topic Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa in Credit Cards

Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:19:13 GMT

Hello, I haven't seen many data points for this posted yet (maybe I missed it). I have had the Uber Visa card from Barclay for about two years or more now. Like many of you, I received the notice a few months ago that the rewards were changing, effective February for me, and I would no longer get straight cash back. I don't use Uber/Uber Eats at all, so this makes the card pretty worthless for me.

I called last weekend and pressed them pretty hard to consider converting me to one of their other cards. Nope, they would not even consider it, I would have to apply separately for that if I desired. I really don't like any of their cards, I was just hoping to convert to something I could occasionally use vs. the Uber Card which is now worthless to me rewards-wise. I ended up cancelling my account on the phone right then and there which was pretty quick and painless. Oh well, maybe somebody else will have better luck converting than I did.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

wasCB14 — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:21:07 GMT

Barclays has historically been pretty strict about not allowing PCs outside of a card family. Around August 2019 they wouldn't even let let me downgrade my Aviator Red to a no-AF Aviator (White?) which was in the same card family. So your experience is not unusual.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

kerplunk — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:27:17 GMT

Seems pretty stupid on Barclays part.

PC'ing a card: keep the customer and don't have to pay out a SUB.

Not PC'ing: lose their customer and develop a poor reputation.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:30:47 GMT

I agree, I would rather have left the account open since it had a $25K CL and with no FTF I may have given it very occasional use if they would convert/PC. Now, they have lost a customer and any spending I would do completey. Considering Barclay's reputation I do not believe anyone in that company actually cares though.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

wasCB14 — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:43:57 GMT

Maybe Uber insisted that no one be able to change the card as a condition of Barclays getting the deal.

Uber Cash probably costs Barclays significantly less than actual cash as a rewards currency.

Uber has no reason to care about the wants of customers who don't book rides or use Eats. People who use their service regularly probably like the changes.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

imaximous — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 23:08:39 GMT

I tried to get out of this card even before they announced the reward changes and they said no. At this point, I'm only keeping it in case I'd like to get a different Barclays card, so I can move its entire limit to the new card and close it.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

coldfusion — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 23:06:48 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Maybe Uber insisted that no one be able to change the card as a condition of Barclays getting the deal.

Uber Cash probably costs Barclays significantly less than actual cash as a rewards currency.

Uber has no reason to care about the wants of customers who don't book rides or use Eats. People who use their service regularly probably like the changes.

It's pretty standard fare for an issuer to not allow co-branded cards to be PC'd to a core card. As an example try to PC a Chase United card to a Freedom Unlimited.

The is one occasional exception - if the card is being discontinued because the relationship between the partner and issuer is dissolving the issuer may offer the cardholder one of their own core cards as a replacement.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

wasCB14 — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 23:13:13 GMT

True. Even Citi which is pretty flexible about PCing away from AA cards won't allow PCs away from Costco AFAIK.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Shooting-For-800 — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:02:02 GMT

You cant PC but you CAN move your credit lines around.

If you had or got another card, you could have moved all the CL over to it.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

FinStar — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 01:53:37 GMT

@kerplunk wrote:
Seems pretty stupid on Barclays part.

PC'ing a card: keep the customer and don't have to pay out a SUB.

Not PC'ing: lose their customer and develop a poor reputation.

Conversely, seems pretty reasonable based on contractual agreement/liability with the CC program. They're under no obligation to PC.

Another way to look at it, an exit strategy. Customer is likely unprofitable or will no longer use the card. By the same token, losing this account isn't preventing Barclays from generating hundreds on a monthly basis. It works both ways.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:14:28 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
Conversely, seems pretty reasonable based on contractual agreement/liability with the CC program. They're under no obligation to PC.

Another way to look at it, an exit strategy. Customer is likely unprofitable or will no longer use the card. By the same token, losing this account isn't preventing Barclays from generating hundreds on a monthly basis. It works both ways.

Agreed, it's pretty common for not allowing a PC away from a co-branded card. Citi seems to be the exception with the AA card.

So I'm sure they're hands are tied to some extent here. I think it's really just an issue of a person not wanting to loose a TL with a nice CL.

Honestly speaking if a person doesn't really care for any of the cards said bank issues, what good is a PC anyways? So if one must aplly for a new account, it might as well be with a Bank they want a CC from.

However, they should at least allow a downgrade to a non AF product. Otherwise wouldn't that be against the rules, do they not have to offer a non AF product?

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 21:42:30 GMT

In my case, part of this was not wanting to lose an active account with a large CL. To replace the lost rewards for restaurants, I already had to apply for a new card that at least gets me 3% back for dining. I didn't want to apply for yet another new account, especially for a card I don't like that much since Barclay's current options are not great, just to keep a large CL. If they would have allowed me to convert/PC in some form, they could have maintained a relationship with me and at least got occasional usage which I would have given them. Doesn't make much sense to me unless they are contractually forced to do this as suggested.

Fortunately my credit utilization is low enough and the account will stay reporting for some time where this shouldn't impact my score too significantly.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 03:00:31 GMT

I’ve had the Uber card for at least a year and have yet to receive a CLI. I’ve been stuck with the same $500 SL, and I am no wondering whether I should close the card altogether. WWYD?

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 03:58:55 GMT

At least a year? Some Banks do teh annual thing, so you might have a bit to go to receive.

That said, if you're not benefitting from the card/rewards close it.

Re: Cannot convert Uber Visa

SunriseEarth — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 06:48:10 GMT

Cobranded cards for most lenders can prove difficult to PC. My plan for my Uber Visa is to SD it and then reallocate the CL if Barclay ever had a product I'd want to apply for.