10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[kamchatsky]

NFI.. I hope AMEX will learn from their mistakes, but also hope it doesn't stop them from offering more promotions like this one

The letter I received last week said I was on the 5k/10T promo - which I never received a postcard for (my postcard is for the original 10k/20t).

AMEX sure screwed this up, but thankfully they're (slowly) sorting it out. They're one of the few companies that I have faith that they will do the Right Thing by their customers.

They may offer promotion like this but I am sure it will be capped ...... It cost Amex way too much money and surely they will not do this again ....... BTW, even if it is capped it is still a great offer.

I got the letter too ...... Have complained to Amex about this now hopefully they will send me a "clarifying" letter and put us back to 5T/5K promo ..... Otherwise we will just ask for points for all 3 promotions

 

[simongr]

How can 2 people following almost an identical path end up on 2 different promotions?

JohnK - I am on the same path as you. I have not had a correction letter sent to me. I think the difference between us and Matt_r is that he phoned to confirm the 5k/5t - neither of us did and we got the notification in the mail in Oct - he didnt.

The other difference is that he did receive a mailer for 20T/10K.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK - I am on the same path as you. I have not had a correction letter sent to me. I think the difference between us and Matt_r is that he phoned to confirm the 5k/5t - neither of us did and we got the notification in the mail in Oct - he didnt.

The other difference is that he did receive a mailer for 20T/10K.

Which makes it even more confusing. I was told that I was put on the 10T/5K promotion because that was the best fit to my spending profile where as someone received a postcard for 20T/10K promotion and is now on 5T/5K because he called and asked to be put on the more generous promotion! What happened to the rule about multiple signups being put on to the promotion that best fits their spending profile?

Makes absolutely no sense to me but then not much of what Amex has been doing with this promotion makes much sense anyway.

 

[NSWhere]

JohnK, I am fairly certain that the 'spending profile' argument was rubbish from the start. Why? Well out of serendipity I had activated my first Amex branded Amex card only a couple of days prior to enrolling, they had literally no spending pattern to base their judgment on!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

JohnK, I am fairly certain that the 'spending profile' argument was rubbish from the start. Why? Well out of serendipity I had activated my first Amex branded Amex card only a couple of days prior to enrolling, they had literally no spending pattern to base their judgment on!

Well that would make you a low transactor then..

But more seriously...why rubbish??? They must have had some logic to base the three awards on.

 

[NSWhere]

"they must have had some logic"... usually I'd agree, but from what I have seen lately I'm not so sure . Yeah I agree that the only conclusion they could draw from my 0 transaction history is that I am low transactor, however others that were also put on 10T/5K based on their 'history' have what must surely be considered medium if not high transactors (in excess of ~2k/week). Consistent?

 

[deluxeflyer]

I dont think you have been sent the letter in error. They have been sending apologies to people invited to 5/5 who were told that they had been kicked out of 5/5.
.......
Do you have any evidence that you enrolled? If so - complain to Amex in writing, give them a chance to resolve and then contact the BFSO.

S

Unfortunately I have no written evidence myself that I enrolled in the 5/5, BUT the letter from Corrinna at Amex specifically acknowledges my enrolment in the 5/5. Given that my first and so far, only, lot of bonus points (5,000) were posted on 22/9, I'd say I have reasonably arguable position that I should be on the 5/5 promo.

The same letter makes no mention of the date of my enrolment, and does not say that my bonus points are capped. (Though, as many would know, the letter refers to the FAQ page on bonus points, which in turn specifies a cap.)

Vet, did you receive the same letter from Corrinna too ?

 

[JohnK]

I am fairly certain that the 'spending profile' argument was rubbish from the start.

It would have been interesting to see the criteria Amex used. As I mentioned earlier in this thread there appears to be people on here who received the 5T/5K promotion postcard and easily do 100+ transactions a month. I would be surprised if Amex used any logic whatsoever in determining which category of spender fitted into any of the promotions....

 

[simongr]

This was one of my arguments for them putting me on the 10T/5K promo - they say that is the promo I should have been on - but as they did not invite my spending patterns obviously didnt fit any of their models...

 

[vet]

It would have been interesting to see the criteria Amex used. As I mentioned earlier in this thread there appears to be people on here who received the 5T/5K promotion postcard and easily do 100+ transactions a month. I would be surprised if Amex used any logic whatsoever in determining which category of spender fitted into any of the promotions....

