AMEX - Shop Small November 2019

[gregff]

I tried to register yesterday and customer service told me the cap of 118000, had been reached. That is ridiculously quick! There is no specific allocation for premium card members. Along with the devaluation of Platinum Charge Accent Premium points ($1 spend = 1.125 VA or SQ points), and the erosion of other benefits (remember Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Gold Status?) and my annual fee $1450 coming up, I am considering whether I will renew my long-term Amex cardmember relationship.

 

[Dr Ralph]

That is ridiculously quick!

It's about usual and even a little longer than I expected.

I am considering whether I will renew my long-term Amex cardmember relationship.

"Churn and burn" strategy has given me immense success. AMEX is just like any other card.

 

[bookworm]

Top right-hand corner of the AMEX home page: “Contact us”, then Chat (or phone). I have used secure mail in the past but don’t see that option now.

Thank you,I will do this. Yes I also saw the secure email option has disappeared, and asked. Thank you so much.

 

[maccaisking]

Most the stores I used last year have stopped accepting AMEX. So much for slashing points earn and increasing acceptance *rolleyes*

Got it on 2/2 cards, will be cancelling both at the end of the month - but I'll be really struggling to use the 10.

I’m amazed if you can’t find 10. I have had a few I shopped at the last few years go, but several new stores I shop at anyway have popped up. So far I have used 12 shops, only 128 to go!

 

[maccaisking]

It's about usual and even a little longer than I expected.



"Churn and burn" strategy has given me immense success. AMEX is just like any other card.

Likely took longer due to the inability to manually add cards this year.

 

[Dave G]

Interesting - just got the email on 3 out of the 4 cards that I used. Yes - confirmed that that card was registered - and yes - spent $20. Is anyone else getting any email delays ?

 

[Long_20]

Interesting - just got the email on 3 out of the 4 cards that I used. Yes - confirmed that that card was registered - and yes - spent $20. Is anyone else getting any email delays ?

Email confirmations have been coming through straight away after spending $20

 

[deka2]

All $10 credits arrived overnight for our Saturday spends

 

[bernardblack]

Email confirmations have been coming through straight away after spending $20

My wife and I have received email confirmations immediately across all transactions on several cards, except for one yesterday where I split the payment over two cards and one email came immediately and the other came this morning.

 

[DavidFlynn]

Any tips on interesting cost-effective spends?

 

[SydneySwan]

Any tips on interesting cost-effective spends?

Anything where you get $10 back, preferably where you only spend $20.

 

[VPS]

Any tips on interesting cost-effective spends?

I never have any problems at all shopping at many of the places I go to - Pilates, cheese shop and the pub are 3 of the 5 without even thinking otherwise just check out the map and plan your lunches and dinners around them

 

[bernardblack]

Any tips on interesting cost-effective spends?

Yeah, like others (probably) I just use it on purchases I would otherwise have made, focusing the smallest amounts over $20 on (say) the Platinum Edge to minimise the opportunity cost of lost points earning. It may be the case that I do slightly more dining-out during November, but it probably more biases me to a range of places rather than more dining-out than usual. I discovered at least one great new place for lunch last year because it was on the Shop Small map and near my office.

 

[burmans]

A $20 bottle of wine or a 6 pack of beer, breakfast/lunch and a cup of coffee that just tops $20. Personally am not finding it hard and there do appear to be more options than last year.

 

[knobbs]

I’m amazed if you can’t find 10. I have had a few I shopped at the last few years go, but several new stores I shop at anyway have popped up. So far I have used 12 shops, only 128 to go!

How do you manage to acquire 35 cards? Let alone have the targeted offer appear on all of them oO?

 

[maccaisking]

How do you manage to acquire 35 cards? Let alone have the targeted offer appear on all of them oO?

MrsMac and I both have Plat Charge/Reserve + 4 supps each (one card actually has 6 supps - its a long story), she also has Explorer + 4 supps. I signed my mum up for an Explorer just before the devaluation, which has 4 supps, total 32 cards. 28 were targeted - very lucky to get this many - so aiming for 140 total shops.

Based on previous years I expect I can buy gift cards for at least 2 shops we already use (there was a third but they have dropped off), and I’ll make my annual visit to Cellarbrations. If anybody knows anywhere selling Sonos gear who will let me split payments I would be very grateful. The rest will be scattered purchases throughout the month. I don’t realistically expect to use them all but will give it a red hot go!

 

[knobbs]

MrsMac and I both have Plat Charge/Reserve + 4 supps each (one card actually has 6 supps - its a long story), she also has Explorer + 4 supps. I signed my mum up for an Explorer just before the devaluation, which has 4 supps, total 32 cards. 28 were targeted - very lucky to get this many - so aiming for 140 total shops.

Based on previous years I expect I can buy gift cards for at least 2 shops we already use (there was a third but they have dropped off), and I’ll make my annual visit to Cellarbrations. If anybody knows anywhere selling Sonos gear who will let me split payments I would be very grateful. The rest will be scattered purchases throughout the month. I don’t realistically expect to use them all but will give it a red hot go!

Ahh I see, I thought AMEX only allowed 2 main cards per user so nice MrsMac is now up to 3 main cards haha. Not sure how my math worked out to 35 cards haha. Get them for all you can! I am doing my GoCard run through the Bris CBD today. Only was us QLDers can get a discount on it.

 

[Motherhen]

Shop Small offer seems targeted this year - only available so far on 6 of my 13 cards.

That's right, I didn't get it this year.

 

[gregff]

I think there was a smaller allocation as well. 118000 vs 130000 last year.
Maybe they are saving the 12000 to allocate to their Centurion and Platinum members!! After all, those annual fees should be worth something....

 

[Aeolus]

Contacted Amex via their online chat today as one of the biz refused to accept Amex even though it’s listed on the map. Amex asked me for the biz and address then asked me to upload the receipt. Hope I’ll be able to get $10 credit somehow as a goodwill gesture.