Yes, it seems they've issued many "one-time courtesies" for transactions on 9/16 and 9/17. It's not a "one-time courtesy" as much as "honoring the terms written and advertised by them and in effect at the time of those transactions." (Remember, until 9/18, the terms of this promotion shown on Discover's website did not reflect any exclusions for any type of purchases or items.)

Yup, got the email:

We're writing to let you know that your Apple Pay purchase on September 21, 2015 for $504.95 at Walgreens #5409 included a gift card. The gift card portion of your purchase does not qualify for the 10% Cashback Bonus® promotion.

As a reminder, now through December 31, 2015, you'll earn an extra 10% Cashback Bonus® on up to $10,000 in purchases when you shop in stores and use your Discover card with Apple Pay, excluding gift card purchases.


Thing is, this is the one time I bought only the gift card. Other times I had other items mixed in, so I'm wondering if they are picking those up too as gift cards.

There's a good chance they will. The anecdotal evidence suggests they do not have itemized transaction detail and are just guessing.

Good guess but its wrong. My one time courtesy e-mail was for purchase on Sep 25 but other e-mails stating "no credit for you" we're from 18, 21 and 22 Sep. what is your next theory?

Deleted

How does your experience conflict with my "theory" (which is actually my own experience and consistent with other reports I've seen)? In my experience, transactions made on 9/16 and 9/17 that Discover suspects of containing GCs have been granted the "one-time courtesies." The earliest date you listed was 9/18, and the GC exclusion was added on that date.

As for why you received the "courtesy" on 9/25 but not the earlier transactions, I have no idea, and have not offered a theory on that (nor do I care enough to try to develop one). I have seen other reports of the same.

Terms
 

Has anyone read through the terms for any kind of language, linked or otherwise, that indicates we have to produce proof of purchase if they request it?

You can find the terms at https://www.discover.com/credit-card...e-pay.html#q22. You should also read the referenced rewards terms.

There isn't anything.

There is a line that says they reserve the right to amend the terms without notice though, so that sucks.

Just a matter of time until the NY Times or other national news agency writes about 1) how either Walgreens is sharing personal HIPPA pharmacy purchase details with Apple Pay and the credit card company (doubtful) or 2) how Discover is requesting its customers to email, through an unsecured source, personal HIPPA information on pharmacy purchases showing which medications you are on. The publicity is going to hurt Discover. Apple may have to come out and state this information is not passed along to Discover to protect the Apple Pay image. Discover is bluffing. They truly don't know.

But whether or not they can enforce the amended terms retroactively is a different matter.

(I'm not saying they can or can't.)

Emails to Discover are secure, their email server has SSL/TLS enabled.

My purchase that had other stuff mixed in got the email saying they are not going to give me the 10%.

Hilarious at some of the complaints here.

Discover is honoring the GC purchased prior to the language change date.

Discover made the change to the language about not allowing GC's, you still went ahead and purchased GC's, and now you're upset they caught you?

Its time to move on.

If the nyt pick it up, they will focus on gift cards with pins first, like what npr did to coins.
I'm writing back to them regard of my non disclose due to HIPPA.

Spent entire $10k on VGC at Duane Reade/Walgreens on 9/16 and 9/17. Got 8-9 emails with "one time courtesies" for all transactions. I guess this is starting to look like an early bird gets the worm situation.