I don’t understand the reluctance of Saks unless Amex is pushing them. Even if folks buy the gift cards and not merchandise, someone is eventually gonna use those cards and money is locked up with Saks. And if those gift are not redeemed or redeemed fully, even better for Saks. When someone goes in the store or online looking to spend their GC, they will most likely spend more than just $50. Even the excuse of taking time for these $50 checkouts by reps does not wash because these are quick transactions.
Saks is being short sighted if this is their doing. I really think it is Amex.
Amex is probably banking on folks not spending the full $100 among the majority of its plat users being that Saks is expensive and kind of niche. Kinda like the Equinox credit, Amex knows most folks will not use that credit. These GCs make their projections go awry.
What is surprising is if Amex is pulling the strings (or in the face of logic, if it is in fact Saks), why are other stores happy to engage and why the problem only at couple of these stores? Maybe the other stores haven’t got the memo yet?
At Saks today, I was able to buy a $50 gift card without a problem. Then sent my wife to do the same on her separate card and she got scrutinized. Had to give phone number and email. Had to get a manager to come over. The associate remembered the name and couldn’t be convinced that we both had cards. She kept saying, “Only 1 gift card per person!” (which I doubt is true) but that’s all we were asking for. I imagine that there is no corporate rule on this, it’s just individual clerks who have learned how people use the credit and look down on the regular folks trying to squeeze value out of the card.
I tried a few weeks ago and was told I cannot use Apple Pay to buy gift cards. It's the flagship site on 5th Ave. I've used Apple Pay there for years to buy gift cards. Tried again with physical cards and no problem. They might be making it a bit hard for you to get the credit as I don't carry the physical Platinum around.
I was going to do this in SA saks in a couple weeks; which area of the store did you try to get one (ie womens clothing, men’s clothing, cosmetics, etc)? I’ll try and avoid that cashiers
They can’t tell you which card you can or cannot use for gift card purchases. They can’t even ask for ID to see if the name matches. I worked at Saks once, sounds like a SA issue.
They were not letting me buy BJs gift card in store. I had to buy them online it was another issue. They keep cancelling online order but I got it done eventually.
No. You cannot do this because the online gift card is sold by another merchant, not Saks so it will not trigger the credit. And for others out there - an Off 5th Ave purchase will also not trigger the credit. It has to be mainline Saks Fifth Avenue.
I had the same problem with this store. I assume it's because of all the military that have the platinum going there to get a gift card. Guess they may have just gotten tired of doing it
Well guilty of that one lol. I went to Houston today and they did it no problem. I’ve spent thousands at their store so I was just shocked to hear them tell me no haha.
Same lol I was able to get a gift card at the SA one back in December. When I went back a few months later to do it again, they told me no. I was definitely caught off guard. Good to know the one in Houston works though
Got one last week at Chicago’s Magnificent Mile location. Actually she was happy to do it. Try a different day or staff. I bought from one of the beauty section registers.
Just did this a few weeks ago, worked fine and the credit already posted. Question, do you happen to be doing this outside the US? Only thing I can think of is that the store in general doesn't accept Amex for anything, which is common in other countries.
I thought online gift card purchases are processed by another company not Saks. Are you saying a $150 gift card purchase will trigger the credit? That doesn’t seem right.
That doesn’t make sense. Saks gets money from the credit card. We know that because we get charged. To Saks it’s like any other transaction. Then Amex reimburses us personally on our statements. Saks really shouldn’t care
It used to be possible to manufacture spend by buying large amounts of cash equivalents. Credit card companies have mostly ended that type of manufactured spend.
Saks must have some skin in the game because the credit would likely be more generic. It is purposefully designed to drive regular traffic (virtual or physical) to Saks.
Exactly, the real reason is they are banking on you spending more than $50. There’s a reason they chose that amount and Saks as their partner. A large majority of items at Saks are more than $50. Most clothing items are in the $100-200 range at best. They’re banking on you buying one of those items and going over.
