topic Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"??? in Credit Cards

AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:17:27 GMT

Just received my BCE (woop-woop), excited to start my bonus program and receive 2-3% rewards. After reading the fine print, I'm finding out that I may not benefit much as I live in a small town 50% of the year. I've chatted with Amex as to their "complete list" which doesn't exist because they say, it is too extensive (approx. 100+ merchants ) and changes often.

Below is per their website and part of the link they refer me to:

Examples of merchants* that accept the Card and where you can earn additional rewards include:

• Gristedes

• Foodtown

• Meijer

• Shoprite

• Stop and Shop

• Vons

• Whole Foods

• Winn-Dixie

• Online supermarkets such as FreshDirect

*This is not a complete list.

Stated as "examples" and "not a complete list" I wonder if any of you seasoned Amex-aficionados out there have come up with a complete list? The CSR listed a few "not on the list" but will count as a "U.S. Supermarket". The CSR told me all I have to do is ask the merchant if they are a registered U.S. Supermarket. This is 2018 though, right? What is so hard about making a list? I'm driving up and down the west coast on a schedule, it would be completely ridiculous to have to stop at every market and ask if they are a registered u.s. supermarket. I'm sure I will get to know the merchants on this secret list eventually, but for now, it would be convenient to know in advance.

Per CSR also included (which I copy/pasted from our chat):

Albertsons

A&P

Food Lion

H-E-B Hy-Vee

Kroger

Military commissaries

Pathmark/Acme

Peapod

Piggly Wiggly

Publix

Safeway

Sav-A-Lot

Shoprite

Stater Bros.

SuperValu

Tops

Trader Joe's

Wegmans

AMEX CSR DOES NOT KNOW IF THESE MERCHANTS ARE INCLUDED IN "THE LIST"

Fred Meyer
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market
Bi-Mart

If anyone would like to chime in and add to the Secret Undocumented U.S. Supermarket List, please do so.

Secret Undocumented U.S. Supermarket List

Albertsons

A&P

Food Lion

Foodtown

FreshDirect (online)

Gristedes

H-E-B Hy-Vee

Kroger

Meijer

Military commissaries

Pathmark/Acme

Peapod

Piggly Wiggly

Publix

Safeway

Sav-A-Lot

Shoprite

Stater Bros.

Stop and Shop

SuperValu

Tops

Trader Joe's

Vons

Wegmans

Whole Foods

Winn-Dixie

Thank You!

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:34:04 GMT

I'm thinking any kind of list would be far to extensive as well as it being subject to change. I'm not sure any one could come up with a reliable source. I think what your asking for would include thousands of business.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:37:19 GMT

I don't see why Fred Meyer wouldn't be included since they are part of the Kroger family of stores.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:39:29 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't see why Fred Meyer wouldn't be included since they are part of the Kroger family of stores.

I read on the forum somewhere that Fred Meyer is not included, so I do need to confirm that as it will be my main shopping source.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:44:29 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I'm thinking any kind of list would be far to extensive as well as it being subject to change. I'm not sure any one could come up with a reliable source. I think what your asking for would include thousands of business.

Amex mentioned hundreds, but lists have been known to incur extended amounts, that's why lists are so important. I am a list person myself. I just thought a list on this forum maybe helpful for Amex newbs such as me. Otherwise I'll just keep it in my own files.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

FinStar — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:47:05 GMT

OP, another thing to keep in mind, it's how the merchant is coded. It's been reported that while a specific retailer is recognized as such in a variety of metropolitan areas, there will always be outliers.

IMO, plan accordingly, test things out to ensure the retailer codes properly when charges are made and have a back up just in case things change.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:09:57 GMT

As someone who deals a lot with standards and specifications I can appreciate the desire to have easy to access data. My fear would be that any list would just not be reliable enough for what we would require. Perhaps if you have a list of business you frequent, or some that are near your location others can offer their experiences. I might be a little less cumbersome. Myself looking a that list of places you provided I'm not sure I have even heard of half of them.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

staticvoidmain — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:10:00 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't see why Fred Meyer wouldn't be included since they are part of the Kroger family of stores.

