Shop Small is back for a weekend in May - 14/05 to 15/05.
#Registration opens on 10/05. 13/5 10pm: Enrollments now closed (maximum 40,000 card member enrollments reached).
Spend $20 and receive $10 credit for up to 3 transactions per card (1 per location).
Referrer: 40,000 Reward Points
Referee gets 200,000 MR points. Referrer gets 150,000 MR points.
msy sell computer parts, also the shop at capitol square up stairs sells parts too.
But these days people buy monitors from dell ebay or dell factory outlet, because the dells are the best.
I was searching something else, and saw that BIG W (Cumberland Park, SA) is participating! Surely this is not Small Business?
That is bizarre, certainly not a 'small shop' by their own definition.
Has anyone figured out where to top up mykis in the melb cbd?
The list this time seems to be disappointingly restricted…
Struggling to find any prepay coffee card places in Melbourne CBD. All Nashi places are closed at the weekends.
maximum enrolments reached.
"The system cannot validate your Card information at this time. Please try again in a few hours."
I keep getting this when trying to explain enrol my supplementary cards
Map is a shambles on mobile devices. Instead of improving their site, Amex has actually made it worse than previously
A lot of the City Convenience stores in Sydney are just saying that their Opal machines are broken. So if you are going to make a specific trip into the City, it might be a fruitless trip. Just a heads up.
Did you manage to find at least one?
No unfortunately but maybe you will have better luck.
Alfred street store near circular quay worked for me this morning.
It's the Alfred / Pitt street one with the cafe attached. I think it's 11 Alfred.
Thanks. I was just there and machine not working.
No way! I'm calling bs on that.
@Hoju: there was a woman with a kid in front of me. Definitely attempting to play with cash, tried it and didn't work. Maybe the shop keeper got fed up with pressing buttons?
Thanks for the heads up. No more goodies
damn, if anyone works out a place to get opal credit or petrol…let me know! I can't see anything on the map near by.
trying to locate a shop in western Sydney blacktown area for opal recharge without any success..
im looking now at the map at a bunch of western sydney suburbs and can't find anything so far.
think i may give up soon tho
you can top up at doonside iga. we just did that no surcharge. girl was quite friendly at the counter
How do you know IGA Doonside is a participating store?
Edited:Found on the list,thanks!Last time I did search IGA,no results!
Thanks good call
thanks mate. topped up on the way to my friends place!
To be fair it took 3 days for the enrolment to be full so I'd be more inclined to blame one being a bit slow off the mark.
Did u miss out?
(Rofl)
3 x stores for myki.
5x Amex
Thx heaps.
$150cost for $300value
All confirmation emails received.
No problemos
Mind sharing where u got myki??
Yeap can you share it as well? I thought they only count Myki as one merchant.
Been to 3 stores on the Shop Small map so far today. Two stores said they don't take AMEX.
Do you ask before inserting the card? I just put my thumb over the AMEX logo and go for it like I would any other card, no dramas.
Usually if they so no to AMEX though and you buy using another card despite it being on the map you can just contact the AMEX Connect team and they'll still pay it.
At both places I tried both swiping & inserting card. Neither way worked. First place I paid cash, & got receipt. Will try to get AMEX to cough up the $10. Second place I just cancelled purchase.
Poor experience though, if on the Shop Small map they should take the card. I do not want to run around town asking every merchant before I make a purchase.
Found a cafe in Surry Hills NSW that doesn't surcharge AMEX and is participating - Lumiere on Bourke St
Schnitz @ glen Waverley shopping centre (melb) takes amex with no surcharge.
Got my cashback straight after.
Isn't the purpose of shop small to push amex acceptance to more merchants? Not sure if it's my false impression but not a great sign to see (by the sound of it) more & more convenient shops quitting.
Din Tai Fung in Melbourne not included anymore? Mamak still seems to be? Anyone tried?
Tried splitting a $40 bill across 2 AMEX cards (with different names, but one is an additional cardholder) at one of the establishments on the list.
First AMEX card got an immediate $10 confirmation.
Second AMEX card did not.
I know in the past this has worked, but I also know in the past that the emails were inconsistent markers of whether the $10 rebate would actually come or not.
Anyone else experiencing this?
Give it some time.
The rebate pops up into your account even without emails last time.
Any participating indian grocery stores around parramatta?
2x transactions on different cards (nab and anz), no email. It's a place that is listed and had worked in the past, but they have a new pop up next door. Hopefully being a new terminal doesn't effect things. I'm sure the credit will come through or they'll fix it if it doesn't. The emails were hit and miss last time.
Did 3 x $20 Opal top ups in CBD Ezymart shops with $1 surcharge
Did you get any emails from amex?
