Hey all!
I activated my 10% bonus cash back on Grocery spend (up to $40 back on a $400 purchase).
A few days later, I went to my local Fry's food and drug store (I've never used my WF there, since I have my BCP for grocery spend... I can confirm this Fry's codes as grocery on my BCP and my CFU).
I bought ~$150 worth of groceries and decided to get a 'few' gift cards, both for stocking stuffers and to fill out the order to $400... It came out to $414.40.
I checked a couple days ago and the purchase was categorized as "Electronics/Software"... I then decided to check my pending rewards and it says I have $8.29 coming back to me for that purchase... My normal 2% on the Active Cash...
I have noticed that on my recent bonus rewards, they come through 1-2 days later, in a separate distribution with a note saying:
"Congratulations, your purchase through the Earn More Mall® just earned you bonus rewards."... It's been 3 days since that pending rewards post and no dice on the secondary "bonus" distribution of $40
I called in to the rewards department and the CSR just told me to wait until "like around the 5th" and if it hasn't hit my account by then, to call back to open a report...
I'm more concerned about why it's categorizing as "Electronics/Software" and not Grocery. I fear that coding is going to disqualify me from this bonus. I tried explaining that to the CSR and told him I'd like to be proactive but he insisted that I wait to confirm it's been categorized 'incorrectly' before we can open a report.
Do we think my addition of ~$250 gift cards to my grocery order could have somehow made this purchase codes as "Electronics/Software"?
Or do we think WF thinks that Fry's Food and Drug Store purchase (printed as just "Fry's" on the statement) is a purchase from Fry's Electronics?
Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Cheers!
Sounds to me like they're mistaking Fry's Food for Fry's Electronics...which shouldn't happen anyway because Fry's Electronics no longer exists.
@Kforce wrote:I think you will be fine. Many split the regular base rewards and then later post the extra bonus category as a new line item. If Amex and Chase code as grocery so will the WF. Just be patient
Yeah I know WF splits them. I'm just worried I won't get that split out bonus cuz it's coding as software... Could it be the gift cards?
Cheers!
You know that we are all just guessing 
Only WF has the answer.
I would give it a few days and then call them again.
It could be that they did not like the gift cards, or something else entirely.
Hope it works out. but not a life altering loss if everything fails.
I always check how a card codes where I shop before putting large spend on it.
Never hurts to pre-check.
@Anonymous wrote:
@OmarGB9 wrote:Sounds to me like they're mistaking Fry's Food for Fry's Electronics...which shouldn't happen anyway because Fry's Electronics no longer exists.
Personally I would doubt that anything relies on a name field like that. There would be a merchant identification code (so Wells Fargo would pay the correct merchant) and a corresponding MCC. So I don't know WHY it happened but doubt if it is just the name!
Oh I agree completely, but still, stranger things have happened in the FICO world!
@Anonymous wrote:
@Cashbackjunky wrote:
@Kforce wrote:I think you will be fine. Many split the regular base rewards and then later post the extra bonus category as a new line item. If Amex and Chase code as grocery so will the WF. Just be patient
Yeah I know WF splits them. I'm just worried I won't get that split out bonus cuz it's coding as software... Could it be the gift cards?
Cheers!
It is extremely unlikely that gift cards would change the coding. For those issuers that enforce the "cash equivalents do not earn rewards" rule, the options usually are:
1) Don't give rewards on the part they know/suspect are ineligible (really only when Level 3 reporting is available from the merchant)
2) Decide the whole transaction is bad and no rewards on the whole of it
3) Close the card for rewards abuse
Changing the MCC wouldn't make sense.
ETA: to me the big decision is how much to pursue this if you don't get the expected reward. WF has been strict on gift cards in some cases (mainly the 5% for 6 months type of thing), but usually at much higher amounts so it's probably OK to pursue in this case, but some slight risk!
Sound advice. It looks like I won't have to worry about it.
** UPDATE **
Just checked my WF rewards account. $40 dropped in there... It's weird though, the purchase is still coding as "Electronics/Software" 🤷🏻♂️
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I'll take it tho!! I need to learn to channel my inner patience... When I saw it didn't Code as grocery, I got nervous. All's well that ends well.
Cheers!