Amazon Pay With Points
I don’t generally place the words “Amazon” and “favorite” close together. My favorite Amazon move has been ignoring the company and shopping elsewhere. But what draws me in, other than the occasional free month of Prime membership, are Amazon pay with points offers. Amazon shoppers can routinely obtain a certain percentage off a particular Amazon subtotal by applying as little as 1 reward point. A variety of programs participate – Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Discover, and Capital One points are just a few options. Unfortunately, though, Amazon gradually degrades this promo around the edges. Here’s my most recent experience with this devaluation.
Amazon Pay With Points Promos and Buying Gift Cards No Longer Stack?
Amazon targeted me for a 40% off promo using pay with points, up to $60, and my wife received an offer for 15% off, up to $15. We generally avoid the latter offer, but I usually pursue the former. After activating my offer last week, I hopped onto Amazon Saturday for my go-to in these cases – gift cards. I overwhelmingly choose Uber gift cards to trigger these promos, and I planned to do so this time, as well.
But I quickly came face-to-face with what some others have also noticed. My small single-item shopping cart holding my $150 Uber gift card didn’t trigger the $60 off during the checkout process (see above). I double-checked that I selected the appropriate card and minimum points amount/dollar value compatible with the promo. Yep. I attempted with a few different gift card types. It was worth trying, but as I expected, no dice.
Inaccurate, Incomplete Amazon Terms
At this point, I figured it was worth another look at the Amazon terms and conditions for this promo. I’ve only given these requirements a quick glance historically, as I’ve been able to easily meet them in the past. Perhaps I missed something this go-round.
It turns out I wasn’t. I could find nothing in the terms and conditions that excluded the purchase of gift cards from the offer. The only part of the terms I found which could theoretically apply is the following:
This offer is only available on eligible products. Eligible products are items that can be purchased using Shop with Points at checkout for this promotion. Not all products on Amazon.com are eligible. See Shop with Points Restrictions. Offer is applied before shipping, taxes and fees. Shipping charges may apply to eligible products.
Like any curious hobbyist, I clicked on the restrictions. Amazon continues:
You can’t use Shop with Points to purchase the following orders or items:
- Individual digital music titles*
- Digital Downloads, except for Prime Video Purchases & Rentals, and Add-On Subscription orders. (For example, Apple Care)
- Amazon Appstore Apps
- Subscribe & Save items
- Items ordered through 1-Click, except for Kindle eBooks.
- Cell phones with service
- Whole Foods Market physical stores, except when paying with Prime Visa, Amazon Visa, Prime Store Card, Amazon Store Card, Amazon Prime Secured Card and Amazon Secured Card in-store with an In-Store code.
- Textbook Rentals
*Hilton Honors and Bilt Rewards cannot be used to purchase digital subscriptions and digital orders.
I noticed the same thing many of you readers are. Gift cards still aren’t excluded in the terms. But the reality is Amazon is now preventing shoppers like me from obtaining the offer with such a purchase, rendering these terms inaccurate and incomplete.
Why This Sucks
This is just the latest kick to the short pants for Amazon pay with points offers. Going back years, we could stack Amazon pay with points offers with Amazon gift cards for payment. I enjoyed buying Amazon gift cards with a grocery-friendly credit card while picking up 4x Kroger fuel points (those have since devalued to 2x on Amazon, among others) while using as little as one credit card reward point to save 40% on a variety of items, most often third party gift cards. But then, Amazon outlawed using its own gift cards as payment for such hijinks. Still, at least we could obtain 40% off gift cards with a credit card as the form of payment beyond the required points portion. The savings were substantial enough that I consistently participated.
But now, the primary option left to trigger Amazon pay with points offers is (gasp!) actual merch. Of course, the majority of Amazon loyalists will find that useful enough. Occasionally, I will, also. But I must be vigilant against unnecessary spending even more now. Indeed, 40% off something I wasn’t otherwise planning to buy is still spending 60% for something I didn’t need or want.
Of course, it’s possible this apparent gift card item purchase exclusion is unique to this current version of the Amazon pay with points offer. But I suspect this is a permanent change. I’d love to be wrong, though.
Conclusion
I also find it tremendously uncool that the Amazon terms and conditions do not align with the current reality. Amazon is quick to hold individuals – consumers and sellers – to their draconian policies but gets away with glaring inconsistencies related to accountability. The primary option all individuals have is quitting Amazon, which is easier said than done. Again, while I quit paying for Prime years ago and our routine Amazon shopping has ceased, I’ll still chase a free Prime membership and the right Amazon pay with points deal.
Amazon knows what works. Despite this pay with points devaluation, I still used my 40% off promo. On what, you ask? Luggage, of course!
How do you plan to most wisely use your Amazon pay with points offers now and in the future, if at all?
