topic American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question? in Credit Cards

American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

JagerBombs89 — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:25:02 GMT

I am curious as to what exactly categorizes an establishment as a "supermarket." I know Walmart listed as "Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Wholesale Stores" and won't receive the 5% cash back but what about places like HEB? HEB is listed as "Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries"... are these the correct "coding" needed to receive the 5% cash back?

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

larinoriani — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:36:12 GMT

I had the same question when I opened my Blue Cash, that was the first think I looked when the rewards started appearing. I can tell you that Walmart is accounted for as "Groceries" even their category says Wholesale store. Can't tell you about the other store, we don't have those here...

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

JagerBombs89 — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:21:48 GMT

@larinoriani wrote:
I had the same question when I opened my Blue Cash, that was the first think I looked when the rewards started appearing. I can tell you that Walmart is accounted for as "Groceries" even their category says Wholesale store. Can't tell you about the other store, we don't have those here...

Are you referring to a plain ole Walmart... or a Walmart Superstore... My last statement, it showed 0% activity in the "everyday spending" and I went to walmart a few times during the billing cycle. I live in Texas and wondering if any one knows of any other stores that qualifies for the 5% cash back

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:26:01 GMT

I live in Dallas, and although we do not have HEB, we have Central Market, which is HEB's version of Whole Foods.

The following have worked for me in the groceries category:

Tom Thumb (aka Randalls, Pavilions)

Central Market

Whole Foods

Kroger

Albertsons

Haven't tried anything at Walmart. There are Super Walmarts and Neighborhood Walmarts here. I don't shop at the neighborhood and I haven't tried using AmEx at the Supers ever since there were past issues with people getting FR'd (a while back.)

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

larinoriani — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:41 GMT

Are you referring to a plain ole Walmart... or a Walmart Superstore... My last statement, it showed 0% activity in the "everyday spending" and I went to walmart a few times during the billing cycle. I live in Texas and wondering if any one knows of any other stores that qualifies for the 5% cash back

Good question. I went back to my statements, and it looks like the Supercenters are not considered under the "groceries" category, only the neighborhood markets or "little walmarts"

The other local grocery stores like Kroger and Schnucks, are definitely under the grocery category.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:19:44 GMT

I decided to look over my statements online after reading this and found out.

Traditional-Style Grocery Stores Always Coded as "Groceries" (stores were in Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia):

Albertsons
Giant Food
Grand Mart
Harris Teeter
Redners
Safeway
Shoppers
Trader Joe's
Wegmans
Whole Foods

Liquor Stores Not Run By The Government Usually Coded as "Groceries":

District of Columbia:
- Liquor stores - Yes, all three
Maryland:
- Liquor stores - Yes, two of three (one coded as "Merchandise & Supplies - General Retail")
Pennsylvania:
- Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits (state liquor and wine store) - No
Virginia:
- Total Wine & More - Yes
- Wine/beer stores in Virginia - Yes, all three
- Virginia ABC (state liquor store) - No

Wineries Coded as "Groceries":

Every winery I visited in California (Santa Ynez Valley), Virginia and Pennsylvania coded as "Groceries"

Convenience Stores Usually Code As "Groceries" (some with gas pumps coded as "Fuel", another bonus category):

7-ELEVEN - Yes
Marvelous Market (neighborhood gourmet store chain in Washington, DC) - Yes
Sheetz - Fuel
Wawa - Fuel

General Merchandisers That Sell Groceries Rarely Code As "Groceries":

Costco - No
Target - No
WalMart - No
World Market - Yes

I also noticed that a couple places that sell prepared food and gourmet groceries were coded as "Restaurant - Bar & Cafe".

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

JagerBombs89 — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:31:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I decided to look over my statements online after reading this and found out.