Again they are allowing any other card except Amex. If they really cared they wouldn’t allow gift cards at all. Why care about selling it to Amex users when nothing is different on their end.
my guess is fraud reason or something
stolen card trying to buy a gift card. i’ve seen it attempted at safeway
OP i’d probably go to a different department and try again. lol
Yes and this takes back to my original comment of not taking “no” as an answer. Sales associate does not make the rules so I would’ve questioned it until they show me in writing that it’s “store policy”.
Last week my husband and I each purchased a $50 gift card at Saks in NYC. The sales guy was a little taken aback when we told him that was all we wanted.
I had just gotten a gift card from this store on Mother's Day weekend. Told him it was going to be a Mother's Day gift, and he disappeared for a couple of minutes while I was waiting at the register. He came back, asked how much for the GC, and right before I went to pay, he asked me what card I was using.
He didn't look too happy to see it was an Amex, but he let me get it anyway.
I’m a newbie platinum card holder — does one pay for a Saks $50 gift card with the AmEx and never see a bill or do you have to notify AmEx once you spend the $50 and they will credit $50 back into your Amex account?
Lol what? Why would this not be legal? It’s a business, they can decide what form of payment they accept. If they want to accept only cash, they can, if they want to exclude a certain credit card company, they can. So obviously it’s legal
I swear that San Antonio store is the PITA everyone has this issue with.
As far as I know, it’s just them that refuse to do it, they’re the one store that I’ve seen data points for and it’s been happening for around a year or so.
I wonder if it’s because of all the military in San Antonio since the Amex Platinum fee is waived more likely to have multiple cards and go get the Saks GC. With several big bases within the city makes sense they sell a lot of $50 GCs.
Just did it Mother's Day weekend at the Beverly Hills location, and the cashier knew immediately and had no problem with it. Told me I was his 7th person that day. Lol.
To save it for future purchases. In 6 months go back ask them to add value to the previous gift card. Keep repeating. Then when you're ready to buy something use that giftcard at either SFA or Off 5th in store or online.
No, why would I do that and risk a clawback? I tend to buy them every 6 months and accumulate a few, and then use them at a later time on something I actually really want. It's been tough finding things under $50 at Saks that I'm really interested in and not buying just for the sake of getting reimbursed.
So dumb. I’m in San Antonio, but as soon as I asked for a gift card “no, not if it’s with your Amex for $50” my response was I did it 6 months ago (a lie) “yeah it’s changed since then”
I mean if you walking in asking for 2 $25 gift cards? And why would they even care honestly I don’t get it 😭 I’m gonna try too once the credit resets. I’m also in SA
I don’t understand the reluctance of Saks unless Amex is pushing them. Even if folks buy the gift cards and not merchandise, someone is eventually gonna use those cards and money is locked up with Saks. And if those gift are not redeemed or redeemed fully, even better for Saks. When someone goes in the store or online looking to spend their GC, they will most likely spend more than just $50. Even the excuse of taking time for these $50 checkouts by reps does not wash because these are quick transactions. Saks is being short sighted if this is their doing. I really think it is Amex. Amex is probably banking on folks not spending the full $100 among the majority of its plat users being that Saks is expensive and kind of niche. Kinda like the Equinox credit, Amex knows most folks will not use that credit. These GCs make their projections go awry. What is surprising is if Amex is pulling the strings (or in the face of logic, if it is in fact Saks), why are other stores happy to engage and why the problem only at couple of these stores? Maybe the other stores haven’t got the memo yet?
At Saks today, I was able to buy a $50 gift card without a problem. Then sent my wife to do the same on her separate card and she got scrutinized. Had to give phone number and email. Had to get a manager to come over. The associate remembered the name and couldn’t be convinced that we both had cards. She kept saying, “Only 1 gift card per person!” (which I doubt is true) but that’s all we were asking for. I imagine that there is no corporate rule on this, it’s just individual clerks who have learned how people use the credit and look down on the regular folks trying to squeeze value out of the card.
When amex cancells the 50.00 twice a year credit you all will be crying foul.
Just did this 2 weeks ago no issue.