Yep, got 'You've received a $10 credit for shopping small' email from American Express after each transaction
Locations?
how much surcharge they ask for? pls advice I wanna go to top-up sunday
The Menzies hotel one is refusing to take amex
Anyone use AMEX (charge, not cobranded) via Apple Pay and see it turn up as a credit yet?
Anyone know the Amex number that I can call to report about their shops listing? I went into a chicken shop that is on the eligible Amex Shops Small listing, but I saw a sign at the register "No Amex" !!!
Oxford Street Newsagency 18-32 Oxford street is still on the map. 50c surcharge for Opal Topup. Got an email 10 mins after the transactions.
It shares the pin with another retailer (Wonder Future) so it won't show up if you mouseover the pin after searching the area. I had to browse search results or did a keyword search for it to show up.
I've used the 3 transactions on one AMEX, five more transactions left across two more cards to go.
I can't find anymore of the petrol places to fill-up.
The map search using the filters didnt work particularly well around here today but ended up working out that the local craft beer store (Warners at the Bay) was eligible..
Made some of those tasty (but expensive) beers more affordable with 2x $20+ purchases :) (and received Amex emails instantly)
Has anyone tried Priceline or Discount Drug Store at Waterford Plaza, WA ? The map is saying shop 5 (belongs to DDS) but with Priceline (shop 35) phone number. Should I shop at Priceline due to matching phone number ?
Artarmon Welcome Mart Spar Express at 120 Hampden Rd worked for Opal top-up with $1 surcharge. Emails received immediately.
However, they will not process a transaction without a pin. If the card forces a signature then they will not allow it.
I wish I saw this post earlier. Artarmon Spar didn't appear on the Shop Small map for me but three other Spar locations did.
Too late for this offer, but we just got a Westpac Altitude card - can we get AMEX offers like this one with that card? And if so, how? We tried to add the card to our current AMEX account, but it wouldn't work. Westpac have a rewards section, but I couldn't see any AMEX offers there either.
You can't add your Westpac Card to your Amex account and there isn't any rewards section like your Amex account has, you just need to enter your card number and email address in the enrollment page when enrollments are available.
Awesome, thank you!
Pity that the supplementary card has the same number…
Ashfield Service Station (Ashfield NSW) - went there this morning and did Opal recharge however didnt receive the email - Upon checking the AmEx Shop Small map, that shop is no longer there - wtf?
What are my chances of getting a credit? If I dont get it, can I email AmEx screenshot of the last credit they gave me and ask for this time again? I have 4 amex cards so did 4 x $20 transactions. thanks
Few places in eastern suburbs SA that might be of interest to some:
Norwood Place Newsagency (metro card top up)
St Bernards Pharmacy Magill (small place but some stuff is pretty cheap, deodorant & shower gel etc. Tell them you are doing amex shop small and they'll help you get to $20)
Chemist King Hectorville (compare prices with Chem Warehouse, hit and miss but some good specials, Kleenex 250pk $2.49)
Emails all received immediately for single and multi card purchases.
This getting more and more less attractive.
Amex should just say all 7/11 or ezymart, etc etc maybe better.
Then it wouldn't be a Shop Small promotion.
But why not all ezymart are included?
I suspect some owners has multiple EzyMarts and do enough business that its above the Shop Small threshold
Spice Alley at Central Park/Broadway (Sydney) worked a treat. Just bought a few $20 pre-paid cards for future deliciousness, instant email in each case.
Had lunch at a cafe that used to be Shop Small, but didn't notice until afterwards that it wasn't on the map this time. No email confirmation, so I don't have high hopes.
Hey do you mean you bought the prepaid card that can be used to dine at kensington lane?
Yup! Kopi-Tiam Spice Alley or whatever the full name is…
I thought kopi-tiam spice alley is only one of the shops there?
It includes these:
Dine on Singaporean dishes at Alex Lee Kitchen, Bang Luck Thai Street Food, Old Jim Kee’s Malaysian spices and Cantonese street food from Hong Kong Diner. Book-ended by Japanese dining hall KYO-TO and Vietnamese fares from the glass-faced Mekong, Spice Alley unites family recipes from across the Asian continent.
I have done the run today and here is the address for three stores in Parramatta.
NSW Convinence 253 Church Street & 119a Macquaire Street $1 surcharge
EzyMart 18 Smith Street NO surcharge
You got email confirmation for EzyMart 18 Smith St?It is not on the list.
Yes and it is on the map
PARRAMATTA EASY MART
1B\18 SMITH STREET , PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES 2150
0404 269 280
go here type Parramatta.
Did anyone top up GoCard on South Brisbane store and had success?
Please let us know the store.
The one in George Steet in city was closed as per one of my friend.
