Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond, VA
I wouldn’t call myself an Amex apologist, but I wouldn’t necessarily argue much with someone who did. Amex provides active points and travel hobbyists much to love. Indeed, I receive exponentially more than I pay with them. This can require extra effort which I’m up for, while totally understanding many aren’t. I put in the work I find most enjoyable, preferring to avoid the nonsense. I just dealt with an overflowing bucket of the latter at Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond, VA. Long story short – I recommend consumers shop elsewhere. But here’s the extended version.
Resetting My Shop with Saks Benefit Strategy
I passed through Richmond on a recent road trip. I had a convenient opportunity to trigger the biannual Shop Saks with Platinum benefit I receive with the Amex Platinum by buying gift cards at a brick-and-mortar location, something unavailable where I live. Last year, I described how I prefer to maximize the Saks benefit with gift cards for online orders. I continue holding these accounts and planned the same gift card purchase routine. But things quickly changed once I arrived at Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond.
Amateur Hour at Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond
I entered Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond a few minutes after a Wednesday 12 noon opening. Unsurprisingly, I saw no other customers inside, but plenty of employees. Walking toward the middle of the store, I bared a slight right to the first prominent checkout desk I could find. I greeted the associate, and she looked up from what appeared to be her personal cell phone. She smiled and requested I wait one moment. After the rep finished her higher-priority phone activity, she asked how she could help. I requested to buy a Saks gift card, which she quickly rang up. Below, I paraphrase my recollection of the continuing conversation.
Me: I’d like to pay with multiple cards.
Rep: I’m sorry sir, we do not accept gift cards to pay with gift cards. [There was no context for why she thought I was paying with gift cards.]
Me: That’s no problem, these are American Express Platinum cards. [I show her the cards.]
Rep: I don’t think I can do that. Let me get a manager.
A minute or two later, the rep returned with a coworker, who was nice enough but didn’t provide anything additional. This coworker quickly faded away as another individual arrived, who the original rep introduced as “the store manager.” The conversation continued.
Manager: You can only use two Platinum cards to pay.
Me: Hello. Why?
Manager: Because of fraud.
Me: Can you explain a bit more? In the past, I’ve bought gift cards with several Platinum cards during a single Saks visit. I’ve done this at several locations.
Manager: It’s because of fraud. It’s our store policy. I don’t know, I’m just following the policy.
Me: I can understand the position you’re in. I’d like to use two Platinum cards, then.
The original associate jumped back in as the manager disappeared. She processed the transaction. Despite my request for a $100 Saks gift card, charging $50 each on two Platinum cards, she provided two $50 Saks gift cards. I only realized this after the transaction was completed. I started explaining again that I had only wanted one gift card, but I gave up. Why bother?
But I needed a bit more assurance on the policy.
Me: Can you please clarify the exact policy? [In the moment, I realized I should’ve been more thorough addressing this with the manager previously.]
Rep: You can use two Platinum cards. I don’t know what would happen if you tried tomorrow, though…..
Me: That’s exactly what I plan to do.
[Looking exasperated, the rep called the same manager back over.]
Manager: You can use two Platinum cards per day. It’s the corporate policy.
Me: Saks Corporate made a policy for this specific location? [Referring to her original claim of it being a store policy.]
Manager: It’s the corporate policy.
Once the store manager contradicted herself, I was done. Armed with this information, I thanked the Saks employees and departed. The next day on the way home, I returned to this same Saks location and dealt with a more pleasant rep but had a similar transaction experience.
My Take
This appears to be arbitrary gatekeeping by this Saks location, including employees at the working and management level. Throughout my years of buying Saks gift cards at brick-and-mortar locations, using my full portfolio of several Platinum cards had never been refused until this experience. Instead of one trip, Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond’s silly, petty rule (or the perceived one from Saks Corporate) required two trips, and I still didn’t get to use all of my Platinums.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily affect individuals with one or two Platinum accounts or cardholders who live in the vicinity of a Saks Fifth Avenue location. (For what it’s worth, an MtM Diamond member shared that the Richmond location told him he could only use one Platinum!) At a minimum, this makes Saks shopping more inconvenient for certain individuals. Shocker, Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond doesn’t seem to care. Using more than two Platinum cards in one day is a fraud risk, but such a concern magically goes away the next day. Nonsense!
Conclusion
I’ve reached out to Saks Corporate via email with my experience, also requesting the official policy on American Express Platinum cards and Saks gift card purchases. (Based on my prior experiences, I strongly believe there isn’t such a policy.) Will I hear back? I don’t expect to and will be pleasantly surprised if I do.
What’s more likely – the variety of Saks locations I’ve visited over the last several years have all broken this policy, or one not-ready-for-primetime location bungled? My gut’s on hamfisted Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond.
Alternately, could Saks have made a change to how they handle Amex Platinums and gift card purchases? Possibly, but I think we would’ve heard about this by now, if that was the case. And I doubt I’m breaking news here, other than Saks Fifth Avenue Richmond is one of the lamer locations out there.
Anyway, I’ll use up my Shop with Saks credits without more issues – it may just take another stop during my normal travels by the end of June.
How has your experience been buying Saks gift cards in-store with Amex Platinum cards?
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I bet the employees were just surprised there was a customer walking through their store, honestly. I’m shocked that location is still in business.
I hear you, Steve! I was surprised to discover this Saks location existed; check out a few of the other random ones here.
Guess they got sick of half the military showing up with their 7 platinum cards.
My advice is to avoid Saks. They are a scam of a company. Taking it a step further, please don’t waste your valuable time with more than one AMEX Plat card per household (or any?). AMEX is almost as bad as Saks. These companies both suck.