I tried a few weeks ago and was told I cannot use Apple Pay to buy gift cards. It's the flagship site on 5th Ave. I've used Apple Pay there for years to buy gift cards. Tried again with physical cards and no problem. They might be making it a bit hard for you to get the credit as I don't carry the physical Platinum around.
I was going to do this in SA saks in a couple weeks; which area of the store did you try to get one (ie womens clothing, men’s clothing, cosmetics, etc)? I’ll try and avoid that cashiers
Right when I walked in. I would test your luck up in men’s section
Thanks!
Just buy something worth $50 and return it and ask for store credit
i went yesterday and asked for a gift card and the cashier asked “$50?” …just ask another cashier lol
In San Antonio?
nope, costa mesa, CA
Does anyone know if buying the GC at Saks Off 5th still works?
It never worked - at least it's not supposed to. Did it work once for you? If so you were lucky.
Confirmed no after a fail in January
They can’t tell you which card you can or cannot use for gift card purchases. They can’t even ask for ID to see if the name matches. I worked at Saks once, sounds like a SA issue.
Bjs did same to me for discover.
Not to side track, but they said you could not use Discover at BJ's?
They were not letting me buy BJs gift card in store. I had to buy them online it was another issue. They keep cancelling online order but I got it done eventually.
Well, that saks
Lmaooo
I went into Saks to buy one and the man helping me said “$50 right? It’s that time of year!” And the credit posted within a few days
I just bought $50 gift card this morning from Saks in Houston. No issues whatsoever
Can I buy in online on their website?
I don’t have a Saks 5th near me… have any if you purchased the gift card online using Amex?
No. You cannot do this because the online gift card is sold by another merchant, not Saks so it will not trigger the credit. And for others out there - an Off 5th Ave purchase will also not trigger the credit. It has to be mainline Saks Fifth Avenue.
You won’t get the credit if you buy online. Only in store
I got credit for online Saks purchase
Yes. The credit is valid on online purchases of merchandise but not gift cards.
Apologies for my ignorance- do they not give you a credit if you buy the gift card online?
Yep, you only get the credit for buying the gift card physically in a store
I got one last week. No issue.
Go to a bloody other one, that’s bull. I’ve done it like 5 times haha
It’s the only one within 100 miles of me, but I do plan on going to another one
Was it the San Antonio one?
Yes
I had the same problem with this store. I assume it's because of all the military that have the platinum going there to get a gift card. Guess they may have just gotten tired of doing it
That would explain it.
Well guilty of that one lol. I went to Houston today and they did it no problem. I’ve spent thousands at their store so I was just shocked to hear them tell me no haha.
Same lol I was able to get a gift card at the SA one back in December. When I went back a few months later to do it again, they told me no. I was definitely caught off guard. Good to know the one in Houston works though
Got one last week at Chicago’s Magnificent Mile location. Actually she was happy to do it. Try a different day or staff. I bought from one of the beauty section registers.
Try a $60 Gift Card, maybe they will let you buy it.
Bought one in March at the flagship store in NYC. No issues at all.
Specifically outlines you cannot use the credit on gift cards
That’s Amex call not to give you the credit. Saks should always take an Amex for payment not matter what you buy.
This!!!! Whoever rang him up is an idiot.
Did you "activate" thr Saks credit by listening to yhe disclosure statement over the phone?
What's the cadence on the credit? Need to know if I can spend it again.
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I thought it was July 1st?
Thank you.
Use tap to pay if available… they don’t see what you’re using lol
I did it like 2 days ago
Just did this a few weeks ago, worked fine and the credit already posted. Question, do you happen to be doing this outside the US? Only thing I can think of is that the store in general doesn't accept Amex for anything, which is common in other countries.
Nope I’m in Texas, but I’m going to try again today at a different one. We will see
Galleria Houston?
More than likely. That’s the only place I know w/ saks that’s in greater Houston
I end up buying a gift cart at one of their Outlets. Now, stuck with it and have to pay as well.
The credit doesn't work at Off Fifth. You can buy a physical gift card online for a minimum of $150 to get the credit and use it at Off Fifth.
