Nov 10, 2013, 11:26 am
Last edit by: mcdullhk88
Dead as of 10/13/14
FAQ's
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
Additionally, we have updated the terms and conditions of our User Agreement (https://payments.amazon.com/help/Personal-Accounts/User-Agreement-Policies/User-Agreement) that apply to your use of the products and services provided by Amazon Payments. Our updated User Agreement revises certain terms (including, among other things, the elimination of person-to-person payments). Our new User Agreement will become effective on October 13, 2014, which is more than 30 days from when we first posted our updated User Agreement. By continuing to use our services after October 13, 2014, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of our new User Agreement.
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
- Associating one credit card number with more than one AP account (Be Careful if authorized user card has the same number as the primary card holder - in some instances the CC numbers are completely different)
- Associating one bank account with more than one AP account
Amazon Payments
Nov 13, 2013 | 10:55 am
#2896
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 164
That one cent difference is enough for me to declare Amazon the winner, in my situation.
- You didn't account for the 20% Amazon Mom savings on diapers/wipes/and formula. This makes those diapers $35.95, or $0.19 each.
- I still live in a tax-free Amazon state. You have to add tax to Costco price. Advantage: Amazon (~7% savings in MO, disregarding the ethics of not reporting your sales tax not withheld).
- Costco requires an annual membership. You should technically spread this cost out to reflect the true price of what you're buying. Assume $55/year unless you buy enough so that the 2% top-tier membership works in your favor. Amazon Prime is $79 for a family. We have the $39 student membership through my old .edu email. I know several families that split the $79 four ways. Advantage: It depends on which you commit to. I'd say it's a wash.
- Gas and time are not factored into this equation. Advantage: Amazon
- With Amazon Mom you can order extra and return up to a year later. So besides the "opportunity cost" of having a few hundred tied up in diapers/wipes, you should never run out of diapers (so waiting 2 days or a pack shouldn't be needed). We currently have 1,000 diapers in the basement ... we're ready for the zombie apocalypse.
The Amazon versus Costco debate can take up a whole thread, and people seem to be entrenched much like iOS vs Android. I'm on the Amazon side. We've seen tremendous savings over the past year, especially when we've also loaded our amazon account with gift certificates at 3-15% off face value.
- You didn't account for the 20% Amazon Mom savings on diapers/wipes/and formula. This makes those diapers $35.95, or $0.19 each.
- I still live in a tax-free Amazon state. You have to add tax to Costco price. Advantage: Amazon (~7% savings in MO, disregarding the ethics of not reporting your sales tax not withheld).
- Costco requires an annual membership. You should technically spread this cost out to reflect the true price of what you're buying. Assume $55/year unless you buy enough so that the 2% top-tier membership works in your favor. Amazon Prime is $79 for a family. We have the $39 student membership through my old .edu email. I know several families that split the $79 four ways. Advantage: It depends on which you commit to. I'd say it's a wash.
- Gas and time are not factored into this equation. Advantage: Amazon
- With Amazon Mom you can order extra and return up to a year later. So besides the "opportunity cost" of having a few hundred tied up in diapers/wipes, you should never run out of diapers (so waiting 2 days or a pack shouldn't be needed). We currently have 1,000 diapers in the basement ... we're ready for the zombie apocalypse.
The Amazon versus Costco debate can take up a whole thread, and people seem to be entrenched much like iOS vs Android. I'm on the Amazon side. We've seen tremendous savings over the past year, especially when we've also loaded our amazon account with gift certificates at 3-15% off face value.
Nov 13, 2013 | 11:07 am
#2897
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,953
Diapers are cheap on Amazon - but not cheaper than Costco. I signed up for Amazon Mom a couple of weeks ago and found that Costco still offers lower prices.
Costco:
180 Diapers for $38.99
Price per each: 0.22 cents
http://www.costco.com/Huggies%C2%AE-....11761477.html
Amazon Mom
192 Diapers for $44.94
Price per each: 0.23 cents
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...e_epc__1p_4_lm
-------------------
Although the difference is only a cent but just wanted to show you that without the Freedom 5% category, you'll still be better off in Costco.
Costco:
180 Diapers for $38.99
Price per each: 0.22 cents
http://www.costco.com/Huggies%C2%AE-....11761477.html
Amazon Mom
192 Diapers for $44.94
Price per each: 0.23 cents
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...e_epc__1p_4_lm
-------------------
Although the difference is only a cent but just wanted to show you that without the Freedom 5% category, you'll still be better off in Costco.
180 -120 diapers for $26.99 (depends on size) plus free shipping
Costco often has coupons. with target you can go through an online mall, cb or miles plus promos.
Nov 13, 2013 | 12:02 pm
#2898
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM/2MM, Hilton, Wyndham and IHG DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Southwest A List
Posts: 15,565
There are some things though Azmaon isn't a bargain on like most coffee K-cups.
Nov 15, 2013 | 10:10 pm
#2901
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: LAS
Programs: DL PM, UA PS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,906
Is AP not working for anyone else? Mine shows only 1 CC available to pay back a friend ... yet I have 7 CCs in my account. Haven't used this account in a month (both sending and receiving).
Nov 16, 2013 | 10:38 am
#2904
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 709
Nov 16, 2013 | 12:26 pm
#2905
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: The Empire State
Programs: CO (RIP), US (RIP), Amtrak. Lots of CC programs.
Posts: 442
Nov 17, 2013 | 3:22 pm
#2909
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 115
same here, mine is showing only 2 of my 6 CC's on account, and not the one I want to use.
Nov 17, 2013 | 3:33 pm
#2910
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Has anyone here used an Amex primary and an AU on the same card account to send money back and forth? I was thinking of adding my SO to my SPG account to do this, but curious if ~$2k at AP on the same account in a month would raise flags. I currently do ~2k across two different Amex accounts, but am thinking of putting it all on the one SPG account.