which card to use for amazon purchases.

[trumpet-205]

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@Themanwhocan wrote:

I would be more impressed if it wasn't only 'select department stores'. 

US Bank Cash+ can give 5% on department stores, and various cards give 5% on Gas, all without annual fees. But not everyone is willing to work on getting a Cash+, or even realize they still can even if they are outside of the US Bank business regions.

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AMEX definition of US based selected department stores actually covered all the major one,

* Bealls
* Belk
* Bloomingdale's
* Bon Ton Stores
* Boscov's
* Century 21 Department Stores
* Dillard's
* J.C. Penney (JCP)
* Kohl's
* Lord & Taylor
* Macy's
* Neiman Marcus
* Nordstrom
* Saks Fifth Avenue
* Sears
* Stein Mart

[j_casteel]

Call me crazy but I just use my Amazon Store Card...has plenty limit and promo for 0% most of the time. If I don't get the 0% promo then the order was small enough to just PIF anyways. Several items are on "Amazon Subscription" so I'm already getting 20% off anyways and free 2-day shipping with Prime.

[Anonymous]

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@Themanwhocan wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Themanwhocan wrote:

Especially since BCP doesn't give more than 4.75% cash back in the best of circumstances. So the simple straightforward way is also the best way.

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4.75% IF you only got it and use it for supermarkets.   If you also got it for uncapped 3% in department stores and gas, it can earn almost 3% there and then the full 6% on groceries!    Now getting it for gas doesn't make too much sense, but the department store might.

And the Ink card non-straightforward route is better if a) you can use UR well, and b) if you spend a lot at Amazon.  The INK cap is much higher than Sallie Mae and Cash Plus.

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I would be more impressed if it wasn't only 'select department stores'. 

US Bank Cash+ can give 5% on department stores, and various cards give 5% on Gas, all without annual fees. But not everyone is willing to work on getting a Cash+, or even realize they still can even if they are outside of the US Bank business regions.

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But the Cash Plus is capped.   So if you spend a lot on department stores, the BCP will outperform Cash Plus.  And on gas it gives 1% more, but as you say, heavy gas users should try to get the uncapped 5% cards.

But, IMO, unlike the BCE, there is a place for the BCP.   Just maybe not such a big place!

[trumpet-205]

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@Anonymous wrote:

But, IMO, unlike the BCE, there is a place for the BCP.   Just maybe not such a big place!

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I personally think even BCE has a place when compared to others. Yes reward wise Sallie Mae, Cash+, etc has the upper hand, but AMEX has superior customer service and purchase protection (which since I got the card in 2011 had invoke twice).

For AMEX, its purchase protection is managed by themselves. You can file the claim online and will usually have the decision by the next day. Refund happens 3 business days after that.

On the other hand Visa and MC do not handle purchase protection. Instead card issuer hires third party issurance company to handle the claim. These companies will find every possible way to deny your claim. Also claim needs to be mailed in, so turnaround time is significantly longer. 

I also had subpar customer service with Barclay so far. You can head over to Barclaycard Travel Community and find a post written by me detailing the experience. US Bank has decent phone-based customer service, but their online support is non-existent. 

[Anonymous]

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@trumpet-205 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

But, IMO, unlike the BCE, there is a place for the BCP.   Just maybe not such a big place!

---

I personally think even BCE has a place when compared to Sallie Mae. Yes reward wise Sallie Mae has the upper hand, but AMEX has superior customer service and purchase protection (which since I got the card in 2011 had invoke twice).

For AMEX, its purchase protection is managed by themselves. You can file the claim online and will usually have the decision by the next day. Refund happens 3 business days after that.

On the other hand Visa and MC do not handle purchase protection. Instead card issuer hires third party issurance company to handle the claim. These companies will find every possible way to deny your claim. Also claim needs to be mailed in, so turnaround time is significantly longer. 

I also had subpar customer service with Barclay so far. You can head over to Barclaycard Travel Community and find a post written by me detailing the experience.