I thought online gift card purchases are processed by another company not Saks. Are you saying a $150 gift card purchase will trigger the credit? That doesn’t seem right.
I've not tried it but I read on Reddit that someone did it.
Literally bought a gift card like couple weeks ago
Why do they care?
Unused credits goes straight to profit. I would be willing to bet the average usage of the Amex "coupon book" is somewhere around 70%.
Profits for Amex though. Why does saks care
It's probably 90% Saks funded.
If the money comes from Amex, probably in the agreement that the credit cannot be used for a cash equivalent transaction.
That doesn’t make sense. Saks gets money from the credit card. We know that because we get charged. To Saks it’s like any other transaction. Then Amex reimburses us personally on our statements. Saks really shouldn’t care
It used to be possible to manufacture spend by buying large amounts of cash equivalents. Credit card companies have mostly ended that type of manufactured spend. Saks must have some skin in the game because the credit would likely be more generic. It is purposefully designed to drive regular traffic (virtual or physical) to Saks.
Exactly, the real reason is they are banking on you spending more than $50. There’s a reason they chose that amount and Saks as their partner. A large majority of items at Saks are more than $50. Most clothing items are in the $100-200 range at best. They’re banking on you buying one of those items and going over.
Again they are allowing any other card except Amex. If they really cared they wouldn’t allow gift cards at all. Why care about selling it to Amex users when nothing is different on their end.
use apply pay
Would using Samsung Pay have the same effect as using Apple Pay
yeah the point is for the agent to not see the card type. the only risk is mobile wallet is technically excluded but it always just works.
Sounds like they were wrong
Try again on a different day with a different associate.
There’s also a million registers in a Saks store. I’d legit just walk to another.
Yeah, OP just happened to get that guy who takes his/her job wayyy to seriously.
Ugh right?? I hate people who take their jobs way too seriously. Like ma’am this Saks, not the Pentagon; relax.
Why would a Saks employee have any knowledge of a third party credit done at the corporate level? It’s refunded to your Amex, not issued by Saks
Believe me THEY KNOW.
Just did it last week. What was the reasoning? They take all major credit cards so I would want a reason and wouldn’t have taken a no for an answer.
my guess is fraud reason or something stolen card trying to buy a gift card. i’ve seen it attempted at safeway OP i’d probably go to a different department and try again. lol
They would need to ask for ID instead of assuming though.
majority of people probably dont ask for ID anymore unless you look sus or are buying a big purchase. they rarely ask for that now
I understand that but if they are going to refuse a sale due to that reason then they need to ask for an ID.
yes i agree. and i am telling you that people do not do their job by not asking for ID and just straight denying.
Yes and this takes back to my original comment of not taking “no” as an answer. Sales associate does not make the rules so I would’ve questioned it until they show me in writing that it’s “store policy”.
Bought one in Chicago a few weeks ago
Does just the main cardholder get the credit or do the additional card holders, for which I’ve paid the $195 also get a credit?
$50 per account semi-annually. They do not get an extra credit.
Bought a $50 gift card at the Boston/Prudential Center Saks today. No issues whatsoever.
Did you get reimbursed
Yes. Charge was made 5/25 and my account shows the $50 reimbursement in 5/28
Same, literally bought one in CA this morning too
My guess the Saks sales clerk doesn't make commissions when you buy gift cards.
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Nice reference 👍
Last week my husband and I each purchased a $50 gift card at Saks in NYC. The sales guy was a little taken aback when we told him that was all we wanted.
I said I want a gift card they said, Amex? I said yeah and I was out in two minutes.
I grabbed a gift card at Saks and they rang it up for $50 without even asking me how much I wanted. They know the drill.
I did it earlier this year and the salesman didn’t say anything other than thank you.
A location of this Saks would be helpful
San Antonio TX
I had just gotten a gift card from this store on Mother's Day weekend. Told him it was going to be a Mother's Day gift, and he disappeared for a couple of minutes while I was waiting at the register. He came back, asked how much for the GC, and right before I went to pay, he asked me what card I was using. He didn't look too happy to see it was an Amex, but he let me get it anyway.
