AmEx Not For All Small Biz

[ToddFrench]

@Mike Stoneking

@Todd F r e n c h

Where’s the actual ‘sign up’ section? All I see is the promote section

Here you go.
https://enroll.amexnetwork.com/US/en/SBS2012/

That’s how one enrolls as a card holder - I mean as a business

[C_Bowman]

@Todd F r e n c h

@Mike Stoneking

@Todd F r e n c h

Where’s the actual ‘sign up’ section? All I see is the promote section

Here you go.
https://enroll.amexnetwork.com/US/en/SBS2012/

That’s how one enrolls as a card holder - I mean as a business

Did you not see the link I posted Sunday ? On the top of the page was “Promote Your Small Business” for the advertising part. It’s to late now. Sheesh!

[Bob_Wood]

Easy, Carrie. We don’t want to have to throw water on you and have you melt.

[Dan_Hammer]

I didn’t see Napa Valley Wine and Cigar on this map. https://squareup.com/directory/in/map?cmpId=amex&location=napa+ca

[C_Bowman]

I couldn’t find us on the map unless I did an exact name/zip code search. We finally got a letter today that we qualify for Small Biz Saturday with them. Customers have to enroll their Cc by midnight tonight to be able to get the credit.

I was also informed that wine was not included in the terms as “alcohol” . They could have clarified that so I wouldn’t have gotten a whole bunch of people upset.

[Brent_C_l_a_y_t_o_n]

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY(R)
NOV 24

SO SORRY, BUT YOUR AD HAS BEEN DECLINED

It’s nothing personal. Your business didn’t meet the requirements in the
Terms of Participation*.

HOWEVER, please don’t let this be the end of your Small Business
Saturday.

There’s still more that you can do to help make your Small Business
Saturday a success.

• Get inspired by seeing what other small business…

[middle-finger.gif]

[C_Bowman]

Brent,
Do you sell spirits? I don’t quite get any of their reasoning or lack thereof, especially in their terms stating “no alcohol” and also no business promoting “tobacco” I got the letter today saying we qualified and it’s pretty obvious by our name we sell cigars.

[Dan_Hammer]

Carrie,

I just sent you an e mail.

[Brent_C_l_a_y_t_o_n]

@C. Bowman

Brent,
Do you sell spirits? I don’t quite get any of their reasoning or lack thereof, especially in their terms stating “no alcohol” and also no business promoting “tobacco” I got the letter today saying we qualified and it’s pretty obvious by our name we sell cigars.

Carrie,
If you are a store in NY state all that you sell is wine & spirits, and accessories. No soda, no food, no tobacco. Well, lottery if you choose to but we certainly don’t.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

@Bruce Leiserowitz

@Barry L i p t o n

I can’t find any of the wine stores I use in NYC on the list. Anyone know of a moderately priced wine store in Manhattan that’s participating?

Barry–If you can’t find a wine store in NYC to use on Sat., you could call in an order (or order via the web) with a participating LA/CA wine store on Sat.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce. The trick is that they need to agree to process it on Saturday. Web orders don’t always get processed the same day.

The one I went to last year (on the West Coast but not in LA) declined the opportunity (this year) to process 9 separate sales, each for about $40. On another thread, someone mentioned gift certificates; if Russ and Daughter sells them, that’s perfect for me.

[Randy_Bowman]

Well, I don’t think it matters much. In our case, Amex can deny charges based on their criteria of no tobacco/spirits, but now that the day is over, we only had a couple people actually take advantage of the program. Saw a lot Amex cards during the day, but most never signed up for it and most had no idea the program existed.

Anybody need an Amex Small Business Saturday floor mat? They sent us three.

[Rick_Smith]

A local kitchen gadget store was a big winner again for Small Business Saturday. It was packed and everyone I saw was paying with Amex.

[Dan_Hammer]

Well, after repeatedly Tweeting Amex (they never responded), I used my 6 Amex cards to eat sushi, get restaurant gift cards, and buy holiday gifts. My wife says the money (their money) was well spent.
I say those credits would have been well spent if used to buy a $150 bottle of Champagne.

[Roberto_Rogness]

Out of about fifteen overall we had at least five people come in in response to our weekly e-mail mentioning it but had not registered their cards. I gave them consolation discounts as they had come on our info.

AMEX is doing a shitty job of communicating with their customers.

[BobMilton]

@Randy Bowman

Well, I don’t think it matters much. In our case, Amex can deny charges based on their criteria of no tobacco/spirits, but now that the day is over, we only had a couple people actually take advantage of the program. Saw a lot Amex cards during the day, but most never signed up for it and most had no idea the program existed.

Anybody need an Amex Small Business Saturday floor mat? They sent us three.

My local wine shop sent out an e-mail saying it would work with them. So I registered my card and went shopping. Even got a thank you e-mail from Amex! So it must have worked.

[CFu]

bought dog food. woot.

[Mike_Stoneking]

Dana picked up $32 of cheeses from Paradise Pantry, a local wine/cheese shop in downtown Ventura. Out of pocket= $8.
I picked up $36 of craft brews from Ojai Beverage Company. Out of pocket= $11.

AMEX could do more, but it needs to be pushed by the stores themselves. Neither store was promoting the day, and the employees did not know anything about the concept, even though both were list on the AMEX site.

[Dan_Hammer]

@Roberto Rogness

AMEX is doing a shitty job of communicating with their customers.

Well… the travel bloggers were all over this. Same goes for their readers.

[Roberto_Rogness]

We got a lot of folks to come in with our e-mail but a lot of them had not registered their cards. Why do they have to do that anyway? They HAVE the friggin’ card and AMEX knows it.

[A_K_a_I_l]

I read in a few places that alcohol retailers (amongst others) were ineligible for the program. Both Rimmerman and Posner sent out emails to that effect. I believe it was just for the advertising portion of the program, but there was certainly confusion. My wife and I registered our cards and I used mine at a local wine/liquor shop here in CT. $25 credits already posted to our accounts.