OT: Using BA Amex at IKEA
Feb 17, 2012, 4:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: Various lustrous chemical elements
Posts: 407
OT: Using BA Amex at IKEA
I recently got a BA Amex on a friend's referral promo, earning 10k Avois when spending £1000 in 3 months, with the intention of putting around £500 on for some new furniture from IKEA.
I've now found out that IKEA don't accept Amex, so was trying to think of workarounds... the "buying an IKEA giftcard" option is out as they can't be used online (and I didn't really want to go into store).
Does anyone know if I bought a prepaid VISA/Mastercard with my Amex whether this would count towards my £1k, or whether it would class as a cash advance or something?
Any other options would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I've now found out that IKEA don't accept Amex, so was trying to think of workarounds... the "buying an IKEA giftcard" option is out as they can't be used online (and I didn't really want to go into store).
Does anyone know if I bought a prepaid VISA/Mastercard with my Amex whether this would count towards my £1k, or whether it would class as a cash advance or something?
Any other options would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Feb 17, 2012, 4:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK, but sometimes wish it was USA
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,388
I think the pre-paid card would count as a cash-advance, a bit like when cashing money at a currency exchange desk...
Is the old Paypal trick no good these days? (i.e. sell yourself something on Ebay?)
Is the old Paypal trick no good these days? (i.e. sell yourself something on Ebay?)
Feb 17, 2012, 4:27 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: BA Gold. Iberia Plus Blue, Miles and More Blue, Gulf Blue, Tesco Clubcard, Elite PAL Mabuhay
Posts: 421
Prepay?
Got a contract mobile phone? Heavy user?
Can you overpay your mobile phone bill?
I've found its a good way to achieve "spend" on a credit card without spending money on something you don't want.
Orange take Amex. I have no idea re the other networks.
I am sitting on a £60 credit;this is following overpaying my Orange bill in December to hit the spend minimum for the SPG Amex card. The contract expires in June so I should be ok.
Can you overpay your mobile phone bill?
I've found its a good way to achieve "spend" on a credit card without spending money on something you don't want.
Orange take Amex. I have no idea re the other networks.
I am sitting on a £60 credit;this is following overpaying my Orange bill in December to hit the spend minimum for the SPG Amex card. The contract expires in June so I should be ok.
Last edited by londonbus; Feb 17, 2012 at 4:29 pm Reason: Correct speling [sic] errer [sic]; provide context.
Feb 17, 2012, 4:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shropshire
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 407
Since withdrawal of the Paypal pre-paid card, I am unaware of any options to fund a visa/mastercard from an Amex.
If you do pluck up courage to visit Ikea in person, you can get the gift vouchers online before hand from voucherexpress.co.uk and pay by amex.
If you do pluck up courage to visit Ikea in person, you can get the gift vouchers online before hand from voucherexpress.co.uk and pay by amex.
Feb 17, 2012, 4:35 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Quite close to NQY
Programs: BAEC Silver,clubcard,clubcard plus, BA Amex................ And Mucci x3 ;)
Posts: 9,488
Since withdrawal of the Paypal pre-paid card, I am unaware of any options to fund a visa/mastercard from an Amex.
If you do pluck up courage to visit Ikea in person, you can get the gift vouchers online before hand from voucherexpress.co.uk and pay by amex.
If you do pluck up courage to visit Ikea in person, you can get the gift vouchers online before hand from voucherexpress.co.uk and pay by amex.
I think that this is the OPs best bet tbh
cs
Feb 17, 2012, 4:47 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: Various lustrous chemical elements
Posts: 407
Thanks.
Feb 17, 2012, 5:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Quite close to NQY
Programs: BAEC Silver,clubcard,clubcard plus, BA Amex................ And Mucci x3 ;)
Posts: 9,488
Gift cards go through the check-out as a normal sale, they can be purchased from most shops, shell stations etc etc etc.
Pre paid cards as referred earlier in the thread are pre paid credit cards (visa/mastercard). These are not available in shops as far as i know
cs
Feb 17, 2012, 5:21 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
I received this 'thank you' card after taking a friend for a long day's trip to IKEA.
Sums up my thoughts entirely
Warning ... NSFW or those easily offended.
http://cdn.moderntoss.com/images/37.jpg
Sums up my thoughts entirely
Warning ... NSFW or those easily offended.
http://cdn.moderntoss.com/images/37.jpg
May 14, 2014, 11:53 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Here today, gone tomorrow
Programs: Nothing shiny :-(
Posts: 2,493
I'm dragging up an old thread I know but.....
Tesco don't seem to do Ikea gift cards and nor do TopGiftCards.
Other than paying with an Amex at Voucher Express (postage charges make this unattractive in my view), has anyone found any nifty ways of using Amex/saving money/earning Avios at Ikea since this was posted?
I did think maybe I could use 3V cards to buy cards from Voucher Express but I presume each £25 (less postage) would have to be a separate transaction, incurring a £1.75 postage fee which makes it uneconomic.
Tesco don't seem to do Ikea gift cards and nor do TopGiftCards.
Other than paying with an Amex at Voucher Express (postage charges make this unattractive in my view), has anyone found any nifty ways of using Amex/saving money/earning Avios at Ikea since this was posted?
I did think maybe I could use 3V cards to buy cards from Voucher Express but I presume each £25 (less postage) would have to be a separate transaction, incurring a £1.75 postage fee which makes it uneconomic.
May 14, 2014, 12:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 610
This past weekend I made a large purchase at IKEA using my American Express.
All the signage says only Visa / MasterCard etc, and if you ask the staff they will say they don't take it, I had my MasterCard ready however I thought I'd give the AMEX a go in the chip and pin machine and it accepted it.
All the signage says only Visa / MasterCard etc, and if you ask the staff they will say they don't take it, I had my MasterCard ready however I thought I'd give the AMEX a go in the chip and pin machine and it accepted it.
May 14, 2014, 12:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: BA something, Luftwaffe SEN, CX Gold, Pilsbury Doughboy Fanclub, and lots of Amex cards
Posts: 1,906
This past weekend I made a large purchase at IKEA using my American Express.
All the signage says only Visa / MasterCard etc, and if you ask the staff they will say they don't take it, I had my MasterCard ready however I thought I'd give the AMEX a go in the chip and pin machine and it accepted it.
All the signage says only Visa / MasterCard etc, and if you ask the staff they will say they don't take it, I had my MasterCard ready however I thought I'd give the AMEX a go in the chip and pin machine and it accepted it.
So either this is a recent change (I havent been for about 6 weeks), or something went wrong!
Either way, good stuff- hopefully their policy has changed
