topic Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated? in Credit Cards

AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:21:08 GMT

It seems that AmEx has redesigned their website. At the same time, it looks like the signup bonuses for many cards have been reduced/eliminated. For example, I don't see any mention of a bonus for the BCE/BCP cards anymore. Am I blind?

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:28:24 GMT

It looks like the website changes after you become a member and your browser detects that you've logged in before. Can you not get signup bonuses once you're already in with AmEx?

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:35:32 GMT

Ive been a member and I receive sign up bonus offers fairly regularly (at least lately) through e-mail. Not sure about viewing these offers through the site. I am pretty sure I have been able to recently but I don't right now.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

CreditScholar — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:28:59 GMT

There are still signup bonuses around, but they seem to be offering the better ones only to targeted people. I have offers for 100k MR points for spending 3k in 3 months on the amex plat, and another offer for 75k points with 1k spend in 3 months plus no AF for the PRG. In the meantime, offers available for the general public are either decreasing or have higher initial spending requirements.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:27:16 GMT

When I use a browser that detects I had logged into my AmEx account previously (even if I'm not currently logged in) the signup bonuses change. The $100 bonus for BCE and $150 bonus for BCP are not mentioned at all. For Delta Gold the signup bonus goes from 30k to 10k points.

This leads me to my next question: if you're an existing AmEx cardholder and want to apply for another card, will AmEx honor their publicly listed signup bonuses?

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:57:03 GMT

As existing customer, I was able to get stated bonuses. I had same problem you had. I think I used referral links or some such method to see the bonuses.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:24:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
As existing customer, I was able to get stated bonuses. I had same problem you had. I think I used referral links or some such method to see the bonuses.

It seems that the webpage differences are based entirely on your browser cookies. So, if you empty your cookies the generic offers come back. Using "private browsing" accomplishes the same thing. Good to know that as an existing cardholder you were able to obtain the generic bonuses though.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

HenryJumbo — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:27:21 GMT

Check your pre-approve offers online. Read carefully it should give you give you the details of any sign-up bonus.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Quips — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:33:00 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
When I use a browser that detects I had logged into my AmEx account previously (even if I'm not currently logged in) the signup bonuses change. The $100 bonus for BCE and $150 bonus for BCP are not mentioned at all. For Delta Gold the signup bonus goes from 30k to 10k points.

This leads me to my next question: if you're an existing AmEx cardholder and want to apply for another card, will AmEx honor their publicly listed signup bonuses?

Yes they will - I had the Amex TE and just recently app and was approved for the BCP - the $150 bonus for $1K spending in first 3 mths was honored.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

FicoTron — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:31:40 GMT

So a phone app would be a good move as well and negotiate the deal with the rep. Has anyone had success with deleting cookies or private browsing?

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Walt_K — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:44:16 GMT

@FicoTron wrote:
So a phone app would be a good move as well and negotiate the deal with the rep. Has anyone had success with deleting cookies or private browsing?

Yes. In my experience, if you delete cookies and click on the link with the better offer, that is the offer your receive. For co-branded cards, you also will generally see better offers elsewhere, e.g., the Hilton card will often have a better offer on Hilton's website, and same thing for SPG. You should aways at least run a google search before applying. They sometimes give better referral links to third-party marketers than the links on their own page. I suppose the logic is that if you're already vising the Amex (or other lender) site, you're already interested in the card and they can incentivize you with a smaller offer. Then again, some lenders reserve the best links for their own pages. So it's always good to check first.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

FicoTron — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:34:56 GMT

It also says that the $150 is not available to existing card members. Ive had a gold card since April. Has anyone on here gotten a bonus while already being an Amex card member?

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

Walt_K — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:25:15 GMT

@FicoTron wrote:
It also says that the $150 is not available to existing card members. Ive had a gold card since April. Has anyone on here gotten a bonus while already being an Amex card member?

Yes. The existing cardmembers language, while ambiguous, really means holders of that specific card.

Re: AmEx Signup Bonuses Reduced/Eliminated?

FicoTron — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:59:13 GMT

@Walt_K wrote:
@FicoTron wrote:
It also says that the $150 is not available to existing card members. Ive had a gold card since April. Has anyone on here gotten a bonus while already being an Amex card member?
Yes. The existing cardmembers language, while ambiguous, really means holders of that specific card.

you are absolutely correct. I just did a phone app and the rep confirmed it. I was approved AND got the bonus. Yessssssss!