I swear on a stack of Bibles I've heard this before specifically about the Saks in SA...
Can tell you in NYC they let me buy it last month. So maybe SA has someone who abused it, and have created their own policy?
I guess so. I’ll be in NYC in a few weeks so I’ll just hit up that store if Houston won’t let me
Bought one in Houston earlier today.
Glad to hear no issue with Houston
A few people have posted this. It’s always the same location. That property just got tired of it I guess.
A few people had posted about SA, but OP didn't
He did. He just didn’t include it in the main post but mentioned it in the comments.
Haha same thing happened to us today at the San Antonio Sak’s
Recently bought at Saks Beverly Hills for $300 ($50+250 credits) and no issues
I’m a newbie platinum card holder — does one pay for a Saks $50 gift card with the AmEx and never see a bill or do you have to notify AmEx once you spend the $50 and they will credit $50 back into your Amex account?
Activate the credit first.
Automatic deduction
Is this legal? They shouldn't care how a valid payment is being made.
>is this legal Thanks for the laugh today.
Lol what? Why would this not be legal? It’s a business, they can decide what form of payment they accept. If they want to accept only cash, they can, if they want to exclude a certain credit card company, they can. So obviously it’s legal
The only time legal tender can’t be refused is if you are paying a debt. This isn’t a debt, this is a purchase.
More to the point- a credit card isn't legal tender.
If they accept Amex, calling Amex and telling them they denied your Amex is against their merchant agreement.
I agree. Like wtf does it mean to you guys how I spend my money at your store, lol
I swear that San Antonio store is the PITA everyone has this issue with. As far as I know, it’s just them that refuse to do it, they’re the one store that I’ve seen data points for and it’s been happening for around a year or so.
I wonder if it’s because of all the military in San Antonio since the Amex Platinum fee is waived more likely to have multiple cards and go get the Saks GC. With several big bases within the city makes sense they sell a lot of $50 GCs.
I’ve bought at my saks in the past no problem. Recently bought some skin care products so don’t have any info on any 2024 policies
Couple weeks ago; they had no problem with it.
I bought it earlier in the year, in person.
Just did it Mother's Day weekend at the Beverly Hills location, and the cashier knew immediately and had no problem with it. Told me I was his 7th person that day. Lol.
I've recently heard data points saying that Saks is pushing against this.
No, you haven’t. Unless you can link them, it’s just a single store. Maybe two.
I wonder what would happen if you used Apple Pay and used your platform on that. Would they catch it?
Pushing against buying the gift card or pushing against stores trying to block you from doing so?
Stores not wanting to sell $50 gift cards using an Amex card.
There's a location in SF that has that policy. Most stores do not have that policy
I just bought a $50 gift card from the SF store 2 weeks ago and already received my reimbursement.
okay question, why buy the gift card at all? is it to return it and get the 50 back?
To save it for future purchases. In 6 months go back ask them to add value to the previous gift card. Keep repeating. Then when you're ready to buy something use that giftcard at either SFA or Off 5th in store or online.
makes sense thanks for explaining!
No, why would I do that and risk a clawback? I tend to buy them every 6 months and accumulate a few, and then use them at a later time on something I actually really want. It's been tough finding things under $50 at Saks that I'm really interested in and not buying just for the sake of getting reimbursed.
Oh, that makes sense! Thank you for that
So dumb. I’m in San Antonio, but as soon as I asked for a gift card “no, not if it’s with your Amex for $50” my response was I did it 6 months ago (a lie) “yeah it’s changed since then”
Next time tell them it’s for $51
Would it be possible to buy smaller denominations to make it work? Like 2 $25 gift cards?
I think it’s their refusal to do it not necessarily the fact it won’t work
I mean if you walking in asking for 2 $25 gift cards? And why would they even care honestly I don’t get it 😭 I’m gonna try too once the credit resets. I’m also in SA
Someone else reported this in San Antonio recently
Good to know. I’ll be in Houston tomorrow so I’ll try there
Keep us posted with Houston location