AMEX - Shop Small November 2019

[SydneySwan]

And generally such credits don’t count as one of the 5.

 

[ozstamps]

The map is rubbish. Keeps loading up in New York. When I move it to my area in Sydney, it says no merchants available

Agree - each year it is a hopeless joke.

In my little suburb of Castlecrag only about half the small Businesses who accept Amex are shown.

ALL earn the $10 tho it seems.

I've been an Amex merchant for 30 years - I had to phone them last month to ensure I was added to the map.

For a tech savvy company, they are absolutely clueless with this promo.

I do not get it with Amex. CAPPING this, and Targeting this, is just Dumbsville.

They do print ads, TV ads, and ads on website and merchant point of sale. THEN masses of cardholders can't use it!

Specify all cards must be Registered by say midnight AEDST Nov 3 etc, makes far more sense.

Only a small % of cardholders ever bother with these, and setting a TIME to Register, makes Amex then look vaguely organised to all others. And fair and balanced, and organised.

Right NOW their ad-hoc promo has probably pIssed off more cardholders than it pleases.

 

[gregff]

Agree - each year it is a hopeless joke.

In my little suburb of Castlecrag only about half the small Businesses who accept Amex are shown.

ALL earn the $10 tho it seems.

I've been an Amex merchant for 30 years - I had to phone them last month to ensure I was added to the map.

For a tech savvy company, they are absolutely clueless with this promo.

I do not get it with Amex. CAPPING this, and Targeting this, is just Dumbsville.

They do print ads, TV ads, and ads on website and merchant point of sale. THEN masses of cardholders can't use it!

Specify all cards must be Registered by say midnight AEDST Nov 3 etc, makes far more sense.

Only a small % of cardholders ever bother with these, and setting a TIME to Register, makes Amex then look vaguely organised to all others

Right NOW their ad-hoc promo has probably pIssed off more cardholders than it pleases.

Promotions don't make sense. Have been a member since 1981, and currently a Platinum Charge member (now for several years), but no preference for long tem members (or premium one's for that matter!). Promotions seems to target new members, who probably only sign up for the sign-up bonuses and then cancel.

 

[MathNerd]

Had a Live Chat conversation that went round and round in circles without an end (or resolution) in sight.
The basics of it:

1. Visited a bakery a couple of suburbs away yesterday, it is clearly on the Shop Small map, double and triple checked (can never be too sure with these promos)!
2. Purchased $28 worth of things, enjoyed our coffees and pastries etc.
3. Time to pay the bill, they have one of those CommBank "Albert" tablet EFTPOS machines there, insert my Explorer card for a Chip+PIN transaction, error appears saying "Card Not Accepted". Blimey, I've seen this before, it means they're not connected to Amex. Paid the bill with a MasterCard.
4. The real fun comes when I jump on Live Chat today to query what's going on and (hopefully) get a $10 credit. Here's what happened:
   • Pleasantries out of the way - sorry you've had trouble etc
   • He then proceeds to say that the merchant isn't even a part of Shop Small, so I send him a direct link to the specific merchant on the map. "Sorry MathNerd that merchant isn't in Shop Small on my system".
   • We then proceed to waste a solid half an hour of him saying he literally can't do anything such as give a $10 credit nor top up with bonus points etc. Just a "Sorry, nothing I can do, if I could help I would".
   • I just proceeded to ask if there was anyone else that could help at which point he closed the chat on me.

Can't believe things have gone *so* downhill in all the years I've had an (multiple) AmEx card(s). I used to sing their praises especially with their customer service but it seems like this promo was the "straw that broke the camel's back"?

Anyone else feeling similar?

 

[SydneySwan]

Right NOW their ad-hoc promo has probably pIssed off more cardholders than it pleases.

Agreed. Count me among the 'pissed off'.

 

[MathNerd]

Agreed. Count me among the 'pissed off'.

Ditto here.

 

[DC3]

Had a Live Chat conversation that went round and round in circles .... He then proceeds to say that the merchant isn't even a part of Shop Small, so I send him a direct link to the specific merchant on the map. "Sorry MathNerd that merchant isn't in Shop Small on my system".

