Oct 25, 2013, 7:07 pm
Last edit by: ericdabbs
Please read the wiki before posting a question.
UPDATE 01/17/15
BeFrugal: 1.5%
Big Crumbs: 0.9%
TopCashBack: 1.5%
For other cash back or airline portals, check here: http://www.cashbackmonitor.com/Cashb...erican+express
Public Service Announcement: Do NOT use fee-free codes if you want portal cashback / miles. CB/Miles will post and then be clawed back.
FAQ
Will it post as a cash advance (CA)?
Citi - Yes.
Cards from Chase, BoA, FIA, Barclay, AMEX, CapitalOne, US Bank, Discover, HSBC, etc., have posted as purchase. PNC Visa Cashbuilder - posts as purchase but does not earn CC rewards
Note: Some issuers (Discover, US Bank, etc.) will decline the authorization if it exceeds your CA limit. This does NOT mean it will post as CA. It simply means you need to lower the purchase amount below your CA limit for authorization, but it ultimately posts as a purchase.
How do I set PIN on AMEX Gift Cards and use as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc.
You cannot set PIN or use them as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc. You can only use them as credit where AMEX is accepted.
How do I cash out AMEX Gift Cards?
Use manufactured spend techniques (load RB, buy Visa/MC GCs, VRs, AP, AFT, etc.) or normal spend where AMEX is accepted.
Why buy AMEX Gift Cards then?
To reduce the cost of manufactured spend, to mask your manufactured spend (i.e unusual high spend at Target or CVS), earn additional cash back on spend, or meet minimum spend targets faster.
Next day shipping that isn't?
The next day shipping is from when they ship the cards to UPS, which can be as long as 10 days from the order submission if you order personalized cards (more recently this has been under a week). For next day shipping, you are notified late night (once your card finishes processing, see above) and the package arrive that same morning before 10:30AM in your area.
What is with the charge disappearing from my credit card?
Once the order is placed you will see a pending charge on your CC account. Quite often once the card ships this pending is removed but does not show as a charge. Don't panic (or celebrate) it will show up as a charge within a day or so.
Personalized GCs?
Either Biz or Personal GCs can be personalized with your name. This helps when shaky cashiers who demand to see your card are prevalent. These take approximately 4 biz days to arrive compared to the non personalized which arrives as quickly as the next day.
UPS Tracking?
If you logged in to your AMEX account when placing the order you can get tracking info by logging in to your AMEX account and clicking on cards > gift cards > order history > order details. Unfortunately tracking information may not appear until well after your order has shipped so it's best to sign up for UPS My Choice to get faster tracking info and reroute your package if needed. Since UPS may drop your package off at the door if you're not home, it will be useful to know when your package will arrive.
The portal terms indicate that coupon codes will invalidate cash back. Is this true?
Yes (as of July 2014)
What are the purchase limits? (Updated Dec 2014)
10K personal every 14 days
100K business every 14 days
Do declined orders count toward the purchase limits?
YMMV
Do fees and shipping count toward the purchase limits?
No
Why was my purchase declined by AMEX?
There are several possibilities:
- Your billing address does not match 100% with what the credit card company has on file. This could be anything from apt/suite/condo # on the wrong line to zip code requiring 9 digits instead of 5. If your first purchase does not go through, call your bank or login to your acct to verify that this matches what you used.
- You have gone over the $10k every 14 day limit on personal gift card purchase.
- Even if you are sure the first two are correct as you have ordered before on that card and it's been more than 14 days, you might still get declined. No one has any idea why.
- You placed a business order and you don't really have a business (at some point AMEX does a background check for a valid business) or you have exceeded the 14 day limit for business orders.
My order was declined but my credit card still shows a pending authorization. How long until this falls off and my credit line is freed up?
I typically takes 1 week for the pending authorization to fall off after a declined order.
Can I order from the business side using a personal card? Or does it need to be a business card?
You can use whatever credit card you want to pay for business or personal orders. About the only restriction is you can't use an AMEX GC to buy another AMEX GC.
How long will it take the portal to track my order and confirm the pending cash back or points?
