Does Blue Cash Everyday offer bonus rewards at department stores?

Blue Cash Preferred does not count Walmart as a supermarket, which means that Walmart purchases are not eligible for the card’s 6% cash back rate. Purchases at Walmart get 1% cash back – the same rate as any other purchases that don’t fall into the Blue Cash Preferred Card’s bonus categories.… read full answer

Every merchant is assigned a merchant code by the credit card networks based upon the type of business they conduct. Since Walmart is a big-box store that sells all kinds of items, and groceries are only a fraction of their business, they do not receive the merchant code for “supermarkets.” Amex Blue Cash Preferred only gives 6% cash back to grocery purchases in the U.S. marked with the “supermarkets” merchant code.

If you’re looking for a good credit card to use for your Walmart purchases, consider the Walmart Store Card or Walmart Credit Card. And if you want to use your Blue Cash Preferred Card for groceries, some popular eligible stores include Meijer, Shoprite, Stop and Shop, Gristedes, Foodtown, Vons, Whole Foods and Winn-Dixie.

“Department Stores N” stands for for Department Stores National Bank, the issuer of the Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s credit cards. Each retailer has a store-only version and an American Express option that can be used basically anywhere. “Amex” is the credit report code and nickname for American Express.

Yes, you can upgrade from Amex Blue Cash Everyday to Blue Cash Preferred. But only if your Amex Blue Cash Everyday account has been open for at least 12 months.

Here’s what you should know about the Blue Cash Preferred upgrade:

• When you request an upgrade from Amex Blue Cash Everyday to Blue Cash Preferred, there’s no… read full answer hard inquiry on your credit report, so there’s no effect on your credit score.
• Approval for an upgrade typically takes just a few minutes, but there’s no guarantee that you will be approved.
• If you are approved for an upgrade, your card number won’t change, but you will receive a new card with an updated expiration date and security code.
• It usually takes 24-48 hours for the upgrade to be fully processed and for your account to be updated.
• You should receive your card within 7-10 business days from when the upgrade was approved. You can use your old card until the new one arrives, but it will have all the benefits of the new card after the upgrade has been processed.
• Your current credit limit and APR will carry over to the new card, as will your unredeemed rewards. But you won’t qualify for any introductory bonus offers unless they are cited in your upgrade offer from Amex.
• American Express usually sends targeted upgrade offers to Amex Blue Cash Everyday cardholders via mail, e-mail, or through their online account. Alternatively, you can call customer service at (800) 528-4800 to request an upgrade to Blue Cash Preferred.
• The Blue Cash Preferred card comes with an annual fee of $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after. There might be an introductory fee offer for you as well, but it is not guaranteed.
• In case you need to pay the $95 annual fee, you will be charged within 45 days of the upgrade. However, it will be a prorated Annual Membership Fee, based on the remaining time until your next account anniversary date.

To increase the odds of getting an upgrade, make sure your Amex Blue Cash Everyday account is in good standing. That means a history of on-time payments and low credit utilization, preferably less than 30 percent of your overall credit limit.