Small business Saturday 2014. Which stores?

wtvr

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 11:01 pm

busydev wrote:

for anyone who wants to use it for maaser- most (small?) non profits will also swipe your card (over the phone too so if you cant get out....) for $25 and get $25 . so you double your donation....

How do you double your donation? They just get whatever you swipe, but you don't actually pay for it. Is that what you mean? You give tzedakah, without it coming out of your pocket?

amother

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 11:25 pm

I'm still waiting to hear of one organization that got permission from American Express to charge people. Any organization that does this is going fraud as they are obviously using a friend who has a stores account to get it through. I called American Express and they said its illegal.

Here again we are seeing the frum people doing fraud. When will it become looked down upon in the frum community to openly publicize that we do fraud.

MaBelleVie

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 11:35 pm

amother wrote:

OK see I don't believe you because amex would never call this "illegal." They would say it doesn't meet the terms of their offer, or something like that. And in fact, the official rules don't allow non profits to participate in this offer. BUT as many people know, often they are willing to make something called an exception.

Here's what I wrote, again: some organizations have called up amex and requested to participate despite officially being excluded. Some organizations were granted permission, and amex put them on the authorized list (or whatever they call it). Amex actually knows perfectly well which of its users are small businesses, large businesses, non profits, etc. This is all very much open. People who donated to those organizations on SBS had exactly that show up on their statements- no one went through stores or anything like that. If they donated to yeshiva cheshkas hatorah, that's what on the statement. And amex refunded those transactions because those organizations were signed up with them, with permission, through SBS.

But hey, if you'd rather get your blood pressure up, be my guest.

busydev

Sun, Nov 16 2014, 11:42 pm

I dunno. I know of a couple yeshivos/schools who do it from their own machines, no funny business with friends or anything. nothing thru a store. in fact one place I know got signs and stuff that amex (I think?) sent to the stores. I remember seeing emails from other schools saying to call in with your number in the past.
but I dunno who they asked, if they asked etc

and I dont have an amex so I never did it myself. I thought I saw one place saying double your donation... one of those emails... but I could be mis-remembering. (maybe it was a different fundraiser and im mixing things up. also possible)

Bitachon101

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:20 am

I helped someone run a nonprofit a few years ago and amex had sent us signs that we were eligible for SBS! So don't be so quick to jump down tzedaka throats.
Not every Jewish organization does monkey business. Most are hopefully honest. There are always bad apples in every bunch.
It could also be the nature of the non profit.
Many schools are apparently eligible.
Let's try to judge ppl favorably instead of always assuming they're cheating.
Just my 2 cents.
Have fun at SBS..... I'd love to know what ppl plan to use their credits for!
Hmmmmm a new pair of boots? A new hat for him? Boots for the kids? Maybe a coat? Maybe food! Splurge on a Mani pedi or massage?

Barbara

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:26 am

MiniMom wrote:

Ces, btwn 35-45 cards. Of course, mainly additionals. Will b sure of the amount once we register them hopefully tomorrow..

Im not sure I understand. You have 45 separate American Express cards in your name?

Also, can someone explain $25? I thought it's $10 per qualifying purchase at a qualifying store, up to 3 stores.

wtvr

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:45 am

If Amex doesn't deem them a small business, then the consumer won't get the credit. It's not "illegal", it just won't work.

And I doubt an organization would go through the effort of advertising, etc. if they'e not eligible, because they'll have lots of angry cardholders coming after them.

So I would assume, that if a Yeshiva or other org is advertising that they are accepting cards, they know what they are registered as, and if it will go through or not.

Ultimately, it probably depends on what their merchant account is registered as with AMEX.

Keep in mind that the T&C's change from year to year, and so does eligibility. (In the past, our non-profit qualified, but this year it doesn't)

MiniMom

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 2:07 am

Barbara wrote:

Im not sure I understand. You have 45 separate American Express cards in your name?

Also, can someone explain $25? I thought it's $10 per qualifying purchase at a qualifying store, up to 3 stores.

