For Us Credit Card Incentive People - A question

[Amethyst]

Mr. A. received an American Express Blue Cash Everyday card incentive offer of $250.00 after spending $1,000 in 3 months. He applied for the card, and I called Amex to ask why I had not received the same offer, given that my income is higher than this and our credit ratings are similar. They blew me off with, "Oh, there could be many reasons why different people don't get the same offer."

I just got an offer from them for a $200 statement credit and a year of Amazon Prime if I spend $1,000 in 3 months. I couldn't care less about Amazon Prime. I want the same deal my husband got.

Anybody ever encounter this situation? Were you able to get a different incentive from the one you were offered?

Thanks,

Amethyst

 

[calmloki]

Nice incentive for a $1000 spend. No idea why we all don't get the same offers - ce la vie -

Prime is pretty awesome though - very decent tv, including some HBO programming, new Amazon streaming music that is great with all kinds of channels. downloadable books, the faster free shipping... All in all well worth the $100/year it now costs - could argue you got the better offer.

(of course if you just don't want it...)

 

[FUEGO]

Yes, I've been in this situation. They have targeted offers that only the recipient can sign up for, so DW might get $500 bonus for something, whereas the standard $250 offer is all I get. I've called and they couldn't do anything.

They also do test marketing with targeted offers. Like testing to see what percentage of recipients sign up for a card with a $550 offer vs. $400 vs $250. That helps them determine a permanent promotional strategy (ie if just as many respond positively to a $250 offer as a $550 offer, no reason to waste $300).

 

[rprun54]

American Express is no deal any way you look at it. What kind of annual fee do you pay?

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[prudent_one]

When I got our AmEx Blue Cash Preferred a couple years ago, it was the same offer in the OP - $250 for spending $1000 in 3 months. It has a $79 annual fee so we were well ahead right from the start. After the first year, we calculated our cashback and it was over $200 more than we could get with any other card, so we continue to pay the fee.

 

[FUEGO]

American Express is no deal any way you look at it. What kind of annual fee do you pay?

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

Disagree. Fidelity Amex with 2% cash back and no annual fee is one of the best cards out there.

Plenty of other Amex cards are great deals even with annual fees (Starwood card comes to mind).

 

[Amethyst]

Both offers have been for "no annual fee" cards. I once took out a card with an annual fee, canceled it just before the fee came due, and felt dishonest. That's not logical - and I don't consider anyone else "dishonest" if they do it - but I'm me. Haven't done it since.

Amethyst

 

[athena53]

When I was married to my first husband, who was a financial train wreck and was unemployed the last 5 years of the marriage, he got offers with higher credit lines than I did. I just laughed.

So much is based on spending patterns. Has your husband spent more on his cards, or bought big-ticket items or paid business expenses? If he carries balances, that would be a plus, too, as far as the cc companies go.

 

[Amethyst]

Thanks to everyone's insights, I think I will just wait to see if AMEX makes me an offer I can't refuse. If it never happens, we won't have lost much.

Amethyst

 

[hlfo718]

Have you looked at Cap One? They are offering $100 if you spend $500 within first 3 months and their cash rebate is 1.50%. Or Citi with their double cash back.

 

[Amethyst]

I'll check it out, thanks.

The AMEX offers were "targeted" to us by name - with a special number that only the targeted person could use. When I visited the main web site for the Blue Cash Everyday card, the offers were different and not nearly as good as the "personalized" ones.

Last year, we made more with credit card incentives than the take-home from my work bonus - so this is more than just a hobby.

Amethyst

Have you looked at Cap One? They are offering $100 if you spend $500 within first 3 months and their cash rebate is 1.50%. Or Citi with their double cash back.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

The Amex cash card has NO annual fee, whereas the Preferred Cash card does (but % of cash back portion is higher). I originally got the "plain" cash card for the $250 after 1K in spending. I then got an offer to get the platinum card for a similar amount back (was closer to $270 worth because it's done on a point system...some charges can be credited for less points) *but* there is a $450 annual fee (I got the 1st year free due to being in the military). I now have the Preferred card (first year will also be free since I am mil) but the cash back is about the best deal going; 6% back on groceries, 3% on gas and 1% on all others.


I am an avid fan of making a little money off of the CC folks and I have done OK with it.

 

[prudent_one]

When I was married to my first husband, who was a financial train wreck and was unemployed the last 5 years of the marriage, he got offers with higher credit lines than I did. I just laughed.

So much is based on spending patterns. Has your husband spent more on his cards, or bought big-ticket items or paid business expenses? If he carries balances, that would be a plus, too, as far as the cc companies go.

No, that has been debunked. There's no benefit to carrying a balance. Spending patterns, yes.

 

[adrift]

American Express is no deal any way you look at it. What kind of annual fee do you pay?

Between my wife and myself, we have 3 Amex cards. We pay no annual fees. On one, we get 2% back via Fidelity. On the other two, we get Hilton rewards. There are many other rewards programs available.

If you have Amex cards, you can register them here:

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/

and use them on Saturday 11/29 and get up to $30 per card back.

We've registered our cards and plan to get back $90 on that Saturday.

 

[samclem]

No, that has been debunked. There's no benefit to carrying a balance. Spending patterns, yes.

What was debunked? The credit card companies make money when people carry a balance from month to month.

 

[Senator]

It really depends on where they get your contact information. it's just marketing 101. There was some criteria, and one person gets picked, the other doesn't. It may even be a test trial for a certain criteria.

A phone rep would have no clue why someone was picked, and someone wasn't. They also would not be able to offer any incentives for signing up. They would have no clue what information is in your credit history before they offered it to you.

I use a US Bank card, I get 5.5% cash back on meals and 1.5% back on everything else. I use a Sam's club Master card for 5% back on gas/diesel. I also have a Chase Ink that gives me 3% back at home improvement stores.

I probably average over 2.5% in rebates that way. None have an annual fee. All are paid in full, automatically, every month.

I have received at least $765.32 so far in 2014.

 

[mike143]

My wife received the $150 only and $100 with amazon prime for a year both within a week. I have the Blue Cash Preferred already so I don't get the offers.

 

[prudent_one]

What was debunked? The credit card companies make money when people carry a balance from month to month.

My point was that there is no benefit to the consumer to carry a balance - it does not help your credit score or make you more attractive to credit card issuers. Certainly, they do make more money from people who carry a balance but there is no strategic reason to do so from the consumer side.

In fact, it wasn't very long ago that banks were so nervous, some would cut your credit line if they saw you carrying a balance on some OTHER bank's card.