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My argument is Sallie Mae for the rewards, Amex Everyday for the Amex protection when needed, plus the ED has the capacity to grow into a full-fledged travel card if and when you want to do that.

So I agree there is a place for an Amex card, just saying that the BCE isn't that card!

[Kenny]

If I had BCP I'd use it to buy GC from Grocery, but since I've chosen to not have that AF... I use Sallie Mae.

[mongstradamus]

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@KennyRS wrote:
If I had BCP I'd use it to buy GC from Grocery, but since I've chosen to not have that AF... I use Sallie Mae.

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I am going to buy some amazon gc from a&p or stop and shop and hopefully amex doens't freak out 

[Themanwhocan]

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@j_casteel wrote:
Call me crazy but I just use my Amazon Store Card...has plenty limit and promo for 0% most of the time. If I don't get the 0% promo then the order was small enough to just PIF anyways. Several items are on "Amazon Subscription" so I'm already getting 20% off anyways and free 2-day shipping with Prime.

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You're crazy.

[Closingracer99]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@trumpet-205 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

But, IMO, unlike the BCE, there is a place for the BCP.   Just maybe not such a big place!

---

I personally think even BCE has a place when compared to Sallie Mae. Yes reward wise Sallie Mae has the upper hand, but AMEX has superior customer service and purchase protection (which since I got the card in 2011 had invoke twice).

For AMEX, its purchase protection is managed by themselves. You can file the claim online and will usually have the decision by the next day. Refund happens 3 business days after that.

On the other hand Visa and MC do not handle purchase protection. Instead card issuer hires third party issurance company to handle the claim. These companies will find every possible way to deny your claim. Also claim needs to be mailed in, so turnaround time is significantly longer. 

I also had subpar customer service with Barclay so far. You can head over to Barclaycard Travel Community and find a post written by me detailing the experience.

---

My argument is Sallie Mae for the rewards, Amex Everyday for the Amex protection when needed, plus the ED has the capacity to grow into a full-fledged travel card if and when you want to do that.

So I agree there is a place for an Amex card, just saying that the BCE isn't that card!

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And How isn't it? If a person has zero value in MR points then those points are less then 1% back on purchases. CB is King for some people and probably the majority of the average joes who don't visit this forum. Now lets say you want CB and an Amex but pay no AF. The BCE is a great card if you require an AMEX card and want all the perks that come with having an Amex card.  Remember Costco only takes Amex credit cards and maybe doesn't want or havent heard of the Costco TE card.

[Kenny]

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@trumpet-205 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

But, IMO, unlike the BCE, there is a place for the BCP.   Just maybe not such a big place!

---

I personally think even BCE has a place when compared to Sallie Mae. Yes reward wise Sallie Mae has the upper hand, but AMEX has superior customer service and purchase protection (which since I got the card in 2011 had invoke twice).

For AMEX, its purchase protection is managed by themselves. You can file the claim online and will usually have the decision by the next day. Refund happens 3 business days after that.

On the other hand Visa and MC do not handle purchase protection. Instead card issuer hires third party issurance company to handle the claim. These companies will find every possible way to deny your claim. Also claim needs to be mailed in, so turnaround time is significantly longer. 

I also had subpar customer service with Barclay so far. You can head over to Barclaycard Travel Community and find a post written by me detailing the experience.

---

My argument is Sallie Mae for the rewards, Amex Everyday for the Amex protection when needed, plus the ED has the capacity to grow into a full-fledged travel card if and when you want to do that.

So I agree there is a place for an Amex card, just saying that the BCE isn't that card!

---

And How isn't it? If a person has zero value in MR points then those points are less then 1% back on purchases. CB is King for some people and probably the majority of the average joes who don't visit this forum. Now lets say you want CB and an Amex but pay no AF. The BCE is a great card if you require an AMEX card and want all the perks that come with having an Amex card.  Remember Costco only takes Amex credit cards and maybe doesn't want or havent heard of the Costco TE card.

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To me, it's just facts that are being discussed. BCE is an all around inferior card to the other cards on the market. There are cards that trump it in almost every single way.