Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Quebec »

longinvest wrote: 21 Jan 2018 08:37 The Home Trust Preferred Visa isn't available for Quebec residents.
grrrrrrrr

What are you doing to replace your amazon card, longinvest?
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by longinvest »

Quebec wrote: 23 Jan 2018 09:46
longinvest wrote: 21 Jan 2018 08:37 The Home Trust Preferred Visa isn't available for Quebec residents.
grrrrrrrr

What are you doing to replace your amazon card, longinvest?
I haven't found a replacement yet. I've got a Tangerine MasterCard, but it has currency exchange fees. :(
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by pmj »

pmj wrote: 13 Jan 2018 09:47 For purchases in another currency, Rogers and Fido both give 1.6% net cashback. But no break on cash withdrawals in another currency - that's the real loss with Amazon leaving.
$29 fee at Rogers, no fee at Fido. Fee at Rogers waived if you autopay a Rogers/Fido account.
In Canada, 1.75% cashback at Rogers, 1.5% at Fido.
Cashback can be auto-credited to Rogers/Fido accounts, if they're more than $20, or it has to be requested by phone annually before Dec 1st for payment sometime in Jan (waiting right now).
Cashback was credited January 19th. That was about 10 days before a payment-due date - early enough to use it against the payment.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Quebec »

I'm still undecided. They have nothing new to report on the RFD forum. I'm leaning towards the Fido Mastercard, with a reminder note on the calendar to call them each year.

For those applying for the Home Trust Visa:
Red Flag Deals wrote:Finally reached Home Trust. They said they've had thousands of applications and are very backed up, they are still processing the December ones.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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Got my letter. Paid off the balance owing from Christmas. I did not use it that often and do not intend to use it again. So I presume that I can kiss my 1450 pts. goodbye.

Credit card item #2 re auto rental insurance cover.
A friend of mine recently informed me that she discovered that using her card for insurance coverage only covers collision damage but not third party liability. As this is potentially the biggie, is this how it is with all credit card coverage? What do people do to protect themselves? Do they pay for the rental company insurance which adds considerably to the cost of renting?
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Insomniac »

Just returned my rental car. The credit card coverage saved me the $15 per day collision damage waiver (CDW) charge. CDW is basically just the deductible you pay if you have an accident.

Liability insurance is included with the car rental and is basic as required by state law. The liability insurance I have on my own vehicle covers me when renting a car, so I'm covered for more than the bare minimum.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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CROCKD wrote: 05 Feb 2018 15:51 Got my letter. Paid off the balance owing from Christmas. I did not use it that often and do not intend to use it again. So I presume that I can kiss my 1450 pts. goodbye.

Credit card item #2 re auto rental insurance cover.
A friend of mine recently informed me that she discovered that using her card for insurance coverage only covers collision damage but not third party liability. As this is potentially the biggie, is this how it is with all credit card coverage? What do people do to protect themselves? Do they pay for the rental company insurance which adds considerably to the cost of renting?
1. Your points will be paid to you as a statement credit upon account closure as specified in the notice they sent and posted. It may be a good idea to purchase something for at least $15 just before account closure to avoid hassles in getting paid those rewards.

2. Does she own a car and have insurance? If so, she is covered already.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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gsp_ wrote: 05 Feb 2018 16:37
CROCKD wrote: 05 Feb 2018 15:51 Credit card item #2 re auto rental insurance cover.
A friend of mine recently informed me that she discovered that using her card for insurance coverage only covers collision damage but not third party liability. As this is potentially the biggie, is this how it is with all credit card coverage? What do people do to protect themselves? Do they pay for the rental company insurance which adds considerably to the cost of renting?
2. Does she own a car and have insurance? If so, she is covered already.
It's an optional rider / coverage; in Ontario it's called OPCF 27.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Koogie »

Received my Home Trust Visa pin code in the mail today.
They indicated the card will be right behind.

So, they are working through the backlog of applications.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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Koogie wrote: 05 Feb 2018 17:24 Received my Home Trust Visa pin code in the mail today.
They indicated the card will be right behind.

So, they are working through the backlog of applications.
DW received her Home Trust Visa PIN today as well.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by SoninlawofGus »

Wife applied for the Rogers card and was DENIED! She has perfect credit, no reason I can think of for why it was denied (other than the fact that we don't carry credit balances). How common is it for someone with perfect credit to be denied?

Answer added: Some problem with my wife's online app. No actual credit check or impact -- so some relief there.
Last edited by SoninlawofGus on 13 Feb 2018 16:45, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by big easy »

CROCKD wrote: 05 Feb 2018 15:51 Got my letter. Paid off the balance owing from Christmas. I did not use it that often and do not intend to use it again. So I presume that I can kiss my 1450 pts. goodbye.
Why don't you use it for some small purchase in March. I believe they'll apply any outstanding pts at that time to reduce the balance owing. At least that's what I plan to do.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Quebec »

Wife and I have given up and applied for a Tangerine cashback Mastercard to replace the amazon.ca Visa.

