Earth Plat.. what the! Points don't add up

[KateMayo]

Thanks, Kazda, my points allocation from my last statement finally makes sense!

What a ridiculously complex system, Westpac.

 

[schomers87]

I cancelled my Earth card in july, and received a 1000 bonus last month after they stuffed up putting 15k in my QFF account.
Apparently they keep your FF details for several years. Should have used the 15k when I had the chance for those few days

 

[medhead]

Thanks Kazda for both posts.

might have to set up a spreadsheet to work this all out.....

 

[KateMayo]

might have to set up a spreadsheet to work this all out.....

I've done exactly that....

 

[Mox_Fulder]

Well...just checked and they have credited my QFF account with the 20K bonus...However, I have yet to received any of the additional bonus points from October at all...

I got a call from the CSR to say they would, about 3 weeks ago but still nothing as yet...Will have to follow up again with them.

Or am wondering whether they will just credit all the missing points at the end of the promo period.

The CSR I spoke to was not too sure of the situation as well when she called up. Guess, if you need the points, you have to follow up....

 

[medhead]

If you go to the Westpac website it now seems to clarify when the point will credit.

Earth Platinum Card Features and Rates

If you click on the "find out more" link next to where it talks about the 3 points per $, it basically says that any points above the usual 1.5 will credit within 6 weeks of the date they process the transaction. 6 weeks is also quoted for the 20000 bonus. I'm pretty sure they added this after I applied for the card.

But I'm in a similiar stiutation having got all the points until end of October plus the 20,000 and normal points for my November and december statements. But still waiting for the extras. I was going to wait until my January statement to see what happens and then get onto them.

 

[hys]

I've got the Earth Gold Card, but have already had it for about 2 years .. does this promotion apply to me ?

I read on the site saying 2 points per $1 spent on AMEX but I couldn't find whether its a promotion for new card holders only.

 

[_kab_]

Another question re Earth Plat

I've just applied for the card (and expect to be issued with it) so I've stupidly missed out on all but the entire promo

Anyway - stupidity aside - just wondering what the deal is with the annual fee and the current promo? I haven't paid an annual fee for my current Westpac Altitude for atleast the past 6-7 years (I get it waived ). Their the blurb states

Annual Card Fee $250 - but pay only $125 in the first year

but when do they debit your account the $125? I can't really stomach the idea of trying to weasel my way out of the $125 so quickly after applying for the card

Truth be told I am likely to only hang on to this card for one year - to get the 20,000 points - before shopping around again; I am sick of not getting more bang for my buck! Since my spend it reasonably high for a non-business customer I really want a bit more than a magazine subscription for my money.

Any personal experience on this annual fee appreciated

 

[medhead]

Re: Another question re Earth Plat

I've just applied for the card (and expect to be issued with it) so I've stupidly missed out on all but the entire promo

Hey. You haven't missed the promo it ends 31 March 2009. The application due date to get the 20k bonus has been extended to 31 Jan 2009. So I'm not sure how you figure you missed the entire promo.

On the annual fee, mine was debted on the last day of the first statement. They charged me the full $250. So watch for that and ring straight away to can get it reversed - well they gave me a $125 credit. You never know you might get a nice surprise if you do ring straight away.

 

[GCS]

The annual fee is charged in the first statement.

 

[_kab_]

Re: Another question re Earth Plat

Hey. You haven't missed the promo it ends 31 March 2009. The application due date to get the 20k bonus has been extended to 31 Jan 2009. So I'm not sure how you figure you missed the entire promo.

On the annual fee, mine was debted on the last day of the first statement. They charged me the full $250. So watch for that and ring straight away to can get it reversed - well they gave me a $125 credit. You never know you might get a nice surprise if you do ring straight away.

