Office Depot and Staples May No Longer Be Earning 5% with Amex SimplyCash – Data Points Needed

A few reports are trickling in about Office Depot/Max no longer earning 5% with the Amex SimplyCash card.

A friend reports that Staples is no longer earning 5% either for the past few months.

All data points we’ve heard thus far are for gift card purchases so it might have to do with Level 3 Data rather than a coding change for these stores. If it is a store coding change, it might vary by store location.

Please contribute your own data points in the comments. Just be aware that rewards on Amex cards come with a statement delay, i.e. if you make a purchase on March 10th and your statement closes on the 20th, rewards for the March 10th purchase won’t show until April 20th.

Update: These reports seems to be anomalous – it’s still working for most without an issue.
    Chuck
  • On April 8, 2018, 16:07

View Comments (63)

  • None of my OM/OD 5% has posted for VGC purchases for the last few months. Just noticed merchant category as Merchandise and Supplies - Wholesale stores and I'm only getting 1%. Staples is still listed as Office Supply and all purchases there still earn 5% CB.

    OFFICEMAX
    View Details on Merchant Website
    Additional Information: 12300502737800463
    8004633768
    VISA,KEVLAR,$20-200
    INCOMM FEES 1
    Reference: 32018328056920
    Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Wholesale Stores

  • VGC purchase for June got 1% and starting in August all VGC orders using SCP have been cancelled.

  • OD OM deal started again today. I’ll give it a shot and report back in a month or so.

    • Please do. I suspect that the negative DPs were anomalies or errors and that it likely will work. Let us know.

      • @chucksithe
        Finally, results in!

        From 5/4/18 - 6/3/18, I spent $8755.67 in Office Max and Staples and a few dollars in other categories.
        On 7/5/18 I received cash back of -$437.93 for that statement.

        There doesn't seem to be any problem.

  • SCP+ is paying 5% on my OD purchases in April, latest being 4/14. (The VGC promo)

    If only someone could have predicted that this was nonsense.....oh wait...I did

  • 4 out of 5 purchases coded as Office Supplies for March the 5th coded as "Business Services". All were for VGC's

  • Ok my statement posted 5% cashback for my transaction from Sunday at Officemax. I did throw in a $2 marker my wife wanted. Doubt that made a difference. I bought gift cards from Allstate the first of April’ and it didn’t post any rewards so I assume that was a waste of MS. Guess I will run in to OM tomorrow for another couple VGC.

    • Both of mine coded as 5%. Second purchase with biz VGC was only item purchased and coded without problem. Would have had three but showed up without my biz card and used delta skymiles.

  • MS and organic spend both don't show any category bonus in the beta preview feature. It's only been 3 days or so.... I think there is a delay for all transaction.

  • Any idea if the rat team has hit gift card purchases at grocery stores using blue cash preferred? I bought a $500 amazon and will report back on the results but the suspense is killing me!

  • Maybe a delay in posting? Everything up to April 2nd says 5% reward. I have 2 posted charges April 4th that don't say anything.

    • My last charge at Staples for a VGC was April 2 and it is showing the 5%. I went to OM today and bought VGC's and they are currently pending.

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