Traditional-Style Grocery Stores Always Coded as "Groceries" (stores were in Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia):

Albertsons
Giant Food
Grand Mart
Harris Teeter
Redners
Safeway
Shoppers
Trader Joe's
Wegmans
Whole Foods

Liquor Stores Not Run By The Government Usually Coded as "Groceries":

District of Columbia:
Liquor stores - Yes, all three
Maryland:
Liquor stores - Yes, two of three (one coded as "Merchandise & Supplies - General Retail")
Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits (state liquor and wine store) - No
Virginia:
Total Wine & More - Yes
Wine/beer stores in Virginia - Yes, all three
Virginia ABC (state liquor store) - No

Wineries Coded as "Groceries":

Every winery I visited in California (Santa Ynez Valley), Virginia and Pennsylvania coded as "Groceries"

Convenience Stores Usually Code As "Groceries" (some with gas pumps coded as "Fuel", another bonus category):

7-ELEVEN - Yes
Marvelous Market (neighborhood gourmet store chain in Washington, DC) - Yes
Sheetz - Fuel
Wawa - Fuel

General Merchandisers That Sell Groceries Rarely Code As "Groceries":

Costco - No
Target - No
WalMart - No
World Market - Yes

I also noticed that a couple places that sell prepared food and gourmet groceries were coded as "Restaurant - Bar & Cafe".

Thank you for this list! Most of those stores I don't recognize as being in Texas but I know from living in pennsylvania that they are abundant

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:33:54 GMT

Walmart, supercenter or not, does not qualify. HEB does.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

BungalowMo — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:56:53 GMT

Thanks Stan the Man!!! Living in NoVa...all of those are stores I frequent. (well, except the exclusive DC Liquor stores! )

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

larinoriani — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:23:12 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Walmart, supercenter or not, does not qualify. HEB does.

Walmart Neighborhood Market does.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 01:42:30 GMT

So Giant Food store worked for you? I know the rep on the phone said their gas wouldn't count because they are a part of a rewards systems.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

PhoenixDown — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 05:21:58 GMT

Appreciate the thread as I am trying to put my money where the rewards are. How do I tell how much cash back I received for a particular merchant or purchase? I can looking at the spend by catagory through the last statement date and its not matching up with the reward totals by catagory.

Oh -- and wineries in Long Island seemed to count.

Restaurant - Bar & Cafe

Cinnabon
Pret a Manger
Dunkin Donuts
Pindar (winery out in Long Island)
Starbucks

Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries

Waldbaums (grocery store chain here in NY)
Wholefoods
Godiva Store
A locally owned candy store

Merchandise & Supplies - Department Stores

Bath and Body Works

Merchandise & Supplies - Clothing Stores

Banana Republic
Clarks
Columbia
Van Huesen

Merchandise & Supplies - Wholesale Stores

Costco
Target

Transportation - Fuel

Exxon (gas)

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

takeshi74 — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 13:58:49 GMT

@JagerBombs89 wrote:
I am curious as to what exactly categorizes an establishment as a "supermarket." I know Walmart listed as "Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Wholesale Stores" and won't receive the 5% cash back but what about places like HEB? HEB is listed as "Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries"... are these the correct "coding" needed to receive the 5% cash back?

Can't speak to Walmart but HEB definitely qualifies.

@PhoenixDown wrote:
How do I tell how much cash back I received for a particular merchant or purchase? I can looking at the spend by catagory through the last statement date and its not matching up with the reward totals by catagory.

Are you comparing the rewards on the current statement with the purchases on the prior statement? Rewards lag by one cycle.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

localuser — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:55:31 GMT

So does Target get the 3% back?

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

lg8302ch — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 22:16:04 GMT

My recommendation is to test it out in your neighborhood with small purchases. You will know then for sure. I was disappointed that department stores did not count when shopping online ..works in store but not online Some Amazon purchases were classified as department stores by merchant code and still AX finds way to not grant the 3% because it is Amazon....it is a hit and miss and other than for gas and groceries I am not using it anymore..other cards are more reliable for me.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

localuser — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 04:40:47 GMT

No online cash back?!? Either way if Kroger,Target, and Meijer and the closest gas station give money back the wife is happy to use her new Amex

It will be a month before I know as the card hasn't came yet

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

lg8302ch — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 04:51:23 GMT

1% you will for sure get but rewards junkies would like to get 3-6%...LOL

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

vagrants — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:16:20 GMT

@localuser wrote:
No online cash back?!? Either way if Kroger,Target, and Meijer and the closest gas station give money back the wife is happy to use her new Amex

It will be a month before I know as the card hasn't came yet

Target? Really? I know Kroger, Meijer & WalMart Neighborhood are categorized as grocery on AMEX.

Re: American Express Blue Cash Rewards Question?

localuser — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:17:59 GMT

What do you mean by Target? Really? Am I asking too much from Amex lol