AMEX Blue Cash Everyday 3% back on grocery store purchases-- just not my grocery store!

[Anonymous]

Hey Pooka89,

I see you helped a forum member a little while back with the same issue currently afflicting me:

I have been an AMEX customer for over 30 years. I recently got an Amex Blue Cash Everyday card because the benefits touted included 3% cash back on grocery store purchases.

But I only received 1% on my first statement on purchases made at Hannaford Supermarkets!

I typically shop at these locations:

100 Plaza Rd, Kingston, NY 12401

1261 Ulster Ave, Kingston, NY 12401

35 Hannaford Dr, Red Hook, NY 12571

217 Dorset St, South Burlington, VT 05401

...amongst many others.

The AMEX operator I spoke with says that Hannaford reports as "Merchandise & Supply"-- which seems somewhat ridiculous, as they are quite simply... a grocery store.

Is there anything that can be done to change the classification to a grocery store? If not, I'm going to have to decamp and not use this card!

Many thanks.

Lorin

[jl4]

When they registered with their payment processors, that may have been the category assigned to them—or one they chose.

[FinStar]

OP, as mentioned above, this is generally determined on the merchant side as far as classification.

[Anonymous]

All grocery stores are Merchandise and Supply for Amex. When I check my statement, kroger stores are listed as:

Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries

I wonder if it is just missing the subcategory somehow.

[HeavenOhio]

You have to go beyond being coded as "Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries." In addition the store has to qualify as a supermarket. "Corner" grocery stores and wine stores that sell hors d'oeuvres may get the Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries code but not qualify for the reward.

Looking at what Hannaford sells, I'm surprised that the OP isn't getting the reward.

[dlister70]

I've read that AMEX is more restrictive on what constitutes a supermarket than other card issuers are. So far, the ones that I've tested that have been a grocery store for Discover have also been a grocery store for AMEX, but I don't have a large sample size of stores.  I looked up Hannaford on the credit card code database, and it seemed to code as 5411 supermarket on there.  But that's a Visa lookup, so it looks like AMEX has it coded differently.  

I was worried about my BCP not working at my local Ruler Foods (a Kroger subsidiary) but I lucked out and that counts as a supermarket, as does my local Meijer.  I was able to buy a TV, iPad, and Apple Watch at Meijer and they all counted for 6% back on my BCP because Meijer is registered as a supermarket.  So it really does come down to how the merchant is initially coded when the business opens.

Here is what is listed on the AMEX website regarding supermarkets:

U.S. Supermarkets

To earn additional rewards on supermarket purchases, the supermarket must be located in the U.S.

A supermarket offers a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies.

(Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)

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.

Examples of merchants where you will NOT earn additional rewards include:
• Specialty stores (e.g., fish markets, cheese shops, wine shops, and other specialty food stores )
• Superstores (e.g. Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart)
• Warehouse clubs (e.g. BJ's Club)

[Anonymous]

The stores in NH coded properly when I used my BCE/BCP. This was a year ago as I do my shopping at WalMart or Target as we only have Stop and Shop where I am and they don't sell what I am looking for and what they do sell is so much more expensive...even more than Hannaford.