Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > American Express | Membership Rewards
Reload this Page >

Supermarket category bonus points not posting [beginning December 2013]

Supermarket category bonus points not posting [beginning December 2013]

Old Jan 6, 2014, 8:51 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
Originally Posted by farwest101
Did you have a "lot" of Safeway/Vons purchases in increments of $505.95 region? I did, and am hesitant to bring eyeballs to my account.
I do. I've been buying them daily with nothing else added in for the past 2 months. Never had a problem whatsoever. That is all that I buy, plus an occasional restaurant purchase. I wouldn't have jumped the gun so quick with them but they are trying to screw me over with the unlimited cashback grandfather clause on BCP. Didn't pay out 6% for November.
ibleed0range is offline  
Old Jan 6, 2014, 8:57 pm
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Around The World
Programs: ALL :)
Posts: 384
Originally Posted by farwest101
Did you have a "lot" of Safeway/Vons purchases in increments of $505.95 region? I did, and am hesitant to bring eyeballs to my account.
I agree with you on that portion, I wonder if this was just a one time hiccup in the system and they are getting massive calls about points not crediting. I would think so.

Has anyone had December points credit correctly? A closing date around Dec 25th or on, into Jan?
steventravel is offline  
Old Jan 6, 2014, 10:16 pm
  #18  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 132
Originally Posted by steventravel
Originally Posted by farwest101
Did you have a "lot" of Safeway/Vons purchases in increments of $505.95 region? I did, and am hesitant to bring eyeballs to my account.
I agree with you on that portion, I wonder if this was just a one time hiccup in the system and they are getting massive calls about points not crediting. I would think so.

Has anyone had December points credit correctly? A closing date around Dec 25th or on, into Jan?
So I talked to amex today supposedly it takes 6-8 business days from the date the investigation is concluded. Was told to call back friday if they have not posted. What I did find interesting is that they said I have 30k+ points set to post which is the amount of my 6x my grocery purchases, it will be interesting to see if I get the 6x and not just the extra 3x. Ill keep everyone updated.
OnTheRocks is offline  
Old Jan 6, 2014, 11:00 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
Originally Posted by ibleed0range
I do. I've been buying them daily with nothing else added in for the past 2 months. Never had a problem whatsoever. That is all that I buy, plus an occasional restaurant purchase. I wouldn't have jumped the gun so quick with them but they are trying to screw me over with the unlimited cashback grandfather clause on BCP. Didn't pay out 6% for November.
Well, since I only put low 5 figures on my Surpass, I'm going to wait for another statement and see if they correct the problem before I consider getting eyeballs involved. And if others report points posting correctly going forward, I might not even bother.
farwest101 is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2014, 10:34 am
  #20  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
PRG only posted as 1x (rather than 2x) at Safeway on my December activity. Anyone else having similar issues? I still haven't called CS about this. But now I'm missing so many points, I'm almost forced to get eyeballs looking.
farwest101 is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2014, 12:29 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
Originally Posted by OnTheRocks
Well I called a couple times and from what they told me I have to wait for them to "investigate" why the points weren't posted. I was told it should take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Have you guys had any luck with them posting them any sooner?
I did chat (had to tweet @AskAmex to get the chat function to work - they initiated from their side). They fixed the problem after about 20 minutes and points are supposed to appear on my next statement.

They claimed to be ignorant of the problem which I find odd. Is it just us points junkies who check statements closely?
farwest101 is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2014, 8:03 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL DM-1MM HH Diamond
Posts: 361
Similar issue on Dec statement with a Kroger owned store. No bonus points.

Called, and they said they would investigate. Then a letter saying they were having an internal issue verifying Grocery spend and would fix it soon. Still no points from then, but my Jan statement just closed and all the Grocery spend bonus points are there for this month.

Hopefully Decembers will show up soon.
2B or back in coach is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2014, 8:26 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
Originally Posted by overholtm
Similar issue on Dec statement with a Kroger owned store. No bonus points.

Called, and they said they would investigate. Then a letter saying they were having an internal issue verifying Grocery spend and would fix it soon. Still no points from then, but my Jan statement just closed and all the Grocery spend bonus points are there for this month.

Hopefully Decembers will show up soon.
Was it for PRG or Surpass/HH?
farwest101 is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2014, 9:09 am
  #24  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL DM-1MM HH Diamond
Posts: 361
Originally Posted by farwest101
Was it for PRG or Surpass/HH?
Surpass HH
2B or back in coach is offline  
Old Jan 27, 2014, 12:26 am
  #25  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 132
So after being told that I would see December's points on my next statement which was Jan 24th, low and behold no bonus points on this statement. Has any had any luck with any bonus points posting? Don't really want to go through another phone call with some other excuse or reason why they haven't posted yet.
OnTheRocks is offline  
Old Jan 27, 2014, 12:19 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: KOA
Programs: DL Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,280
I just called Amex because I only got 20 2X bonus points on about $600 in grocery spending, mostly at Safeway. They asked me if any of that was for gift card purchases, and I admitted it, not wanted to possibly cause them to do a financial review if they caught me lying about it. Looks like they might be on the lookout for gift card spending at grocery stores.
Richard1148 is offline  
Old Jan 27, 2014, 12:32 pm
  #27  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
Originally Posted by Richard1148
I just called Amex because I only got 20 2X bonus points on about $600 in grocery spending, mostly at Safeway. They asked me if any of that was for gift card purchases, and I admitted it, not wanted to possibly cause them to do a financial review if they caught me lying about it. Looks like they might be on the lookout for gift card spending at grocery stores.
There are plenty of legitimate gc purchases (as my SO proves every month).

With only $600 gc spend, methinks you're in little danger of FR.
farwest101 is offline  
Old Feb 3, 2014, 8:36 am
  #28  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 37
So I just got the AMEX PRG card a few months ago. I noticed that my 2x rewards points weren't lining up with my statements. I called and the rep stated that Whole Foods was not counted as grocery since it sells other things as well.

My Whole Foods is in Birmingham, AL. Is anyone else having this issue with their Whole Foods not getting the 2x points? I spend a lot there so I factored that into the decision in getting the card. My other groceries appear to work, but not Whole Foods for some reason.
armstwa is offline  
Old Feb 3, 2014, 9:18 am
  #29  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,884
Originally Posted by armstwa
.... I called and the rep stated that Whole Foods was not counted as grocery since it sells other things as well....
Welcome to FlyerTalk. It may be that Whole Foods (or some specific location) is not coded as a supermarket, but that would not be the reason. Merchant categories are assigned by the merchant's "acquirer", the entity which processes their card transactions. You can see the category online if you expand a posted transaction to view the details. What does it say?
mia is offline  
Old Feb 3, 2014, 9:32 am
  #30  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: mountains of western NC
Programs: Life, Love and Laughter
Posts: 8,523
Sometimes there is a glitch at a particular store. For example, I use my AMEX Blue Cash Preferred to get 6% cash back at grocery stores. One local grocery "chain" has three stores. I get my 6% cash back at 2 of their stores, but not at the other. I contacted AMEX about the problem, but it never got resolved. Fortunately the store at which I did not get my 6% is farthest from me, so I just don't shop there any more.
I have shopped with my AMEX at many different Whole Foods groceries across the country and all of them have coded as grocery. So, my guess is that the problem is with your particular store in Birmingham. You may want to call AMEX again and see a different CSR can help you.
onthego15 is online now  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.