/used. I also keep a log of all hotel refunds after cancellations.
This is certainly time-consuming. At some point it might become too much but right now I’m still enjoying doing this points/miles/cashback game.
This is certainly time-consuming. At some point it might become too much but right now I’m still enjoying doing this points/miles/cashback game.
