The Citi Sears Shop frequently has spending offers where you earn a category bonus for online purchases. Reader Lyte has asked if we would do a community resource where people can ask post what did/didn’t work for them.
Online shopping
- AKON: didn’t work
- Amazon: worked
- BlindsGalore: didn’t work
- Chewy: worked
- EBay: didn’t work
- Famous dave’s: worked
- Jimmy John’s: worked
As always please contribute your own datapoints in the comments below.
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Today I got my progress email on the online offer. I know that these are notoriously unreliable, so take it for what it's worth. According to the email, I had spent $0 towards the goal based on my transactions below. However, there are recent DPs (including some from me) that 2 of these do count, so again we'll see how it actually goes.
Things that it said didn't count:
Ko-Fi one-off donation (does this work for anyone?)WM Pay VGC purchase (I got the "card not present" SMS and this has worked for me before)Instacart (I got the "card not present" SMS and I think this has worked for me in the past)Superfeet
I usually get $0 spent as a progress even though what I know have spending online counted in the end. So I would not worry just yet. I would however try to have everything spent online posted at least a week before the deadline, because the online bonus usually posts within 2-3 days after passing the threshold. This way you would still have some time for an "emergency" purchase.
Is Kroger Pay still working for buying GCs, or even VGCs ? Is Walmart Pay dead for everybody ? Thanks.
Kroger has been dead for me for about two months. It asks for my driver's license, I give it, I seem to pass that check, then it says Kroger pay is declined. I haven't tried with another payment method or with another Kroger Pay account. I have tried many locations within several counties in my state, and I've tried SCO and customer service desk (have not tried human checkout lane). This was over the course of two months. Always tried with the PW VGC. I'm renewing my passport, so I will try with that instead of DL, I'll try another state and a lower amount.
WM Pay has also been dead for me for about 2 months, however today it worked for a $210 SSVGC. About 3 week ago (during the previous calendar month), it failed for me at $250 (same payment method, same app version, same device, different store, different state, seemingly similar SCO software update but I'm not sure). If I get another online or GGR offer next year, I will try a higher amount.
Interestingly, I was also able to buy a $20 VGC at WF using their QR code mobile payment app, but my WF only sells up to 100 so probably not useful.
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear how it is going for others and what they have tried.
@guest_1796584 Thanks a lot for sharing. I had a similar Kroger (Ralphs in SoCal) experience yesterday trying to buy a variable VGC with less than 200 loaded. So I guess it is indeed dead. Have you tried buying third party GCs with Kroger Pay, like Amazons ?
Might also try WM Pay soon, planning an outing this week-end. But what is SSVGC ? If these are Secure Spend, zip code cannot be added. But still those could be useful at Costco or other places that care less for zipcode matching. So I might try to buy those still. And again the same question, does WM Pay also not work for third party GCs ?
And Wells Fargo sells VGCs ??? Interesting. Thanks again for the detailed reply.
Great question! When I say WF, I mean the fancy stores owned by Jeff Bezos.
I haven't tried the 3rd party GCs, great question/good idea.
Yes, that is what I meant by SS. I like them because they have been easier to liquidate using the methods I'm used to.
@guest_1796584 Kroger pay did work for me for $25 Amazon GC+a little but of groceries, total <50. Not sure if there are any limits or if other GCs would also work. Unfortunately I do not really need any GCs right now, apart from VGCs. But this might be useful in future.
I might check out WF, have not been there in like 10 years, a bit of a schlep for me. But thanks for the tip, could be useful if the promos keep coming next year.
Just wanted to confirm that my online order from Ubiquiti http://store.ui.com for Unifi networking gear/cameras/etc worked for the bonus.
So now I've got some detective work to do. P1 and P2 did not receive the statement credit for their respective October offers. Card not present alerts triggered, ordered online; de nada, no mas, zip, zilch. Something must have changed, or else F* stopped working, too.
Were you doing CL or GCP (and what cat)?
After my previous success with funding CDs at my local bank to fulfill online spend goals I tried it at a new bank for initial funding. No dice, it did not trigger the statement credit and also received no SYW points (although these seem kind of delayed lately....they might still appear? Most importantly, it coded differently than my usual bank which seems to be the important part. This one coded as
"MERCHANT CATEGORY Services-MORTGAGE COMPANIES-FINANCIAL INSTITUTION"
whereas the successful funding coded as
"MERCHANT CATEGORY
Services-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED"
https://ibb.co/MfgDFN8
I missed out on $30 from my usual card! Oh well...the more you know!
I can't use this card on Pepper or top cash back gift cards. Keep getting Mastercard ID Check and this message Your mode of communication for delivering the One-Time-Password are not updated with us. This card cannot currently be used participating online stores. You must call customer Service and get your mode of communication update before using this card at a participating online merchant. You will be automatically returned to the online store so that you may enter another form of payment to complete this purchase, or click continue to proceed now
I called SYW, but they couldn't help. Anyone else have this problem?
I mean I called Citi.
Update your 2fa methods in your card profile. IIRC this worked when I had that issue.
Costco online order worked.
Both merchandise and gift card purchases worked at costco.com. Petco, Amazon, H&M online orders worked as well.
Does it also categorize as grocery for the “grocery/gas/restaurant” offer?
Costco codes as Wholesale Club not Grocery Store.
How do people tell what codes as an online purchase? I've done different purchases online and gotten the bonus in the past - but looking at account activity I can't tell what counted and what didn't.
not working now for me as g,g and r .... gift cards for Costco Cash Card purchase Costco.com....gift cards at QFC groceries (Kroger)
anyone else having trouble with GC at groceries?
In-person purchase at Sam's Club worked, got email confirming closer to $1000 spend.
@guest_1769398 - Interesting. Can you pls confirm in-person as in? by swiping card? or scan and go?