For non-Cartera portals (TCB, BC, Befrugal, etc) your order will usually track within a day or two.
For Cartera portals (Barclay Reward Boost, Lucky Rewards, USAA, Alaska, Delta) it will take 3-4 weeks to track.
My orders are not tracking. How can I maximize the chances the portal will track my order properly?
Use a browser you do not normally use (Chrome, Firefox, Opera), reset all browser settings to defaults, clear all browser cookies, disable all browser add-ons, and close/re-start your browser before navigating to the portal and placing your order. Do NOT use promotional coupon codes. The vast majority of tracking issues result from use of coupon codes, a bad browser cookie, improperly configured browser settings, or add-ons that interfere with cookie tracking.
UPDATE 01/17/15
BeFrugal: 1.5%
Big Crumbs: 0.9%
TopCashBack: 1.5%
For other cash back or airline portals, check here: http://www.cashbackmonitor.com/Cashb...erican+express
Public Service Announcement: Do NOT use fee-free codes if you want portal cashback / miles. CB/Miles will post and then be clawed back.
FAQ
Will it post as a cash advance (CA)?
Citi - Yes.
Cards from Chase, BoA, FIA, Barclay, AMEX, CapitalOne, US Bank, Discover, HSBC, etc., have posted as purchase. PNC Visa Cashbuilder - posts as purchase but does not earn CC rewards
Note: Some issuers (Discover, US Bank, etc.) will decline the authorization if it exceeds your CA limit. This does NOT mean it will post as CA. It simply means you need to lower the purchase amount below your CA limit for authorization, but it ultimately posts as a purchase.
How do I set PIN on AMEX Gift Cards and use as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc.
You cannot set PIN or use them as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc. You can only use them as credit where AMEX is accepted.
How do I cash out AMEX Gift Cards?
Use manufactured spend techniques (load RB, buy Visa/MC GCs, VRs, AP, AFT, etc.) or normal spend where AMEX is accepted.
Why buy AMEX Gift Cards then?
To reduce the cost of manufactured spend, to mask your manufactured spend (i.e unusual high spend at Target or CVS), earn additional cash back on spend, or meet minimum spend targets faster.
Next day shipping that isn't?
The next day shipping is from when they ship the cards to UPS, which can be as long as 10 days from the order submission if you order personalized cards (more recently this has been under a week). For next day shipping, you are notified late night (once your card finishes processing, see above) and the package arrive that same morning before 10:30AM in your area.
What is with the charge disappearing from my credit card?
Once the order is placed you will see a pending charge on your CC account. Quite often once the card ships this pending is removed but does not show as a charge. Don't panic (or celebrate) it will show up as a charge within a day or so.
Personalized GCs?
Either Biz or Personal GCs can be personalized with your name. This helps when shaky cashiers who demand to see your card are prevalent. These take approximately 4 biz days to arrive compared to the non personalized which arrives as quickly as the next day.
UPS Tracking?
If you logged in to your AMEX account when placing the order you can get tracking info by logging in to your AMEX account and clicking on cards > gift cards > order history > order details. Unfortunately tracking information may not appear until well after your order has shipped so it's best to sign up for UPS My Choice to get faster tracking info and reroute your package if needed. Since UPS may drop your package off at the door if you're not home, it will be useful to know when your package will arrive.
The portal terms indicate that coupon codes will invalidate cash back. Is this true?
Yes (as of July 2014)
What are the purchase limits? (Updated Dec 2014)
10K personal every 14 days
100K business every 14 days
Do declined orders count toward the purchase limits?
YMMV
Do fees and shipping count toward the purchase limits?
No
Why was my purchase declined by AMEX?
There are several possibilities:
- Your billing address does not match 100% with what the credit card company has on file. This could be anything from apt/suite/condo # on the wrong line to zip code requiring 9 digits instead of 5. If your first purchase does not go through, call your bank or login to your acct to verify that this matches what you used.
- You have gone over the $10k every 14 day limit on personal gift card purchase.
- Even if you are sure the first two are correct as you have ordered before on that card and it's been more than 14 days, you might still get declined. No one has any idea why.
