This one I learned the hard way.
I was interested in applying for one of the Amazon 5% back cards. There is the Chase credit card version and the Synchrony store card version.
Only Prime members earn 5%. Since my Prime account is an invitee/secondary Prime account (it gets 2-day shipping but doesn’t get video benefits), I chatted with Amazon to clarify whether the account is eligible for 5% cash back or if I’m stuck at 3%.
Amazon confirmed with me via chat that my account will get 5% back. This is more or less how it went:
Me: Can you confirm whether my Amazon account is eligible to earn 5% cash back on all purchases if I would apply for the Amazon credit card from Chase? I have a Prime account, but my account doesn’t have video privileges, so I just want to confirm that it can still get the 5% if I’d get the Amazon credit card from Chase.
Amazon: In this case I have checked and confirmed that your account is eligible for the 5% cash back.
Me: I see, thanks. And that would be true whether I got the Chase version or the Synchrony version?
Amazon: Yes you just need to have the Amazon store card.
Me: Wait, there are two versions. So can you confirm that I’ll get the 5% with either one?
Amazon: Yes you can use any of them and you will still get the 5% cash back.
Unfortunately, this is incorrect information. After receiving the Chase Amazon card, I added it to my Amazon account only to learn that it only earns 3%. The earning amount shows clearly in the Amazon account next to the card.
Chatting and calling Amazon a few times hasn’t gotten anywhere other than an acknowledgment that my account is not eligible for 5% and the previous information was wrong. 🙁
Only the main Prime member gets 5%. Presumably, this will be the same with the Synchrony version of the card too. I should note that mine is a grandfathered version of the secondary Prime account. It’s possible that it’ll work differently with the newer version where the two accounts are more connected.
Now, I’ll either have to cough up the $99 for Prime membership or live without the 5%. I did file a CFPB complaint, we’ll see how that goes. The complaint is going to Chase and they didn’t do anything wrong, so I’m not too hopeful. Maybe a BBB complaint, who knows.
Aside from not getting 5%, I also got the $50 Amazon gift card signup bonus instead of the $70 one.
Important update: From the comments and from this Amazon page it’s clear only grandfathered Prime secondary members don’t get the 5%. But if you are a secondary Prime member on the newer version of Amazon Household (Prime can be shared with one household member who gets full Prime benefits), the secondary member will get 5%.
Using Amazon Card on non-Prime Account
In a related question: what happens if you use your Amazon 5% card in an a different Amazon account which does not have prime? For example, your spouse uses your 5% card in their own Amazon non-Prime account. Will you get 5% for the purchase?
According to reader Ryan once the card is successfully linked to a Prime account and earns 5% there, it will then earn 5% even when it’s used on a different, non-Prime Amazon account.
