Old Nov 10, 2013, 11:26 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: mcdullhk88
Dead as of 10/13/14

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.
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:
  • 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
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Amazon Payments

Old Nov 15, 2012, 6:45 am
  #931  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Whew, that's a relief...
Preacher7 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 6:46 am
  #932  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by Preacher7
So is AP down for everyone, or just me?
Down for me, too. :-(
modgepodgetea is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 6:49 am
  #933  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Down over here. Observed some processing anomalies in the system yesterday (the old dog wasn't playing old tricks). IMHO there is a very high probability over there that a redbird is hunting for prey.

Originally Posted by Preacher7
So is AP down for everyone, or just me?
AlohaDaveKennedy is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 8:25 am
  #934  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
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For the first time, I was repeatedly locked out of a recently created account
mrp20 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 8:31 am
  #935  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
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AP is up for me, but I whiff the scent of mint and beans.
AlohaDaveKennedy is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 8:55 am
  #936  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: 5280/8150
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Still down for me.
djrez4 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 10:10 am
  #937  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Up and running again for me
aresay is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 10:20 am
  #938  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Yeah - back now.

And finally appears to be working. Yesterday was a cluster and the CS reps are relatively useless. I was unable to claim payments yesterday despite having my Ink registered and, as far as I could tell, verified. AP CS could see that the verification transaction had gone through. I could see it as a temporary authorization on my end, but AP didn't consider it verified.

I added a personal card today and everything worked fine. I guess AP doesn't accept business credit cards.

Last edited by djrez4; Nov 15, 2012 at 10:33 am Reason: Updated with more info
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Old Nov 15, 2012, 10:58 am
  #939  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
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There were also identity checking issues which, to paraphrase Cobain, smelled like Fang spirit.

Originally Posted by djrez4
Yeah - back now.

And finally appears to be working. Yesterday was a cluster and the CS reps are relatively useless. I was unable to claim payments yesterday despite having my Ink registered and, as far as I could tell, verified. AP CS could see that the verification transaction had gone through. I could see it as a temporary authorization on my end, but AP didn't consider it verified.

I added a personal card today and everything worked fine. I guess AP doesn't accept business credit cards.
AlohaDaveKennedy is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 11:06 am
  #940  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Originally Posted by AlohaDaveKennedy
There were also identity checking issues which, to paraphrase Cobain, smelled like Fang spirit.
You know, I had to do two searches to figure out what the heck you're talking about with this Cardinal/redbird/Fang stuff. I doubt I'll ever figure out what's going on in the "trick it!" thread.
djrez4 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 11:50 am
  #941  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Originally Posted by djrez4
You know, I had to do two searches to figure out what the heck you're talking about with this Cardinal/redbird/Fang stuff. I doubt I'll ever figure out what's going on in the "trick it!" thread.
Trust me you're not missing anything. It's like pig latin -- you're better off just ignoring anyone who uses it.
kilton is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 12:05 pm
  #942  
fet
 
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spa...onty_Python%29

Originally Posted by djrez4
You know, I had to do two searches to figure out what the heck you're talking about with this Cardinal/redbird/Fang stuff. I doubt I'll ever figure out what's going on in the "trick it!" thread.
fet is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 12:24 pm
  #943  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
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how amazon payments helps amazon make money

A lot of hobbyists and small business owners are now writing books for Kindle that once would have been PDFs or blogs. Amazon gets a cut of each sale and then pays the writers (such as myself, she said modestly) fee-free using Amazon Payments. We sellers also sell old books and other used "stuff" and again we get a fee-free payment through Amazon Payments. Other hobbyists have blogs set up where they have te affiliate links to books or hobby items for sale on Amazon. People buy the stuff on Amazon, the affiliate gets a tiny percentage for making the sale, and again Amazon pays the affiliate through Amazon Payments. In other words, Amazon Payments is a payment method but it is also a way to encourage small hobbyists etc. to get their fellow hobbyists to buy books and other items on Amazon. Otherwise, people sell off-Amazon items on sites like eBay, our own blogs, or other hobby sites, and we get paid by Paypal. However, Paypal charges me a fee and Amazon payments is free. So I now put a little more business Amazon's way where I never used to think of selling anything at Amazon or as an Amazon affiliate. See?

That's where Amazon Payments is helping Amazon make more money...they are attracting small hobbyists they wouldn't have previously attracted.




Originally Posted by redtop43
I don't pretend to know Amazon's view of this particular product, but I will observe that Amazon's business model involves making huge investments to become everything to every consumer. Remember how one time they were just a purveyor of mail-order books? Then books and movies? Now, everything, to the point where they have big-box stores shaking in their boots.

There are plenty of market segments where Amazon is investing big-time in becoming the market leader, even at the expense of short-run profits. I don't know what synergies they see between the payments business and the retailing business, but I know this, Jeff Bezos is a hell of a lot richer than I am, and he didn't get that way (at least so far) except by having more products work out well than badly.
peachfront is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 5:21 pm
  #944  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 86
Originally Posted by brooklynmatt
Citi AA Visa...

Wow that sucks.

I have a Citi AA Visa Business and I did a $1000 charge on 11/12. Posted w/no fee.

Wonder if this is a new thing?
lilpooh108 is offline  
Old Nov 15, 2012, 6:19 pm
  #945  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
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Originally Posted by kilton
Trust me you're not missing anything. It's like pig latin -- you're better off just ignoring anyone who uses it.
^
Astrophsx is offline  

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