- You placed a business order and you don't really have a business (at some point AMEX does a background check for a valid business) or you have exceeded the 14 day limit for business orders.
My order was declined but my credit card still shows a pending authorization. How long until this falls off and my credit line is freed up?
I typically takes 1 week for the pending authorization to fall off after a declined order.
Can I order from the business side using a personal card? Or does it need to be a business card?
You can use whatever credit card you want to pay for business or personal orders. About the only restriction is you can't use an AMEX GC to buy another AMEX GC.
How long will it take the portal to track my order and confirm the pending cash back or points?
For non-Cartera portals (TCB, BC, Befrugal, etc) your order will usually track within a day or two.
For Cartera portals (Barclay Reward Boost, Lucky Rewards, USAA, Alaska, Delta) it will take 3-4 weeks to track.
My orders are not tracking. How can I maximize the chances the portal will track my order properly?
Use a browser you do not normally use (Chrome, Firefox, Opera), reset all browser settings to defaults, clear all browser cookies, disable all browser add-ons, and close/re-start your browser before navigating to the portal and placing your order. Do NOT use promotional coupon codes. The vast majority of tracking issues result from use of coupon codes, a bad browser cookie, improperly configured browser settings, or add-ons that interfere with cookie tracking.
Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.
May 22, 2014, 8:54 am
#5686
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
May 22, 2014, 8:55 am
#5687
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Went to place an order and today and realized that I had forgotten my favorite miles-earning CC at home. :-( But wait...the acct number is in Serve/BB and I know the expiration date and CVV code in my head (after sooooooo many online orders). Problem solved! :-D Now to see if Amex wants to be nice to me today.
May 22, 2014, 8:56 am
#5688
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Warm, sunny Florida
Posts: 251
Need to make confession. Tried to order from GCM without registering AGC. I am a dope. Admission is the first step to recovery.
May 22, 2014, 9:03 am
#5689
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA,UA,BA,SPG,IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, UR, MR
Posts: 195
Haven't made a purchase of AGCs in a month.
Put an order today.
Got decline message.
Called their CS, was told to try again, got decline again.
Called CS again, totally useless talk. Asked for the supervisor, they hang up on me.
My question: did anyone succeed in placing the order after getting decline message?
Put an order today.
Got decline message.
Called their CS, was told to try again, got decline again.
Called CS again, totally useless talk. Asked for the supervisor, they hang up on me.
My question: did anyone succeed in placing the order after getting decline message?
May 22, 2014, 9:36 am
#5690
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ATL
Programs: Shamelessly Gold at Flying Burrito and AirTrain A+ Elite. Turkish Star Gold, 100k at Flying Eskimo
Posts: 742
It seems that my favorite place to buy Visa Gift Cards online with AGC is no longer accepting AGC. The transaction was authorized on AGC side (and balance impacted by the auth) but still got an error message on the merchant website.
I also noticed a change in the "merchant name" on my AGC balance online. It went from something similar to its name to "American Express prepaid".
I used an AGC card that was used successfully yesterday for the exact same transaction with every box in the form pre-filled. So no spelling error on my part.
So I guess Amex prepaid is now running the merchant GC issuing business (for AMEX GC and also it seems for ViSA GC!!) and might be denying the purchase of GC with other GC / AGC.
Any similar experience today?
Minos
1) Obviously the AGC was registered and blah blah blah. I used it online yesterday successfully at the same merchant for the same amount, for the same VISA GC
2) Merchant is not GCM
I also noticed a change in the "merchant name" on my AGC balance online. It went from something similar to its name to "American Express prepaid".
I used an AGC card that was used successfully yesterday for the exact same transaction with every box in the form pre-filled. So no spelling error on my part.
So I guess Amex prepaid is now running the merchant GC issuing business (for AMEX GC and also it seems for ViSA GC!!) and might be denying the purchase of GC with other GC / AGC.
Any similar experience today?