On the Tangerine Mastercard, the usual forex charges apply (2.5%) on purchases in foreign currency, but I'm only traveling overseas 2-3 weeks for work this year, whereas when I first got the Amazon Visa, we spent 6 months straight overseas (family of 4) and charged most personal expenses on the credit cards, so the forex thing was much more important back then.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by longinvest »

Quebec wrote: 13 Feb 2018 18:26 Wife and I have given up and applied for a Tangerine cashback Mastercard to replace the amazon.ca Visa.
I'm sad to learn that you haven't found a solution to the 2.5% forex charge. I was hoping someone would find a solution for residents of QC. I buy some items (mostly digital) using foreign currencies on the internet. :(
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by leoc2 »

I believe Brim Financial is available in Quebec. They offer a no FX mastercard:
https://brimfinancial.com/

Here is where people are talking about BRIM:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/brim-mas ... d-2169126/
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by longinvest »

leoc2 wrote: 13 Feb 2018 19:49 I believe Brim Financial is available in Quebec. They offer a no FX mastercard:
https://brimfinancial.com/

Here is where people are talking about BRIM:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/brim-mas ... d-2169126/
Thanks. Seems interesting.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by Insomniac »

Tried to buy gas with my Amazon card yesterday. The pump spit out a receipt with "TRAN. NOT APPROVED", so I guess I might as well cut it up now.

I was able to fill up the car using my Mastercard.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by 2 yen »

Insomniac wrote: 13 Feb 2018 22:45 Tried to buy gas with my Amazon card yesterday. The pump spit out a receipt with "TRAN. NOT APPROVED", so I guess I might as well cut it up now.

I was able to fill up the car using my Mastercard.
Used the Amazon card twice yesterday at different U.S. gas stations. For the first time ever the pump didn't ask for a ZIP code or even a PIN. Just pumped and drove off. This is slightly off topic, but we have discussed this issue with Canadian cards at U.S. gas stations before. My Home Trust card didn't arrive in time for this trip.

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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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2 yen wrote: 14 Feb 2018 07:27 Used the Amazon card twice yesterday at different U.S. gas stations. For the first time ever the pump didn't ask for a ZIP code or even a PIN. Just pumped and drove off. This is slightly off topic, but we have discussed this issue with Canadian cards at U.S. gas stations before.

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My experience in a recent US trip was that the process varied by brand of gas. I forget now which, but I chanced across one brand that accepted my card with no action on my part, and then mostly used that brand.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by bill2009 »

I found it surprising that neither amazon nor chase offered a replacement card of any sort - you would think that the account base had some value even if this card wasn't working out for them. It makes me think of the walmart/visa thing and i wonder whether there's a p*ssing contest going one somewhere.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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bill2009 wrote: 14 Feb 2018 13:00 I found it surprising that neither amazon nor chase offered a replacement card of any sort - you would think that the account base had some value even if this card wasn't working out for them. It makes me think of the walmart/visa thing and i wonder whether there's a p*ssing contest going one somewhere.
Maybe the Canadian market just is not worth their while. Quite often, American companies think Canada is a simple add-on to the USA and it is not....and they abandon it, like retailers do.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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AltaRed wrote: 14 Feb 2018 14:31
bill2009 wrote: 14 Feb 2018 13:00 I found it surprising that neither amazon nor chase offered a replacement card of any sort - you would think that the account base had some value even if this card wasn't working out for them. It makes me think of the walmart/visa thing and i wonder whether there's a p*ssing contest going one somewhere.
Maybe the Canadian market just is not worth their while. Quite often, American companies think Canada is a simple add-on to the USA and it is not....and they abandon it, like retailers do.
I bet that's right. I thought the program was dead in the US as well but apparently not
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Rewards-V ... B007URFTYI
I can imagine the canadian takeup being too small to justify.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by kcowan »

The facts are that the card appealed to snowbirds and they don't typically carry a balance.

Also how many of we card carriers charged a bunch at amazon.ca?

So both sponsors wrote it off as a bad experiment! I am amazed that it lasted as long as it did.

There is clearly a need and I wonder how long Home Trust will honour the zero FX feature when they discover that we make no money for them.
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

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kcowan wrote: 14 Feb 2018 16:09 The facts are that the card appealed to snowbirds and they don't typically carry a balance.

Also how many of we card carriers charged a bunch at amazon.ca?

So both sponsors wrote it off as a bad experiment! I am amazed that it lasted as long as it did.

There is clearly a need and I wonder how long Home Trust will honour the zero FX feature when they discover that we make no money for them.
Sure we don't offer as much as those who carry a high interest balance, but I am pretty sure they make plenty on the 2-3% they charge retailers on every purchase. I was using mine as my primary card so the were probably making $50-100 revenue a month off of my purchases. (Thats more than my internet provider makes from me.)
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Re: Important change to the Amazon.ca Rewards Visa Card program

Post by skinnyinvestor »

chufinora wrote: 14 Feb 2018 17:00
kcowan wrote: 14 Feb 2018 16:09 The facts are that the card appealed to snowbirds and they don't typically carry a balance.

Also how many of we card carriers charged a bunch at amazon.ca?

So both sponsors wrote it off as a bad experiment! I am amazed that it lasted as long as it did.

There is clearly a need and I wonder how long Home Trust will honour the zero FX feature when they discover that we make no money for them.
Sure we don't offer as much as those who carry a high interest balance, but I am pretty sure they make plenty on the 2-3% they charge retailers on every purchase. I was using mine as my primary card so the were probably making $50-100 revenue a month off of my purchases. (Thats more than my internet provider makes from me.)
And Home Trust now gets their hands on a bunch of new client data to track/mine and cross sell or create products for. Loss leader???
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