Hi all, I just did 12 cards for Myki at Essendon Pharmacy (Guardian) 1049 Mt Alexander Rd if it helps. Georgia was really nice and patient, might also be because a guy ahead of me did the same and she's done a few all day haha. Still struggling to find 2 more places near me that does it, would appreciate if anyone knows anywhere else near Mooney valley area that does Myki
Yeah I thought about this. There seems to be a pattern of business happily accepting Amex, and then reacting adversely a few months after. My guess is they are not happy with the size of the Amex bills for merchant fees that arrive in the months after. I hope Georgia doesn't get reprimanded when the bill does arrive, she is just doing her job well, friendly service to the customer.
I think the retail margin for Myki is approx 5%, and merchant fee for Amex approx 3%, so that leaves a 2% for the shop. If you top up $20 with no surcharge, they earn 40c, being $1 less 60c in fees. I reckon it's an okay deal for them, if they get say 3 times the number of customers, which they would if they openly welcome shop small shoppers.
On the other hand, if the location is convenient, I am happy to pay the 3% surcharge for the convenience, especially if I get back 50%! I think surcharges of 5% or more are quite unreasonable, I think in one case I've been asked for $3 for a $20 top up, 15%, that is just opportunistic.
I think everyone contributes to this situation somewhat
1) shops shouldn't have a knee jerk reaction to Amex merchant fees, after all everything they sell probably have at least 5% margin, so the fact that a large bill comes means they've made money, not lost money. On the other hand, customers should be more accepting of reasonable surcharges, because it's an extra cost to the shop directly linked the payment method of their choice
2) if it costs 3%, then a 3% surcharge is probably reasonable? I suspect complaints about surcharge is what is getting all these places removed from the shop small list. It would be better for Amex to only remove those with surcharge higher than 3%. I think those shops charging 5% or more don't deserve extra business from shop small support whereas recovering this cost of around 3% on thin margin services like Myki seem reasonable.
3) what's with all these people with so many cards swooping on shops in one go? I have personally heard shop keepers talk about this. You know Amex have access to the data and could cross match if they wanted? It's a good way to get yourself excluded from future promotions? Or ruin things for everyone if the promoter feels things are not what they intended.
Thanks heaps for the insight, I didn't know about their Myki margins and the like. I usually try to buy items in addition to my Myki top ups to help support the business, I was looking for something in particular but they didn't have it so ended up just buying some throaties. But will keep this is mind in future transactions. I have no qualms paying the surcharges if they had them, I paid surcharges of $0.60-$1 during the November campaign, and never complain/claim it back from Amex as it thought it was fair and at the end of the day I'm still ahead and just plain appreciative that they painstakingly put through my multiple transactions.
Many shops I went to today listed on amex map but they don't accept amex. There was even one shop said they would accept but they will charge me 17% to pay with amex. Went to one shop which is shown as "2016 Member Favorite" on the map but not accepting amex. This promo is to let people know how hard it is to use amex in this country.
I really wish Amex get options of bankrupt or to follow visa and master ie low fees.
Devastating news! The Oak Barrel in Sydney no longer accepts Amex, despite having been a Shop Small success so in the past and being labelled a Member Favourite.
I previously heard the owner was a big Amex fan, so perhaps they got shafted with merchant fees or something?
Yahweh Asian Grocer at Highpoint, VIC worked today. But from next month, hey aren't accepting Amex.
Has anyone tried purchasing gift cards from Emporium Melbourne? I did a search on the map, and Emporium doesn't come up this time.
How to contact amex if I don't receive cashback?
Opal credit available at:
Marrickville Metro Newsagency UNCONFIRMED
Haberfield Newsagency
139 Ramsay St, HABERFIELD NSW
$1 surcharge
Lilyfield Corner Store 50c surcharge OPEN TILL 9pm
356-358 Catherine St, LILYFIELD NSW
Ph: 02 9560 5429
NOT AVAILABLE Leichhardt Marketplace Newsagency will not accept Amex for opal ffs!
Chris' newsagent campsie will not accept Amex for opal credit …
Yes, Haberfield Newsagency worked for me as well. Charged $1.5 per transaction though.
Chris Newsagency, Campsie were reluctant on opal recharges using amex
Got to love the inconsistency in the Amex surcharges hey. They only charged me $1. Although they don't even tell you what the surcharge is they just help themselves!
same is the case with me and Lilyfield Friendly Grocer charged me $1 per transaction.
Cannot find Haberfield Newsagency on the list anymore.
I can confirm Marrickville Metro Newsagency accepted Amex for opal top up.
2% surcharge.
But never got my email..
Its on the map!
Do i get my credit?
Is it just me or the list of participating shops have shrunk a fair bit since last year?
It has.
There are several shops missing from Nov.
Shopping for a replacement computer monitor.
Anyone knows any participating computer shops in Sydney?