• We then proceed to waste a solid half an hour of him saying he literally can't do anything such as give a $10 credit nor top up with bonus points etc. Just a "Sorry, nothing I can do, if I could help I would".
• I just proceeded to ask if there was anyone else that could help at which point he closed the chat on me ...

You were clearly chatting to the wrong person. I would have not been as patient. When you realise that it’s going nowhere, like within the first few minutes, end the chat and try again.

Maybe time to phone up. HUACA until you get the right answer.

 

[ozstamps]

Can't believe things have gone *so* downhill in all the years I've had an (multiple) AmEx card(s). I used to sing their praises especially with their customer service but it seems like this promo was the "straw that broke the camel's back"?

Anyone else feeling similar?

Went to Castlecrag pharmac_ today. Small business, owner operated, not part of a chain.

Has a ''Shop Small'' placard by the Cash Register.

Bought $21 of shampoo etc, paid by Amex, and each of all previous years of Shop Small got a $10 credit email within 5 mins of payiing.

Today NADA.

They really have Chimps running things this year!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

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.

I have 4 Amexes in my name at present. 2 are branded Westpac, but all 4 plus supps for all my cards are in Shop Small.

 

[gregff]

I am annoyed as well. A simple promotion but the way it is handled manages to irritate premium and long term card members

 

[burmans]

Promotions don't make sense. Have been a member since 1981, and currently a Platinum Charge member (now for several years), but no preference for long tem members (or premium one's for that matter!). Promotions seems to target new members, who probably only sign up for the sign-up bonuses and then cancel.

Disagree entirely. The point of promotions is to encourage people who aren't currently customers or who aren't acting a certain way to change their behaviour. While I get that you want to be rewarded for doing what you were always going to do, I can't see why any business would waste money doing that. It may make sense to you but it certainly doesn't make sense for the business.

 

[Colin 2905]

Bought $21 of shampoo etc, paid by Amex, and each of all previous years of Shop Small got a $10 credit email within 5 mins of payiing.

Today NADA.

I've found the e-mails to be a bit hit-and-miss sometimes for past Shop Smalls, but this time around the TPG e-mail filter had sent them all to the spam folder. I've since created a filter rule so they'll go to my inbox now.

(Collectively, the 2905 household only has three Amex cards now; Mrs 2905's Explorer, with myself and our son as additional cardholders.)

 

[SOPOOR]

I got 5 out of 12 cards registered

Loving it.

I thought there wasnt going to be enough businesses that i wanted to go to,

But now ive got more businesses i want than cashbacks available

 

[burmans]

I got 5 out of 12 cards registered

Loving it.

I thought there wasnt going to be enough businesses that i wanted to go to,

But now ive got more businesses i want than cashbacks available

I agree, this time its a doddle getting the money.

 

[Leigh744]

Used 2 of my main Amexes (Qantas Ultimate + DJs) and a supp for 3 different purchases at the same merchant and received 2/3 emails. Chance of getting the 3rd?

 

[SydneySwan]

Used 2 of my main Amexes (Qantas Ultimate + DJs) and a supp for 3 different purchases at the same merchant and received 2/3 emails. Chance of getting the 3rd?

Pretty good providing it is registered for the offer. I have one card that I never receive emails for but the credits always post.

 

[NoName]

Finally got around to looking through the merchant list and once again plenty of newsagents in Brisbane on the list. Will be easy free cash again loading up go cards then sending in to TransLink for a cash refund.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Just back from a quick trip to Canberra. Ridiculous how many places there are in the ACT that are part of small shop and more generally that take AMEX.

Managed 25 small shop purchases in less than 24 hrs.

 

[Happy Dude]

Just back from a quick trip to Canberra. Ridiculous how many places there are in the ACT that are part of small shop and more generally that take AMEX.

Managed 25 small shop purchases in less than 24 hrs.

Any particular merchant/s stand out @Dr Ralph?

 

[Dr Ralph]

Any particular merchant/s stand out @Dr Ralph?

Multiple purchases at Bent spoke for me. Liquor shops all over the place including Plonk, Prohibition and Corks. Plus multiple fruit and veg shops. And, although I didn't make use of the opportunity, many restaurants.