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Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.

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Old Oct 25, 2013, 7:07 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.
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Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.

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Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:25 am
  #8491  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 747
Originally Posted by SkinsFan0521
I just tried my luck with the 40%. Hey, if it works, great! If not, it was worth the gamble.

Edit: Plus, I took several screenshots in case that will matter when trying to collect on this deal that will almost certainly not be honored without a fight.
FTFY
nrdk is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:28 am
  #8492  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 333
Maybe it supposed to be on fees?
Adirondacker is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:34 am
  #8493  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BGM
Programs: HHonors Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 772
Originally Posted by nrdk
FTFY
Probably right, but like I said, it was worth the gamble to me in case it is. Or maybe they compromise and payout 4% (since that's probably what they meant).
SkinsFan0521 is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:37 am
  #8494  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 747
Originally Posted by SkinsFan0521
Probably right, but like I said, it was worth the gamble to me in case it is. Or maybe they compromise and payout 4% (since that's probably what they meant).
Guessing they meant .4% and forgot that their upload routine changes the number to a percent by multiplying by 100, which would make for 40%.
nrdk is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:38 am
  #8495  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: ATL
Programs: HH D, MB G, IHG P, Nat'l EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 496
I rolled the dice as well. It will be interesting to see what happens.
ncSam is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:52 am
  #8496  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 415
There's a one liner under terms on that site that says:

Cash back is paid on media buys.

Not sure if that kills it...
ttlmmky is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 9:57 am
  #8497  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BGM
Programs: HHonors Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 772
Originally Posted by ttlmmky
There's a one liner under terms on that site that says:

Cash back is paid on media buys.

Not sure if that kills it...
I noticed that too, but don't know what it means. Since the only thing that it is possible to buy through AMEX GC is the actual GC, I don't know what that stipulation could possibly mean?
SkinsFan0521 is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 10:03 am
  #8498  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 31
Possibly this; http://www.amexpub.com/
gunner725 is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 10:11 am
  #8499  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
I just got an email from BeFrugal.com with a coupon for AmEx, but I can't see what the coupon gets you -- it takes you to a BeFrugal splash page and then to the AmEx GC site a few seconds later when you click on the link. No cashback amount is mentioned.

Text:

New Coupon for American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card


New American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card coupon added today!

American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card

One Gift. Endless Possibilities

American Express Gift Cards are a flexible choice for family and friends that can be used to buy almost anything at millions of locations.


Click to Activate
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 10:13 am
  #8500  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BGM
Programs: HHonors Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 772
Originally Posted by gunner725
Possibly, but that's a different site. And I believe that they have a separate cashback merchant set up for that amexpub site.

EDIT: Plus, when you click on the 40% cashback link, it takes you right to the page to buy gift cards. That amexpub is a completely different site.
SkinsFan0521 is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 10:14 am
  #8501  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,067
Originally Posted by Songer5
For what it's worth to this conversation, my (very) small business gets 2.89% + $0.15 for Amex swipes. Key enter add 0.3%.

And given how much hotels need credit card processing, I'd actually be shocked to see if they were in any position at all to negotiate better rates.
OK - but that rate is probably part of a whole processing package, not a direct account with Amex, right? Same would be true of a Square account, for example.

But your idea that the small guy can negotiate more than a hotel chain? I don't see it at all. Sure, a hotel chain needs to take all cards, but they can seriously de-emphasize one which gives them a terrible deal. IHG, for example, has a co-branded Visa, and not a co-branded Amex.
josephstern is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 10:14 am
  #8502  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by PaulMSN
I just got an email from BeFrugal.com with a coupon for AmEx, but I can't see what the coupon gets you -- it takes you to a BeFrugal splash page and then to the AmEx GC site a few seconds later when you click on the link.

Text:

New Coupon for American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card


New American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card coupon added today!

American Express Gift Cards and Business Gift Card

One Gift. Endless Possibilities

American Express Gift Cards are a flexible choice for family and friends that can be used to buy almost anything at millions of locations.
Get Offer
Got the same email. As far as I can tell there is no coupon so I'm not sure why this went out. When you click through to Amex, there is no click number associated with it so it doesn't appear to be tracking at all. The URL does end in their affiliate number though.
yapmrow is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 11:00 am
  #8503  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Originally Posted by Stoughton
Umm...wild ... guess that it's a typo?
Ha, yup, except not so much a wild guess as a certainty.
smoothmunkey is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 11:02 am
  #8504  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Originally Posted by SkinsFan0521
I just tried my luck with the 40%. Hey, if it works, great! If not, it was worth the gamble.

Edit: Plus, I took several screenshots in case that will matter when trying to collect on this deal that will almost certainly not be honored without a fight.
I'll be doing the same. I'm hoping at least one of my new cards comes today/before they fix it. Please keep us posted (or PM me). Very curious how it plays out.
smoothmunkey is offline  
Old Sep 4, 2014, 11:04 am
  #8505  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Originally Posted by nrdk
Guessing they meant .4% and forgot that their upload routine changes the number to a percent by multiplying by 100, which would make for 40%.
Seems like a likely explanation.
smoothmunkey is offline  


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