topic Re: AMEX BCE categories in Credit Cards

AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:37:19 GMT

Does anyone have a COMPLETE list of what qualifies under each of the categories? Thanks.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

longtime_lurker — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:42:02 GMT

To kind of add onto this question...what qualifies as a grocery store for the 3%/6% back? I don't think Meijer does :/....does Kroger?

Sorry for semi-hijacking this post, OP.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

cottoncrown — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:49:02 GMT

Generally if they have any other departments other than grocery, they do not qualify. Such as electronics or apparel. I believe Kroger does qualify, but some Kroger chains do not, such as fred meyer.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

FinStar — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:49:47 GMT

@longtime_lurker wrote:
To kind of add onto this question...what qualifies as a grocery store for the 3%/6% back? I don't think Meijer does :/....does Kroger?

Sorry for semi-hijacking this post, OP.

Both my local Meijer and Kroger stores have qualified as grocery stores for my BCP. This could vary from what I've heard as it depends how they are coded by that specific store/location.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

FinStar — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:50:41 GMT

@cottoncrown wrote:
Generally if they have any other departments other than grocery, they do not qualify. Such as electronics or apparel. I believe Kroger does qualify, but some Kroger chains do not, such as fred meyer.

Right.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 06:54:35 GMT

So for AMEX BCE, it doesn't really matter what store you shop at as long as it falls under the "grocery" merchant code?..

Re: AMEX BCE categories

ksantangelo23 — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:48:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
So for AMEX BCE, it doesn't really matter what store you shop at as long as it falls under the "grocery" merchant code?..

Right. Its whatever the merchant codes the transaction as. Sometimes its for better, but it can be for the worse, too.

I asked AMEX this question a little while ago and I couldn't get any answer better than their vendor list was simply too large to disclose.

I haven't had any trouble so far with expecting what category a store is and being wrong, though I don't shop at many different places.

I read on another thread here on the forum that a member is able to get 6% off Gas because they report is as "Groceries". Similar can be done with buying gas gift cards at a grocery store.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

ksantangelo23 — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:50:19 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
So for AMEX BCE, it doesn't really matter what store you shop at as long as it falls under the "grocery" merchant code?..

It applies to all credit cards that rely on a merchant code for rewards

Re: AMEX BCE categories

FinStar — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:53:47 GMT

@ksantangelo23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
So for AMEX BCE, it doesn't really matter what store you shop at as long as it falls under the "grocery" merchant code?..
Right. Its whatever the merchant codes the transaction as. Sometimes its for better, but it can be for the worse, too.
I asked AMEX this question a little while ago and I couldn't get any answer better than their vendor list was simply too large to disclose.

I haven't had any trouble so far with expecting what category a store is and being wrong, though I don't shop at many different places.

I read on another thread here on the forum that a member is able to get 6% off Gas because they report is as "Groceries". Similar can be done with buying gas gift cards at a grocery store.

IIRC that may have been youngandcreditwrthy... he used his BCE at the Kroger gas station and it counted as "groceries".

Re: AMEX BCE categories

longtime_lurker — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 07:56:53 GMT

That's not a half bad deal .

I find it strange that the same store, "Meijer" is coded different for each store....it'd be easier for us if they weren't, and those stores that only sell groceries be called "Meijer" and those with other stuff be called "Meijer Superstore" or something.

Ah well, I'll just look to do more grocery shopping at Kroger now...I just hate I need a card for discounts.

@FinStar wrote:
@ksantangelo23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
So for AMEX BCE, it doesn't really matter what store you shop at as long as it falls under the "grocery" merchant code?..
Right. Its whatever the merchant codes the transaction as. Sometimes its for better, but it can be for the worse, too.
I asked AMEX this question a little while ago and I couldn't get any answer better than their vendor list was simply too large to disclose.

I haven't had any trouble so far with expecting what category a store is and being wrong, though I don't shop at many different places.

I read on another thread here on the forum that a member is able to get 6% off Gas because they report is as "Groceries". Similar can be done with buying gas gift cards at a grocery store.
IIRC that may have been youngandcreditwrthy... he used his BCE at the Kroger gas station and it counted as "groceries".

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 09:07:00 GMT

So let's take this hypothetical situation: I can still get 3% cashback if I went to say McDonalds, but their merchant code is considered "groceries"?..

Re: AMEX BCE categories

longtime_lurker — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 09:11:55 GMT

Well yes, if that was the case - as FinStar noted, the card issuers use the merchant codes to determine the rewards you get/kind of place it is.

That being said, I'll put $5 on McDonald's being 100% classified as "Fast Food/Restaurants"

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 09:16:58 GMT

@longtime_lurker wrote:
Well yes, if that was the case - as FinStar noted, the card issuers use the merchant codes to determine the rewards you get/kind of place it is.

That being said, I'll put $5 on McDonald's being 100% classified as "Fast Food/Restaurants"

Whew....At first I thought I would only get cashback at those stores that they have listed.... I feel a little better now knowing I can use it at places as long as those places use the correct merchant codes

Re: AMEX BCE categories

longtime_lurker — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 09:19:48 GMT

Nope, you'll get at least 1% back on everything with the BCE.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 09:21:20 GMT

@longtime_lurker wrote:
Nope, you'll get at least 1% back on everything with the BCE.

Woops. I meant to say the 2% and 3% categories, but that's still true.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

irrational — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 12:41:35 GMT

Completely agree with everything that's been said so far. It has to do with how the vender is coded.

kroger should qualify, discount chains like wal-mart won't.

the easiest way to find out for sure is to just buy something (even just a bag of chips), and wait for the transaction to clear. After it does Amex's website will clearly tell you how it was coded.

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Themanwhocan — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 15:06:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Does anyone have a COMPLETE list of what qualifies under each of the categories? Thanks.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/rewards-info/retail.html

Re: AMEX BCE categories

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:51:29 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
Well yes, if that was the case - as FinStar noted, the card issuers use the merchant codes to determine the rewards you get/kind of place it is.

That being said, I'll put $5 on McDonald's being 100% classified as "Fast Food/Restaurants"
Whew....At first I thought I would only get cashback at those stores that they have listed.... I feel a little better now knowing I can use it at places as long as those places use the correct merchant codes

The exception is the "select department stores" where you will only get the 2% (BCE)/3%(BCP) at the stores on that list, i.e. it doesn't just depend on being coded as department store.