There were those too who phoned out of the blue about new cards, cancelling, renewing, lost cards, stolen cards etc. I believe csr staff had memos saying to offer waivers of renewal fees etc and sign up people to ff programs ... and tell them 'and we've got a great deal based on transactions. Just buy small stuff for a dollar and get x points". The csrs would then see if a caller had low high or middle transactions. There will be guidelines/memos. Then the offer to Joe the Plumber was made. Later Amex thought 'oops' and invented that bacon-saving excuse of 'you weren't invited'. Logic depends on the relevant csr's decision in every phone call, imo.

 

[glass]

Firstly, I am not referring to "anyone else". What I am talking about is the current bonus points promotion which has been messed up by AMEX.

AMEX CAN change the T&C's with notice and if they are reasonable about it.

Changing someone WITH NOTICE from 5/5 to 5/10 can be reasonable depending on the circumestances surrouding the sign up and the time frame. I am sure that AMEX put a tiny bit of thought into changing people who were not invited for this promotion onto various offers.

Waiting 5-10 years for points is clearly not reasonable and trying to compare the two is pointless.

Good that you have such faith in AMEX, and clearly we don't agree on what is 'reasonable'. My position is that I don't feel halving my points is reasonable. Maybe amex agrees, hence everyone gets told it's a 'mistake' to be rectified by this week. Perhaps your threshold is higher. What I would like to know is if people who don't call also get the apology letter.

And if you are not referring to "anyone else", then are you saying that only
AMEX can change the T&C's with notice like this, but you reserve judgement for any other cases individually? I would have expected the law to be more 'blind' - yes or no, not 'depending on'.:?:

btw, I had only extended your argument to a higher extreme to illustrate how 'silly' it sounded to me. I could have easily have put the example of changing from 5/5tx to 5/50tx which is a direct extension and I'd guess the reactions would have been the same. Or how about the 10k cap - if on Sep 27 the cap was applied for ALL applicants henceforth? still reasonable?

 

[vet]

I want to know if Amex is on the 'naughty' or 'nice' list.

 

[straitman]

I want to know if Amex is on the 'naughty' or 'nice' list.

They will be on the same list as a few of the people posting on this thread :!: :evil:

 

[QF WP]

Well, thanks to simongr's example of his weekend transactions (and my poor weekend of 0 transactions), I had some impetus to go shopping yesterday afternoon (just the groceries), but racked up the transactions as I did some "everyday shopping" at quite a number of "everday establishments".

Month      Transactions      Points Credited      Points Owed 
September^      23               10,000                   0+
October         70               10,000              25,000~
November       102                    0              50,000
December#       60                    0              30,000

^ from date of registration (18/9)
# up to and including 15/12, with 10 transactions to post from yesterday afternoon and 2 already from today. Goal is 150, so I'm back almost on target [That would make an overall target of 155K bonus points]
+ Points owed were 5,000 but paid on 10/12
~ Points owed were 35,000 but 10,000 paid on 10/12

 

[deluxeflyer]

I'm in exactly the same position.

Update:
I received the apology letter today from Amex MR: "for a recent administration error".
I'm now back to 5/5 MYREWARD.
Still no bonus points credited under the promo.
I guess with the administration error, crediting of points will be further delayed. Again.

 

[Febs]

You guys have got me all curious to see if I've got a letter now! (Home on Saturday).

It's been a big week of transactions - I ran out of USD last week and decided to see how far I'd get putting everything on AMEX. So far so good - averaging 5-10 transactions a day!

Bring on those free SPG nights.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[serfty]

You guys have got me all curious to see if I've got a letter now! (Home on Saturday).

It's been a big week of transactions - I ran out of USD last week and decided to see how far I'd get putting everything on AMEX. So far so good - averaging 5-10 transactions a day!

Bring on those free SPG nights.

Cheers,
- Febs.

hmm ... Domestic Oz$ transactions only apply ....

 

[simongr]

Have you been getting bonuses on the overseas payments since the big beak in September? I did not get points for my 5T in HKG.

 

[Flashback]

You guys have got me all curious to see if I've got a letter now! (Home on Saturday).

It's been a big week of transactions - I ran out of USD last week and decided to see how far I'd get putting everything on AMEX. So far so good - averaging 5-10 transactions a day!

Bring on those free SPG nights.

Cheers,
- Febs.

International transactions don't count towards the total....

 

[NSWhere]

Might have some bad news for you Febs Seeing as most places in Australia don't take USD as payment and only Australian transactions are eligible 1+1 suggests you won't be getting bonus points for your recent transactions.

EDIT: Wow, we all jumped up then didn't we?!