Barclaycard Cashback vs. American Express

BoracicLint

Hi All,

Nearly 12 months ago I upgraded my Barclaycard to their Platinum Cashback card and since then I've managed to clock up a nice £300 cashback (primarily due to the initial bonus cashback for the first 3 months).

I've recently been looking at the American Express Everyday Platinum Cashback card which offers 5% for 3 months, and 1% on everything after that. Considering this card also has no fee, I'm considering dropping Barclaycard in favour of Amex.

My question is, will I have any issue downgrading my Barclaycard to a non-fee paying card (obviously after they credit me for the £300 cashback from the first year)?

Also, does anyone have any other recommendations for the best cashback credit cards?

lisyloo

One problem with Amex is that it's not accepted everywhere.
It's accepted at suprtmarkets, petrol stations, big restaurants or stores, but any smaller shops, restarurants and a lot of smaller on-line stores don't accept it.

If you can get 5% then great (bear in mind you might have a target to reach to qualify), but don't expect to be able to use this as your only card unless you only shop in large stores/restaurants.

The reason is that Amex charges are high.
Some other companies do accept Amex but make a charge. This might be worth it on occassions for example if you had a quote to meet to get your 5%, but on the whole this negates the cashback so isn't worth it.

Currently I'm struggling to use my Amex but then I'm shopping in smaller stores.
Recently I bought 5 xmas gifts an could only put 1 on Amex.
My bike insurer also doesn't accept Amex.

In general I'd say you need a second card (mastercard/visa).

planteria

those, or variations thereof, are the two cards in my wallet. i use both.

i use Amex most of the time. and get into (what is on my card) a 1.5% rate through the year.

and use Barclaycard at least 15 times/month, often where they dont accept Amex---but consciously do it if i need to, to get 2% on my biggest transactions.

so, if you spend enough. keep both.

bear in mind you don't know if one of them may reduce the deal on you at some stage. there is talk of this, as new offers have been pulled, apparently.

reclusive46

lisyloo wrote: »

Currently I'm struggling to use my Amex but then I'm shopping in smaller stores.
Recently I bought 5 xmas gifts an could only put 1 on Amex.
My bike insurer also doesn't accept Amex.

In general I'd say you need a second card (mastercard/visa).

I think it very much depends where you live. In Norwich, I pretty much find that 90% of the small businesses (Londis franchise, Hairdressers,Sweet Shop etc) around me take American Express (Except one Indian that is aweful and I don't go to anyway :eek: ) and when working in central London I can't ever recall having it declined by a small business (only the chains that don't accept it in the whole of UK didn't take it, like H&M but they don't even take Amex in the USA!). I must admit though, 99% of my spend is with chains, I don't really shop small.

The last three months, I've had no sterling charges on my MasterCard. I thought I'd have to use it to pay my car tax today but turns out the DVLA now take Amex as well.

Where do you shop online that doesn't take it? Pretty much every online shop I use either takes Amex or Paypal or both? You just can just select PayPal and check out as a guest and enter your details.

lisyloo

I think it very much depends where you live

If you're buying in physical stores then yes.
If you're buying on-line then where you live is of course irrelevant.

Where do you shop online that doesn't take it?

https://www.motorcycleparts-hornig.com
http://wunderlich.sportouring.net
http://www.motorworks.co.uk (neither amex or paypal)
http://www.carolenash.com/ (neither amex or paypal)

The first one does take paypal but it was a EURO puchase so I used my Halifax 0% commission card as I believe paypal/Amex would charge comission on the currency conversion.

Thanks for the reminder about paypal, but still not good for foreign purchases.

Perhaps I'm unusual but I've definitely had difficulty using it recently (trying to spend £2000 in 3 months).

ic

Note the barclaycard is no longer available to new customers, if you leave you can't go back. You'll be qualifying for 4% on your top five spends for the anniversary of the card. Beyond that, if you use it right its easy to clock up an average cashback on the card of close to 2%. Obviously you have to pay for it, but used right it is still a very good card.

PollyOnAMission

Weirdly there are some big high street stores that don't accept Amex, such as B&Q.

lisyloo

Why is it weird? Amex charge a lot. It's a business decision.
I'm not saying they are right or wrong, but I struggling to see what's weird about choosing not to accept one of mostly costly forms of payment.
It's common for holiday companies and airlines to charge more for amex or even more for any credit card. These are competitive businessses who need to strip out any extra costs. Not weird at all.

lisyloo

I just purchased some card from
https://www.goodprint.co.uk (from grabbit section)
Paypal did not offer me my Amex card and said "some payment methods are not available for this transaction".

Perhaps I'm very unlucky.

InsideInsurance

lisyloo wrote: »

Some other companies do accept Amex but make a charge.

Can you name a single company that charges for using AmEx but not for other credit/ charge cards?

AmEx certainly isnt as universally accepted as other cards but certainly in my area and my online shopping habits the overwhelming majority do. Many smaller online shops accept it by virtue of accepting PayPal as a method of payment.

With AmEx having done deals with Lloyds, another one with Barclays being in the wings etc then you can expect the acceptance rates to go up as inevitably itll be added to their merchant services options

lisyloo

Can you name a single company that charges for using AmEx but not for other credit/ charge cards?

Yes I can.

http://www.travellingtrends.co.uk/
I bought clothing from them on Friday (19/10). I asked if they accepted Amex and they said yes but with a charge. I paid by mastercard with no charge (Aqua 3% cashback).

I accept I may be unlucky or unusual in the places I'm shopping but everything I've claimed is true and proven. That's 6 places now in the last few days that I've demostrated I haven't been able to use it or I would have been charged.

I'm suprised there's so much backlash/suspicion when it's only my (true and proven) experience.

Why would I make it up and lie if it wasn't true???

My only intention is to make others aware.
I fully understand others may not have the same shopping habits, but that doesn't mean I made it all up :-)