So we have a few main cards & additionals on each of them. U can have additionals on anyone u want. Obviously with their permission.. So we branched it out to 45 cards, which is mostly addl's.

The $25 offer was a few yrs back. This yr it's $10 per card upto 3x each card (so it's like &30 each card). Hope I'm clear..

JAWSCIENCE

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 7:00 am

I'm going to branch out on what you wrote, Minimom because I don't think you realize it, but you use slang from the forums/circles where this is common and everyone understands (I understood, but I think most readers won't).

AMEX has several lines of credit cards so an individual might have 3 or 4 credit cards with AMEX. For each card you have with AMEX you can add authorized users (this is what Minimom referred to as additionals). Authorized user cards have their own unique numbers but ultimately they are linked to the main account from which they were opened and that main account holder is responsible for the bill. This is something many people do for their teens so that the teen can have a card for emergencies without having to take out a line of credit - the parents (or whoever the original account owner is) is simply sharing their line of credit.

If you have 3 AMEX cards and then you add your entire family as authorized users you could build up a lot of cards. Before the amother who seems to want to accuse everyone and their uncle of committing fraud gets her panties in a bunch, AMEX has stated that all of these cards are eligible for the offer as long as they have unique card numbers (some AMEX lines do not have that feature).

The offer varies every year. It used to be $25. Last year it was $10. This year it is $10 per swipe, 3 swipes per card. The terms seem to indicate it can even be at the same store. You just need them to swipe 3 times.

JAWSCIENCE

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 7:36 am

That is why I said the terms "seem to indicate". They do indeed seem to indicate that multiple transactions at the same store will count. Others have said they asked, but I did not myself call and ask so anyone concerned should do their own research.

From the FAQ page:
"HOW MANY BUSINESSES DO I NEED TO VISIT TO GET THE OFFER?
You can visit one, two, or three qualifying businesses on Nov 29. You can receive a $10 statement credit for
each qualifying purchase. However, you are limited to three statement credits in total per registered Card."

As for why someone would have ten authorized users: They don't require you to have a reason or demonstrate need for additional users. If you have people you trust to add as authorized users, then they let you add them. Zehu. That being said, having a very large amount of users might trigger a financial review because they want to make sure you can handle paying the bill should they all spend at the same time.

However, there really are reasons why someone could want ten authorized users. Go visit the large family thread. Or someone with a mid sized business that has a corporate account.

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 8:24 am

I assumed that when they wrote you can visit one two or three stores that if you visit one you get 10 back if you visit two you get 20 not that you can swipe three times in one store it doesn't say that anywhere.

Also usually when you add someone on as an additional then they pay the bill so why would you get the money back it would go to them. And the additional person has te card so they are the ones who will be using it in Saturday. If you have ten additionals say for ur kids are you going to ask your kids back for the cards or will you let your kids get that $10?

So again I'm asking why would one person have 35 American Express cards for themselves?

JAWSCIENCE

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 8:42 am

Like I said I did not call Amex myself but others have told me they have and were told that three swipes in one store counts. I am not planning on doing it but if you are you should call. It could be worth it.

Authorized users can pay the bill but often in the parent child scenario the parent does. You can always pay the bills for your authorized users. In fact if they don't pay you are required to do so, the collection agency comes after the primary account holder not the authorized user.

In terms of money back, nobody is being sent money. Nobody is paying the money either. It is charged to your card but a credit immediately appears as well. No money ever leaves the card holders hands. So whoever walks out with the ten dollar item or gift card is the one getting the free item. I would bet plenty of parents asked their kids for cards for that night. Or siblings are users for each other but the original account holder retains the card since they only added them for this reason. There is no requirement that the card needs to be used on other occasions. So somebody would have ten authorized users because Amex allows them to do so and they can get three hundred dollars by doing so. No other reason is needed. Why do you think they need any other reason?

It seems to me some people just want to blast other Jews for trying to find honest ways to relieve financial pressure. We have so many illegal shticks going on, why blast people for totally legal things?