American Express Issues With EveryDay Transactions [Now Fixed]

Update 07/09/18: It looks like the tracker is now working again properly and small transactions and normal transactions are appearing as normal.

Update: It looks like it’s not just confined to small transactions, but also larger transactions as well. Because of this it’s very possible that the tracker is just not working at all for purchases made from 6/25 onwards. Please share your own DP in the comments below.

American Express has two EveryDay cards, these cards are unique because you receive a % bonus on points if you make a certain amount of purchases each month as follows:

• AmEx Everyday: Earn 20% extra points when you make 20 or more purchases on your card
• AmEx EveryDay Preferred: Earn 50% extra points when you make 30 or more purchases on your card

Previously any purchase you made would count towards the count. It looks like American Express are no excluding some purchases from counting towards this transaction requirement. It looks like they are mostly excluding small purchases such as Amazon reloads, iTunes, small gas transactions & more. The problem is that there is nothing I can see in the fine print that gives them the right to exclude these transactions. The fine print states:

A transaction where you buy multiple items counts as one purchase. Purchases do not include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents.

I can see how American Express could make a case for excluding Amazon credit reloads (purchases or reloading of prepaid cards) but excluding other items isn’t consistent with the current terms at all. If American Express wants to introduce a minimum purchase amount requirement (e.g $1/$5) then they should probably add it to the fine print and inform existing cardholders of the change and do so ahead of making the change. I wish card issuers would start following the fine print they set out rather than just making up rules on the fly without any repercussions, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Hat tip to US Credit Card Guide for first reporting Amazon reloads aren’t working & /r/churning for pointing out other purchases are also excluded.