Thanks for your replies. I do realise the promo hasn't ended yet - that's why I said "all but the entire promo" - but, I mean, for what it's worth I might just as well not bothered at this late stage because what's it really going to do for me now. Bugger all! I suspect I'm not a massive spender compared to some on here but I average $5k per month easily...it would have been nice to get the points

So are we saying there's no way of getting out of the $125? Damn it I am just not accustomed to paying an annual fee! How irritating

 

[medhead]

Re: Another question re Earth Plat

Thanks for your replies. I do realise the promo hasn't ended yet - that's why I said "all but the entire promo" -

Ah I should have read more carefully.

Still your $5k spend per month is still worth 45k points

 

[_kab_]

woo hoo! Approved!
Weird...tried to track my app thru Westpac but it didn't show so had to ring the team at Earth and go through the whole thing again. Oh well. They gave instant - well, 5 second - approval

They seemed slightly discombobulated about the diff between Altitude Plat and Earth Plat and took a bit to convince them I wanted Earth Plat in addition to my current Altitue Gold cards (which I will promptly cancel once I receive the bonus FF points ).

Now to start racking up those bonus points I've missed out on all this time

 

[Jorja Brown]

This problem with the points smells of a bid by Westpac to increase customers with benefits that are not available without great efforts needing to be made by the customer. I bet that Wespac predicts not many people will follow up and try to reconcile their clumsy allocation of points with their cc account, or give up because of the time and effort it takes. It seems to be a deliberately designed frustrating process to have the card points work in the way they are marketed. Is there some accountability for this kind of practice I wonder..........

 

[spunkarooney]

This problem with the points smells of a bid by Westpac to increase customers with benefits that are not available without great efforts needing to be made by the customer. I bet that Wespac predicts not many people will follow up and try to reconcile their clumsy allocation of points with their cc account, or give up because of the time and effort it takes. It seems to be a deliberately designed frustrating process to have the card points work in the way they are marketed. Is there some accountability for this kind of practice I wonder..........

I have to say that I share some of your thoughts on this charade by Westpac.

I have been watching dribs and drabs of points get credited to my Qantas Frequent Flyer account, with no real explanation of what they are.

When I get a bit of time I'll pull out all of the promotional material I've saved and fire off a complaint to Westpac.

 

[Jorja Brown]

I sent them an e-complaint today suggesting that they explain or label the points on the FF statement so that they can be reconciled. One would think as bankers that that kind of approach would be obvious and desirable! Therefore, I can only conclude it is purposeful obfuscation.

 

[medhead]

I sent them an e-complaint today suggesting that they explain or label the points on the FF statement so that they can be reconciled. One would think as bankers that that kind of approach would be obvious and desirable! Therefore, I can only conclude it is purposeful obfuscation.

They do at least provide a breakdown between Amex points and Mastercards point. This is helpful for me because I only use the Amex and hence I know that any from from the Earth Mastercard are in fact bonus points.

But it is strange the way they don't have any form of statement.

 

[fateyes]

Can anybody confirm what points bonuses I should be entitled to.

I have never had a Westpac account or credit card before.

I was approved for an Earth Gold account on the 13th of January.

I seem to remember seeing an offer of extra points per 1$ spend if the application was approved by 31st of Jan, and an additional offer of 10k points if 3 purchases were made by the 31st of March.

I just spoke to Westpac who confirmed I would be getting the 10k, but not the extra points per 1$.

thanks for any advice,

Fateyes

 

[medhead]

Can anybody confirm what points bonuses I should be entitled to.

I have never had a Westpac account or credit card before.

I was approved for an Earth Gold account on the 13th of January.

Fateyes

As I remember Earth Gold was to earn 2 points per dollar during the promotion, so that would be 1 bonus point.

I assumed that the Earth gold promotion was set up properly, because initially the Earth Platinum was paying 2 points per dollar. Hence it seemed that the Platinum was put in at the Gold rate.

I can't remember the cut off date to get the 10k bonus points. But my 20k bonus for the platinum took the full 6 weeks to appear. I'd guess your will take a bit longer to turn up, if you made the cut off for the promo.

 

[oz_mark]

AFAIK the bonus also only applied to Amex spend, not to Mastercard spend.