So, I downloaded the shopping toolbar from Mileageplus. I did this for the 1,000 miles they are offering.

Anyone have any experience with using mileageplus shopping and the chase ultimate rewards mall together to get more points from a spend?

For instance, can I be logged into UR mall, go to say Sears.com to shop for 5x bonus while at the same time going through mileageplus shopping to get the extra 2x bonus?

These shopping portals work based off of referral bonuses paid by the site you buy from. If the United toolbar works like the Upromise toolbar, it redirects you through its own referral link, thereby removing the UR referral link. Either way, I can't see the site paying 2 referral bonuses, so you probably won't get points from both.

That being said, if it works, I want to know.

Most malls work on a referral click through--so the last place you click through would credit you. Mileageplus shopping is actually different. When you click through from Mileagplus Shopping they do everything they can to actively deny you any and all points. MP Shopping is run by a team of people who don't care at all about their customers. So tread lightly using them whatsoever, and keep good screenshots.

One way to double dip is to click through UR and use another card that gives a bonus for online purchases. That native bonus is tied to the merchant category, not the click-through.

I may have bought sears/Kmart GCs through one mall and then used them through another mall for a double dip. Risky as the Sears T & Cs typically says no points for GCs. It's worked for two combos of malls thus far. As always here, it's the layering that works and YMMV, be prepared for it not to work.

...the same company as operates the Ultimate Rewards Mall and nearly all US-based airline shopping portals. Discussion here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...l-cartera.html

You would think these airlines would be working towards replacing their malls with reputable companies instead of the current POS. I bought a bunch of things through United Mall a long time ago and it left a bad taste in my mouth never shopped there again. Just fyi

I was just wondering if I went through the UR mall to click the link to say sears.... and in another browser clicked on sears through mileageplus, then puchased through UR mall link (their bonus is higher) using a credit card resigered with MP website if they would read the click and the spend to MP and award miles too.. Not sure if the final transaction is reported, or if they just simply get the click and then the related purchase through the credit card.

MP shopping mall - never ever again
AA mall--same
DL mall - same
Any mall run by Cartera - same.

Except UR mall.

Why?
Because Chase also works with you in it. From my experience UR posts and posts quickly and if there is an issue, Chase will help. I believe they may strong arm Cartera. I could be wrong on this but the UR mall works for me whereas the others simply do not. Oh sure, they may deliver now and then but why risk it? Best to stay clear of them and send a message thru lack of use.

That's all I got on the subject for now. For further info and details and ideas on how to combat issues, find the UA MOM thread and read it all to the end.

MM

I agree. Except AA has been good of late crediting purchases. And BA has a 50% success rate in my book. The best one IMHO is Capital One. Those bonus points post rather quickly (purchase points do as well-no need to wait for the billing cycle to end). I have only had to contact them once, and the points were credited while I was on the line with a CS. The only time I use DL's shopping portal is if they actually have you use a promotion code in order to get bonus points. And I make a screen shot with the bonus code in case they give me flak later on. Not that that will sway them one bit.

My experience with UR mall has been really great. ANY time points don't show up as I expect them to they immediately add them. The secure message way usually takes longer, although with Freedom they claim a 4hr turnaround which is usually the case. i find the phone numbers work very fast. One time they ended up crediting me 7,000 miles just because I said they owed me (they did.). No hoops to jump through at all.

Side note: The sapphire preffered customer service is WAY faster. The emails are within 30 mins and there are NO prompts when you call. Someone live after the phone ringing. It's great. (freedom usually there is a wait and some prompts to get through).

If you have both cards you can call through the sapphire number and they will also help freedom.

So you're telling me the points I'm racking up with this MileagePlus Toolbar will likely never post?

Honestly I only signed up for the 1000 point bonus (which has not posted yet after about 2 weeks). However, the toolbar is not annoying at all - it just tells me when I'm on a site that will earn me points. I made a $400+ purchase the other day and it said that I was earning 3 points per dollar. I was going to make the purchase anyway so I though it was great. If that doesn't go through I'm gonna be a little upset. I didn't take screenprints or anything.

I don't think Chase is strong-arming Cartera, I think they're just eating the loss. Could be wrong. I never get credit for Office Max purchases through the UR Mall (yes, I clear cookies before every purchase). I think Cartera sabotages some links.

Fragments - I never clear cookies before any purchase. I just know what I purchased, and if within the billing cycle I don't get credit, then I call chase and I have never had an occasion where they don't give me the points. Just a little process to keep up with it all. Like I said, some months I get credited an additional 7,000.

As for the toolbar, I called Mileageplus to talk to them about why my 1,000 miles never posted a month out. They couldn't even find the offer for the longest time, then told me that they would probably post a couple weeks after the offer is over (10.31.12). If in a couple weeks they don't post, call back.

Sounds like a blow off, but I'll call back if they don't post them.

exactly right and good info/good post!!


I think you'd be very lucky if it worked and I personally think it may not post as expected. I also think toolbars, while initially not so problematic, do cause some trouble in PCs and invite more as time goes by. But if you say it's working then you are lucky. I hope you get the miles but I doubt they will come and you also have little evidence to share with anyone should they not post--then again, it often does little good since Cartera can tend to ignore things people submit.

You may be correct on all of this. And at some point the relationship will break down. I would imagine that when this occurs, one or both entity will begin by faulting the customer (ie: you bought too many Vanillas at Office Depot and that's fraud in our minds, or we think you sold points, or you had too many cases where you complained points have not posted, or we deny those purchases counted, or your violated the T&Cs and are shut down but we dont have to give you a reason due to the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, etc etc) All reasons are obtuse but possibly ones that can be used by any party who holds all the cards.

I would let it go. If you see the miles you are lucky. If not, you need to give it up. It took me many moons to learn to do this.