Minos
1) Obviously the AGC was registered and blah blah blah. I used it online yesterday successfully at the same merchant for the same amount, for the same VISA GC
2) Merchant is not GCM
Last edited by Minos; May 22, 2014 at 11:17 am
May 22, 2014, 9:38 am
#5691
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
It seems that my favorite place to buy Visa Gift Cards online with AGC is no longer accepting AGC. The transaction was authorized on AGC side (and balance impacted by the auth) but still got an error message on the merchant website.
I also noticed a change in the "merchant name" on my AGC balance online. It went from something similar to its name to "American Express prepaid".
I used an AGC card that was used successfully yesterday for the exact same transaction with every box in the form pre-filled. So no spelling error on my part.
So I guess Amex prepaid is now running the merchant GC issuing business (even for ViSA!!) and might be denying the purchase of GC with other GC.
Any similar experience today?
Minos
I also noticed a change in the "merchant name" on my AGC balance online. It went from something similar to its name to "American Express prepaid".
I used an AGC card that was used successfully yesterday for the exact same transaction with every box in the form pre-filled. So no spelling error on my part.
So I guess Amex prepaid is now running the merchant GC issuing business (even for ViSA!!) and might be denying the purchase of GC with other GC.
Any similar experience today?
Minos
May 22, 2014, 10:10 am
#5694
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ATL
Programs: Shamelessly Gold at Flying Burrito and AirTrain A+ Elite. Turkish Star Gold, 100k at Flying Eskimo
Posts: 742
Are you referring to giftcardmall? If so, there are tons of stories throughout this thread of issues on that site with using Amex GCs. From what I was told by a CSR, the system flags the Amex GC as being a new credit card and/or it flags that you are consistently using a different credit card.
May 22, 2014, 10:14 am
#5695
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
May 22, 2014, 11:13 am
#5696
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 202
I am curious about which cards you use to purchase AGC on the AMEX portal.
I have been using my Barclaycard Arrival (regardless of which Shopping Portal I use) to get the 2x on the purchase amount.
On my Barclaycard statement the transaction codes as
Is there a card with a category bonus for that?
I have been using my Barclaycard Arrival (regardless of which Shopping Portal I use) to get the 2x on the purchase amount.
On my Barclaycard statement the transaction codes as
Code:
Description: AMEX GIFTING PRODUCTS Merchant Location:* 801-945-791 UT Merchant Category: FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS-MERCHANDISE SALES
May 22, 2014, 11:59 am
#5698
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
I have been getting mostly approvals lately on my business orders. However, on a few occasions my 1k order would get denied. I immediately try again, changing nothing. Second denial. Then I try again, changing absolutely nothing. approved. On all of these occasions, I have been approved on the third attempt. This seems to work for business orders, but would get you to the limits quickly on personal. In doing it this way, I've also come to the realization that someone must be looking at each of my orders and I'm just eventually getting a friendly CSR? I just can't think of anything else, because any automated process wouldn't logically approve me after the third identical order, would it? And if any limits were involved I would just be exceeding them even more with immediate subsequent orders. I guess we just have to accept that their approval process simply makes no sense.
I wonder why Amex keeps those totally useless CSRs on their payroll.
Gonna try your three strikes approach, I have nothing to lose anyway.
May 22, 2014, 12:08 pm
#5699
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 466
I am curious about which cards you use to purchase AGC on the AMEX portal.
I have been using my Barclaycard Arrival (regardless of which Shopping Portal I use) to get the 2x on the purchase amount.
On my Barclaycard statement the transaction codes as
Is there a card with a category bonus for that?
I have been using my Barclaycard Arrival (regardless of which Shopping Portal I use) to get the 2x on the purchase amount.
On my Barclaycard statement the transaction codes as
Code:
Description: AMEX GIFTING PRODUCTS Merchant Location:* 801-945-791 UT Merchant Category: FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS-MERCHANDISE SALES
May 22, 2014, 12:18 pm
#5700
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA,UA,BA,SPG,IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, UR, MR
Posts: 195
Another reason why I might be having success after multiple attempts: First attempt early in morning... wait for denial. second attempt midday... wait for denial. By the time I make this third attempt it is usually later in the evening. One poster upthread speculated that the late evening employees were apparently more apt to approve. I guess there could be some truth to that. Just a thought.