AAir_head

Searched and came up empty...just got the SPG-Marriott Luxury card and have a question regarding some of the benefits.

I currently use PayPal and link a credit card for many online purchases, but am concerned about whether the Amex's purchase protection, extended warranty, category point bonuses, etc. will apply unless I make purchases directly. If direct purchases are required then linking through PayPal would negate several card benefits, so seems ill advised.

Others' experience with this issue greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

BugsyPal

Have had my Amex linked to PayPal account for years, and yes, far as one has seen all benefits and coverage apply long as one has met terms otherwise.

IIRC Amex only looks at how payment was made; that is were charges billed to and paid for on American Express card. Far as Amex is concerned PayPal just processes the transaction. https://www.quora.com/If-I-pay-with-...rranty-expires

Upon examining my Amex statements each month things paid for via PayPal rack up same points as anything else.

However as one stated you have to do some research as things vary by what one has purchased and where. If you're buying merchandise off eBay for instance: https://www.quora.com/Does-American-...bought-on-eBay

For the record your query has been made before: Amex & PayPal payment question

In many ways: https://www.google.com/search?q=amex...ih=561&dpr=1.5

Amex and PayPal recently snuggled closer in bed with each other, which depending upon your point of view is either a good or bad thing. https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ameri...ases-and-more/

Only issue that *might* occur is if using Amex via PayPal to pay for a category specific benefit, but retailer/seller doesn't come up under that category.

Something like a promotion for spending $1000 in a certain time on travel and entertainment. You find a nice restaurant and blow $500 on a meal, but they don't take Amex, however PayPal is fine. So you run the bill through PP charging your Amex card. When bill hits your account it isn't credited as "entertainment" because the restaurant has set up it PP account under something else or whatever. Usually it only takes reaching out to Amex CS to get that sort of thing sorted.

nyc2cal

The way I would look at it: if you charge on PayPal via AMEX, PayPal is the merchant, not the vendor who is delivering the goods/services. If you get into a dispute, is AMEX more likely to side with you versus that vendor or versus Paypal? My guess is it would probably result in Paypal's dispute resolution vs. AMEX's. I don't tend to use Paypal.

BugsyPal

Few times have had issues (mostly all eBay related) with things paid for on Amex via PayPal, went through the former's charge back/complaint resolution process. Charges were reversed on my card within days and other than agreeing to/signing some papers it was the end of things.

What happens when the chargeback hits PayPal cannot say for sure. But this doesn't sound good: https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/...ARE/td-p/27035

Then you have this: "Note: Ultimately, it’s the card issuer, not PayPal, who gets to decide the outcome of the dispute over a chargeback" https://www.paypal.com/us/brc/articl...s-a-chargeback

AAir_head

Thanks! I only searched on FT; my bad for not doing Google. The link for "Amex & PayPal payment question" thread seems to be broken, btw.

AAir_head

Piling on to this: in the few instances I've had e-Bay issues as a buyer/seller, the person on the other end has been mostly reasonable. I should think if either Amex or Paypal discerned a pattern of abuse you'd be far less likely to recieve a favorable outcome.

In any case, thank you both BugsyPal and nyc2cal! It seems the most prudent course of action will be to charge directly to the Amex. As I'm on a trip and haven't received the physical card yet, using ApplePay will hopefully not throw a wrench into things since this will be a great start on earning the bonus for initial spend within 3 months...

cheers!