US Bank Cash+ and Amazon

[QuantumCredit]

I have a few questions about the US Bank Cash+ card, any help will be greatly appreciated:

1) My understanding is that the 5% categories are set and you just get to choose 2 different ones each quarter, but you don't HAVE TO, you can stick with the same ones forever and the 5% categories themselves don't change. Is this correct?

2) One of the main reasons I want to get this card is because I am currently looking for a good 5% off Amazon.com year-round card. I know the Citi Forward is a good choice for that, but I'd rather get the US Cash+. So my question is, what does US Bank consider Amazon to be? Department store? Bookstore? Is there a 5% category that covers it?

3) I've read that US Bank doesn't approve for the Cash+ if you don't currently have a credit line exceeding 5K. Well I don't have one myself, but I am an authorized user of a card that does, do you think they would accept that? I also have a long and established credit history, and my Eq FICO right now is 760.

Any help is highly appreciated, thanks guys!

[trumpet-205]

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@QuantumCredit wrote:

I have a few questions about the US Bank Cash+ card, any help will be greatly appreciated:

1) My understanding is that the 5% categories are set and you just get to choose 2 different ones each quarter, but you don't HAVE TO, you can stick with the same ones forever and the 5% categories themselves don't change. Is this correct?

Incorrect. You need to sign up each quarter. Just sign up the same category over again.

2) One of the main reasons I want to get this card is because I am currently looking for a good 5% off Amazon.com year-round card. I know the Citi Forward is a good choice for that, but I'd rather get the US Cash+. So my question is, what does US Bank consider Amazon to be? Department store? Bookstore? Is there a 5% category that covers it?

For Amazon and Amazon Marketplace, it is classified as bookstore.

For Amazon Prime Subscription, it is classified as direct marketing subscription.

For Amazon Payments, it is classified as professional service.

None of which are covered by Cash+. Later two are only covered by business credit card like Citibusiness CC. For the record Visa and MasterCard decide what category it is in using MCC, not US Bank, not Chase, not Citi, etc.

3) I've read that US Bank doesn't approve for the Cash+ if you don't currently have a credit line exceeding 5K. Well I don't have one myself, but I am an authorized user of a card that does, do you think they would accept that? I also have a long and established credit history, and my Eq FICO right now is 760.

Even if you are approved with a CL of $5,000+ there is no guarantee of Cash+. Several people got $6,500 or $7,500 and they were standard 1% Cash Reward Visa. US Bank lately begins to curb Cash+ issuing. Maybe it is getting too popular and makes it unprofitable.

Any help is highly appreciated, thanks guys!

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[QuantumCredit]

^^

 I see, thanks. So what you're saying is that Amazon will not be covered by the Cash+ at all? Also, I have Amazon Prime, are you saying that if I have Prime my purchases will somehow register differently than if I didn't have it? I understand that Mastercard sets the category, but the Cash Blue Preferred for instance considers Amazon to be a department store and Citi Forward considers it to be a bookstore, and that is for all Amazon purchases, at least for Citi Forward, I've heard for the Blue Cash that it sometimes differs.

I've been trying to find all the current Cash+ categories, my impression is that there are more than are lised on the site, that's why i asked.

[trumpet-205]

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@QuantumCredit wrote:

^^

I see, thanks. So what you're saying is that Amazon will not be covered by the Cash+ at all?

Correct

Also, I have Amazon Prime, are you saying that if I have Prime my purchases will somehow register differently than if I didn't have it?

No, only the $79 subscription fee which you will be paying annually will be labeled differently.

I understand that Mastercard sets the category, but the Cash Blue Preferred for instance considers Amazon to be a department store and Citi Forward considers it to be a bookstore, and that is for all Amazon purchases, at least for Citi Forward, I've heard for the Blue Cash that it sometimes differs.

AMEX and Discover do not use MCC, instead they define the category merchant is in by themselves. Hence why AMEX and Discover label Amazon differently. I once used AMEX on Amazon and it is treated as "internet warehouse".

I've been trying to find all the current Cash+ categories, my impression is that there are more than are lised on the site, that's why i asked.

https://cashplus.usbank.com/index.cfm/main/categories/demo/true

That is all the of them for Cash+

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[bs6054]

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@QuantumCredit wrote:

^^

 I see, thanks. So what you're saying is that Amazon will not be covered by the Cash+ at all? Also, I have Amazon Prime, are you saying that if I have Prime my purchases will somehow register differently than if I didn't have it? I understand that Mastercard sets the category, but the Cash Blue Preferred for instance considers Amazon to be a department store and Citi Forward considers it to be a bookstore, and that is for all Amazon purchases, at least for Citi Forward, I've heard for the Blue Cash that it sometimes differs.

I've been trying to find all the current Cash+ categories, my impression is that there are more than are lised on the site, that's why i asked.

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 Also, there is no guarantee that the 5% categories will always be the same (I think that is stated somewhere) but in fact they have been, so far.   But this is part of the flexibility an issuer has, if it turns out that a certain category is being used much more than expected, they can remove it or cap the benefits (like Blue Cash Preferred and groceries).

BTW, is Forward really still 5% on all amazon purchases?  I saw some posts saying that it is now only 5% on books.

[trumpet-205]

Amazon and Amazon Marketplace labeled themselves as bookstore, so it will continue to receive 5X TY points from Forward.

[QuantumCredit]

Thank you all for the info!!

Well Amazon was not the only reason I was interested in the card, restaurants and bills alone are worth getting it and it will supplement my AmEX BCP beautifully.

So I just applied for it and the system told me it needed 7-10 days to "verify" everything. I called the backdoor number to check on my status and the lady said it was a standard 3 day verification (3 days, not 7-10) that all applicants go thorugh and I should know by Thursday. Well, fingers crossed.... My FICO is really good, but I do not have any credit lines at or above 5K except on accounts I am authorized to use. I really really hope they don't downgrade me to that 1% on everything card as I have no use for it whatsoever right now (who would ever really).

[Gharlane]

I don't know if it translates directly from Amex to Cash+, but when I buy things from Amazon on my Amex, if it's from Amazon, it's listed as:

Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Department Stores

If it's via Amazon, but is one of their Marketplace vendors (or a mixture of Marketplace and Amazon), it's:

Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Internet Purchase

Paypal, by the way, is always (for me) Internet Purchase, regardless of what I buy.

I was assuming this would carry over to Cash+, since I buy quite a bit from Amazon, and was going to select Department Store for my 5% next quarter and use my Cash+ instead of Amex, but now you have me worried...

[trumpet-205]

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@Gharlane wrote:

I was assuming this would carry over to Cash+, since I buy quite a bit from Amazon, and was going to select Department Store for my 5% next quarter and use my Cash+ instead of Amex, but now you have me worried...

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It won't carry over. As I explained, Visa and MasterCard credit card use MCC to distinguish the category. AMEX defines the category on their own and so is Discover. For the record PayPal MCC is professional service. You will NOT earn 5% on Amazon purchase with Cash+.

MCC:

For Amazon and Amazon Marketplace, it is classified as bookstore.

For Amazon Prime Subscription, it is classified as direct marketing subscription.

For Amazon Payments, it is classified as professional service.

What you can do with Cash+, is to select electronic store as your 5% category and visit Best Buy to purchase Amazon gift card (assuming your local BB does have them in stock). You however will not have any credit card protection from this route. So no extended warranty or purchase protection.

[enharu]

ok sorry to raise a thread back from it's grave,

but US Bank now has a bookstore category. Does this mean Amazon.com qualifies for 5% cashback?

Thanks!