Barclay SM 5%

[longtimelurker]

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@sillykitty1 wrote:

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@gh17 wrote:

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@xerostatus wrote:

I believe it is fairly widely known that Barclay interprets merchant codes pretty loosely..

I think both Target and Walmart count towards "groceries". I remember hearing that drugstores like CVS, walgreens, etc. count as well.

I remember I received 2% from buying cigarettes at 7-11 store, even though there was no 7-11 gas station attached to the store, on my barclay rewards card.

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The Barclays Rewards card codes differently than Barclays Sallie Mae.  The Sallie Mae does not get the CVS, Walgreens, etc.  It's much more strictly gas and grocery.  Although places like Walmart and Target often get coded as grocery by the credit card networks - the Walmart near me is always coded as grocery on my credit cards, not just the Sallie Mae.  I know I've gotten the 2% for it on my BofA card too before.

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Interesting, the Wlamart near me is not coded as grocery for my Amex BCP, hopefully it is for my Sallie Mae

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Yes, Amex doesn't use MC/Visa MCCs, and there doesn't seem to be a link in the way there are for those  (such as https://www.visa.com/supplierlocator/index.jsp for Visa)

A lot of Walmart Neighbourhood markets are treated as supermarkets by Amex, but other Walmarts are  often coded as discount stores or similar, and do not get the bonus.

Every agreement I've seen contains language that it is up to the merchant to identify themselves properly, so if you don't get the rewards that you expect, you are usually out of luck.   In some cases, some registers in a store will be coded one way, others another, leading to lots of confusion!

[JediNeo]

The super Walmart and neighborhood Walmart by me are coded as grocery stores. 

I also linked this card with a fuel rewards network card (not the MC) . The grocery store I shop at participates in the program. Just by doing normal grocery shopping I'm getting 5% from Sallie and getting FNR points for shell gas discount. Just tonight I had enough points for $0.08 off per gallon.

[Anonymous]

Just for a data point. I made a purchase online at Target.com and only got 1% back.

[bada_bing]

A related comment is how I appreciate Barclays for having a quick & transparent posting of

rewards. You can log in and see on your recent activity exactly what rewards were earned for

each transaction. You can tell at a glance what received 5% and tell if you have reached the

monthly $250 cap without having to get a calculator.

Amex and Chase could learn a *lot* from Barclays on this aspect of running a rewards program. 

If I can get a second Sallie Mae, I'm going to PC or drop my BCP for just this reason.

[longtimelurker]

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@bada_bing wrote:

A related comment is how I appreciate Barclays for having a quick & transparent posting of

rewards. You can log in and see on your recent activity exactly what rewards were earned for

each transaction. You can tell at a glance what received 5% and tell if you have reached the

monthly $250 cap without having to get a calculator.

Amex and Chase could learn a *lot* from Barclays on this aspect of running a rewards program. 

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And all can learn from Cap One Quicksilver.   That has the additional advantage of no minimum redemption.

[bada_bing]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@bada_bing wrote:

A related comment is how I appreciate Barclays for having a quick & transparent posting of

rewards. You can log in and see on your recent activity exactly what rewards were earned for

each transaction. You can tell at a glance what received 5% and tell if you have reached the

monthly $250 cap without having to get a calculator.

Amex and Chase could learn a *lot* from Barclays on this aspect of running a rewards program. 

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And all can learn from Cap One Quicksilver.   That has the additional advantage of no minimum redemption.

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I've never had a Cap one card. If I was looking for an everyday spend, outside of grocery-gas-amazon

bonus category, I'd consider getting one. I put a lot of value on having a good transparent interface to

account activity -including rewards activity- and if Cap One is there, that's definitely a plus. 

Only so much spend to go around though.

[Swapmeet]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@bada_bing wrote:

A related comment is how I appreciate Barclays for having a quick & transparent posting of

rewards. You can log in and see on your recent activity exactly what rewards were earned for

each transaction. You can tell at a glance what received 5% and tell if you have reached the

monthly $250 cap without having to get a calculator.

Amex and Chase could learn a *lot* from Barclays on this aspect of running a rewards program. 

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And all can learn from Cap One Quicksilver.   That has the additional advantage of no minimum redemption.

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I absolutely love this feature on my cash + as well.... you want to redeem $.01? No problem!

[longtimelurker]

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@Swapmeet wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@bada_bing wrote:

A related comment is how I appreciate Barclays for having a quick & transparent posting of

rewards. You can log in and see on your recent activity exactly what rewards were earned for

each transaction. You can tell at a glance what received 5% and tell if you have reached the

monthly $250 cap without having to get a calculator.

Amex and Chase could learn a *lot* from Barclays on this aspect of running a rewards program. 

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And all can learn from Cap One Quicksilver.   That has the additional advantage of no minimum redemption.

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I absolutely love this feature on my cash + as well.... you want to redeem $.01? No problem!

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True, but Cash Plus rewards are only available when the statement cuts.  Cap One (and Barclays) allow you to redeem as the transaction post.

[Anonymous]

None of the Walmarts we shop at are coded for grocerys. Atleast it doesn't say it using that link. If thats true I shouldn't have got the card. Still waiting on it to get here. Hopefully I can get 5% back from those Walmarts. 

[kroberts67]

Sometimes it depends on the cash register you're at, such as when I've gone to Mother's Market (organic health food groceries with a deli counter, juice bar and restaurant), the grocery lines count as grocery regardless of what I buy (deli from restaurant area), but if I use the deli counter cash register it doesn't count, I guess it's considered restaurant.  Also, I believe Walmart didn't count as groceries for me.