How to tell which stores code with which category?

[yfan]

When in doubt, and you have to buy something and can't wait to find out in your statement, just use your best flat rewards card.

[Anonymous]

With American Express it's kind of funny because my local grocery store does not get coded as a supermarket because it's just small time.

I know that card with the six percent back on groceries its definitely worgh driving the extra mile out of my way to get coded correctly

[taxi818]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@vwgrrc wrote:

Common sense would work for most place.

But I too curious about this... what if the grocery store of Shell/Chevron, is that gas or grocery? Or, what if the gas pump of 7-11, gas or grocery?

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Depends, common sense might not be that good if a guide, especially for things like "Will Amex count this as a grocery store?"    In the end, the best way to tell is to make a small purchase, and wait for the REWARD (not transaction) to appear.  Obviously, not always possible if you are visiting somewhere or need to buy something now.   And even then, in the worst case, the stores changes classification between your trial purchase and your real one!

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Exactly. Only real way to know amex sometimes codes. Publix in Florida. As merchandise.  It's groceries all day long. 

[Callandra]

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@taxi818 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@vwgrrc wrote:

Common sense would work for most place.

But I too curious about this... what if the grocery store of Shell/Chevron, is that gas or grocery? Or, what if the gas pump of 7-11, gas or grocery?

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Depends, common sense might not be that good if a guide, especially for things like "Will Amex count this as a grocery store?"    In the end, the best way to tell is to make a small purchase, and wait for the REWARD (not transaction) to appear.  Obviously, not always possible if you are visiting somewhere or need to buy something now.   And even then, in the worst case, the stores changes classification between your trial purchase and your real one!

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Exactly. Only real way to know amex sometimes codes. Publix in Florida. As merchandise.  It's groceries all day long. 

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Seriously? Publix in Florida codes as merchandise? I used Freedom during their groceries category and I got the 5% there with no problem; Amex needs to re-evaluate their codes (and Publix is the only supermarket around here too...there's literally one on every corner!).

[icyhot]

Try the Wallaby app. When you go in a store it'll tell you which of your cards is best to you based on the categories. For my BofA cash, Walmart codes as a grocery store so I get 3% back no matter what. When I stayed at a Hyatt and bought something at the bar, it coded as dining, not as a hotel, so I couldn't redeem points on my Venture. But Target seems to code as merchandise all the time

[IncrsCreditScore1]

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@WLRK11 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I know they get listed on our statements, but is there anyway to tell beforehand? (before a purchase)

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Are you curious about a few businesses in particular? 

VISA has this handy tool: https://www.visa.com/supplierlocator/search/index.jsp 

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Is there another link?  That one is not working.

[IncrsCreditScore1]

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@icyhot wrote:

Try the Wallaby app. When you go in a store it'll tell you which of your cards is best to you based on the categories. For my BofA cash, Walmart codes as a grocery store so I get 3% back no matter what. When I stayed at a Hyatt and bought something at the bar, it coded as dining, not as a hotel, so I couldn't redeem points on my Venture. But Target seems to code as merchandise all the time

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The bad thing about the Wallaby app is that it eats up your GBs like crazy.  For the month I had it on my phone, it ate up 2 GB and I had to pay extra for it.  Therefore, I uninstalled it.

Do you know of a way to have the app and have it not eating up GBs?

[kdm31091]

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@icyhot wrote:

Try the Wallaby app. When you go in a store it'll tell you which of your cards is best to you based on the categories. For my BofA cash, Walmart codes as a grocery store so I get 3% back no matter what. When I stayed at a Hyatt and bought something at the bar, it coded as dining, not as a hotel, so I couldn't redeem points on my Venture. But Target seems to code as merchandise all the time

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I thought BOA cash was 2%, not 3%, on groceries?

[icyhot]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

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@icyhot wrote:

Try the Wallaby app. When you go in a store it'll tell you which of your cards is best to you based on the categories. For my BofA cash, Walmart codes as a grocery store so I get 3% back no matter what. When I stayed at a Hyatt and bought something at the bar, it coded as dining, not as a hotel, so I couldn't redeem points on my Venture. But Target seems to code as merchandise all the time

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I thought BOA cash was 2%, not 3%, on groceries?

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Ahhhhh you're right, I'm trippin.It does count WM as a bonus category tho

[kdm31091]

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@icyhot wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

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@icyhot wrote:

Try the Wallaby app. When you go in a store it'll tell you which of your cards is best to you based on the categories. For my BofA cash, Walmart codes as a grocery store so I get 3% back no matter what. When I stayed at a Hyatt and bought something at the bar, it coded as dining, not as a hotel, so I couldn't redeem points on my Venture. But Target seems to code as merchandise all the time

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I thought BOA cash was 2%, not 3%, on groceries?

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Ahhhhh you're right, I'm trippin.It does count WM as a bonus category tho

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Seems like Walmart comes up as grocery more often than Target does, at least in my experience