I believe it is considered the same category as Walmart superstores (not just grocery). I'll just check out a QFC, sometimes they have the same or better prices. Kroger is usually smaller than Fred Meyer, and more "grocery"-ish in their inventory. Conversely, smaller Walmart marketplaces code as grocery.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

wasCB14 — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:24:04 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
OP, another thing to keep in mind, it's how the merchant is coded. It's been reported that while a specific retailer is recognized as such in a variety of metropolitan areas, there will always be outliers.

IMO, plan accordingly, test things out to ensure the retailer codes properly when charges are made and have a back up just in case things change.

Such as how some people reported Sallie Mae recognizing their local Wal-Mart as a grocery store, but other people only got 1%.

OP, just use the card at a few different stores you'd actually shop at and see if you get the extra points. That will give you more useful information than trying to build some nationwide database.

Note that some merchants will be broadly categorized as "grocery" and yet not get bonus points. This may include convenience stores, liquor stores, etc. So check your rewards statement to see whether the purchases actually qualify for bonus points/cash.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:40:17 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

The CSR told me all I have to do is ask the merchant if they are a registered U.S. Supermarket. This is 2018 though, right? What is so hard about making a list? I'm driving up and down the west coast on a schedule, it would be completely ridiculous to have to stop at every market and ask if they are a registered u.s. supermarket.

This is an example where the CSR doesn't understand the world outside! Amex frequently tells people this sort of thing, but imagine asking a busy clerk at checkout, are you a registered US supermarket? Probably not going to get a quality answer, especially as the real question is "Do you code for Amex as a supermarket?" and I guarantee that the people who know this per store is very low!

As others have said, the list would simply be too big with invididual stores, I can tell you that Russo's in Watertown MA does indeed code for Amex, but there's only one store, and I would assume there are several thousand other examples.

Nice thing about the BCE is that it matters less! Getting 1% rather than 3% is not great, but better than getting 1 rather than 6% AND having paid an AF!

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:43:10 GMT

@staticvoidmain wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I don't see why Fred Meyer wouldn't be included since they are part of the Kroger family of stores.
I believe it is considered the same category as Walmart superstores (not just grocery). I'll just check out a QFC, sometimes they have the same or better prices. Kroger is usually smaller than Fred Meyer, and more "grocery"-ish in their inventory. Conversely, smaller Walmart marketplaces code as grocery.

You're probably right. I am by no means an authority

The Kroger I frequent has a Fred Meyer's Jeweler in it, clothing selection, and full housewares department. All of which (possibly excepting the Fred Meyer's Jeweler as I am not sure if they ring it up separately), qualifies for grocery on my BCP. I just assumed the Fred Meyer grocery chain would be similar. Guess that will teach me to assume

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 19:27:09 GMT

From my personal experience, Fred Meyer does not code as Grocery. So Amex cards do not earn that bonus category.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 19:42:21 GMT

My local mom-and-pop grocery store got coded as a "supermarket" for the 3% back on my BCE, FWIW.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 05:21:52 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
From my personal experience, Fred Meyer does not code as Grocery. So Amex cards do not earn that bonus category.

That is very sad news

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

HeavenOhio — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:03:21 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Note that some merchants will be broadly categorized as "grocery" and yet not get bonus points. This may include convenience stores, liquor stores, etc. So check your rewards statement to see whether the purchases actually qualify for bonus points/cash.

This is important. Coding as grocery isn't enough. The merchant has to qualify as a "supermarket."

There are two ways to know for sure. One is to look at your Bonus Details list, which unfortunately isn't available until a second statement has cut after making your transaction. To see it, hit the Statements % Activity link. In the Recent Activity dropdown, choose one of your previous statements. Scroll to the bottom of that page, where you'll see a Rewards Dollars box. In that box, hit Bonus Details. The list will pop up.

