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I was wondering if anyone knew how to determine what category a store or company is? For example, if they are a drugstore or supermarket or grocery store. This is for those 5% categories some credit cards have. I know some places are obvious, but other aren't. Is there some kind of listing or search where it would tell you what mastercard or visa classifies the place as?
Your best bet is to make small test purchases for a dollar or so and see how they show up on your different cards that you'd like to use. Otherwise, you might find yourself without the 5% after having made a larger purchase. There is no guarantee. I hate that, too! I only use the 5% categories on my Discover for stores I know will work.
Does it depend on credit card?
I know that AMEX has these merchant ID numbers that they go off of, but I noticed that they categorize 7-11 differently than Discover.
I don't trust the 5% back categories unless you're shopping in larger stores that the CC recognizes.
When I first got my Zync, I tested it by using it at Whole foods 3 times which is covered for double points on the ECO pack. No points. Waited until the second statement cut, still nothing.
I could of used another card and received cash back. This is why I can't stand rotating categories. Feel like if a store isn't listed on the CC's site, they won't reward you even if it's part of the categories. Where I live, aside from the big department stores like Macy's, most of the shopping is done in specialty stores where the CC may or may not count it as part of their categories.
I just got a an Amazon Chase Visa and their info section says it's up to the store to choose their own category. Chase has no control over it, but they use that category for determining rewards.
I totally agree!
One problem is that the categories that show on your statement, in the section with the monthly charge activities, aren't the same categories as used for rewards. (Confirmed by Chase CSR.)
This makes it exciting.
The CSR told me that they were considering showing where you were each month for each rewards category, due to member "feedback." Might be useful for cardholders to turn the feedback volume up a bit.
@haulingthescoreup wrote:One problem is that the categories that show on your statement, in the section with the monthly charge activities, aren't the same categories as used for rewards. (Confirmed by Chase CSR.)
This makes it exciting.
The CSR told me that they were considering showing where you were each month for each rewards category, due to member "feedback." Might be useful for cardholders to turn the feedback volume up a bit.
A Happy New Year!!
Yes, that's true.
Really ... that will be great! please let us know as soon as you find out it's there ... Thanks hauling