A new way to do this is from the main account page. Scroll to your Account Activity (recent transactions). Clicking on them will pop up more information. On some of them, you'll see the rewards dollars earned for that transaction in the bottom right corner. The rewards information generally appears after the transaction has been posted (out of pending) for a couple of days.

The flaw in this situation is that if you use the card a lot, transactions might be crowded out of that area before the rewards information appears. But the bottom line is that it's possible to check a merchant like Fred Meyer without having to wait several weeks.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

UpperNwGuy — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:39:54 GMT

Your best method is trial and error, not the building of lists. Test the card at a new store with a small purchase. Check your statement to see how it codes. Then you have proof positive one way or the other.

It has been discussed extensively on this forum that big box stores do not code for groceries even when they have the equivalent of a full sized grocery store inside.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

dlister70 — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 15:40:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

The CSR told me all I have to do is ask the merchant if they are a registered U.S. Supermarket. This is 2018 though, right? What is so hard about making a list? I'm driving up and down the west coast on a schedule, it would be completely ridiculous to have to stop at every market and ask if they are a registered u.s. supermarket.

This is an example where the CSR doesn't understand the world outside! Amex frequently tells people this sort of thing, but imagine asking a busy clerk at checkout, are you a registered US supermarket? Probably not going to get a quality answer, especially as the real question is "Do you code for Amex as a supermarket?" and I guarantee that the people who know this per store is very low!

I thought the same thing. If a customer asked what my store coded as, then I would know because I'm into credit card rewards and have tested my cards. But I don't think that there's a single other person in the store who would have that information, unless they just know it from trying themselves. That stuff is set up by corporate from when the store was first built (or first started accepting credit cards if the store is old enough to have started without them).

I'm not even confident that I would be able to get the correct answer by calling our internal helpline. Perhaps after the email had been forwarded 5 times in order to get to the appropriate person, I may be able to get a response via email after a few days.

As others have said, one Walmart may count as grocery while another doesn't, so it's not even like you can completely trust that a certain chain will always be the same. In the same vein, some gas stations at supermarket chains actually code as supermarket, while others code as gas. I guess it's up to the whim of whoever registered with the credit card companies when the store opened and what code they picked out of the list? You would think at least everyone at the same chain would be the same, but maybe that person was on vacation when this particular store got registered, and the backup person registered it under a different code?

You can use the Visa lookup website, but even that has steered me wrong before. I bought $300 worth of stuff from somewhere that said it was a sporting goods store on the Visa lookup, so I used my sporting goods category card, and ended up with 1% instead of 5% cashback because it coded as some other type of retailer.

There is no way for us to know why they picked the code that they did, and all we can do is test our card to find out what kind of rewards we get.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:06:10 GMT

There's definitely some homework involved, and further complicates it when you have to wait so long for Amex to post the earnings. I don't know about most folks, but I shop more often than every 45 days. lol

Once you get things hammerd out it's fine, you know where to go consistenty for the bonus. However, as it does change you may need to check on it periodically. To ensure you're still getting the bonus at that merchant.

For some people it simply doesn't matter, as we only have one or two places to shop. It's just like any other bonus that not everyone can utilize.

Which can lead to a switch to using other cards by the consumer, creating less swipes for Amex.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:46:02 GMT

There is no reason to wait for Amex to post the earnings or even wait for the statement. As soon as the charge posts simply click on the business name. Doing so will give you a list of info such as the name and address and how the business codes. Look for "Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries"
Also (just found this out) if you do the same for a pending charge you have the option to receive an email or text when the charge posts...no need to log in to track when a charge posts.

Re: AMEX Rewards Retail Categories "Complete List"???

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:16:32 GMT

Great answers everyone, thank you so much for your insight