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EXCLUSIVE: American Express Shop Small to return in June, tweaked

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We understand that American Express is bringing back its ‘Shop Small’ promotion in June.

‘Shop Small’ is an established Amex offer which incentivises you to shop at small independent retailers. In turn, of course, it encourages small independent retailers to accept American Express in order to participate.

It typically runs in November but American Express has been running more restrictive versions in Summer in recent years.

It seems that it will return for Summer 2021, but with a tweak. Look at the logo:

American Express Shop Small Summer 2021

The Winter version of ‘Shop Small’ gives you £5 back for every £10 purchase you make at a participating independent retailer.

There is no limit to how much cashback you can receive, although you are limited to one £5 payment per retailer per American Express card you register.

As you can see above, the Summer 2021 version of ‘Shop Small’ will, under the current plan, give you £5 back on a £15 transaction.

What else do we know about Shop Small Summer 2021?

  • The promotion is currently scheduled to run from 5th to 25th June.
  • You will be restricted to £25 cashback per American Express card you register.
  • The standard rule on one payment per retailer per card will remain.
American Express Shop Small Summer 2021

One thing worth remembering about Shop Small is that you have historically been able to register supplementary cards separately. This allows you to earn cashback at the same store on both your main card and your supplementary cards.

If you had been thinking about adding a supplementary card to your American Express account, you may want to make sure it is in place by 5th June.

For clarity, American Express funds 100% of the cashback. Your local shops are not paying to participate.

We’ll let you have more details on Shop Small Summer 2021 when it is officially confirmed.

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Category

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Comments (77)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Paul says:
    12 Apr12 April 08:03

    SS is not something I can get excited about. The map of participating retailers is dire. There is still a restaurant near me which show as participating but it does not accept Amex and never has.
    I’ll sign up on off chance I trigger a refund but I won’t seek them out

  • Mark says:
    12 Apr12 April 08:12

    agree shop small is more hassle than its worth. If I use a local retailer and it happens to trigger then great but chasing payments on AMEX chat (especially when the map is at best 50% accurate) is a waste of time for a £5 rebate.

  • N says:
    12 Apr12 April 08:16

    Very meh.

    30% decrease in the cb.
    50% decrease in the limit.

    Not fussed.

  • Kevin C says:
    12 Apr12 April 08:36

    Now I have to work out how many Happening bagels costs £15 as my normal order costs £10.20.
    Halving the card limit to just five uses is disappointing. That said I imagine some of us are applying for new Amex cards right now.

  • Alex W says:
    12 Apr12 April 08:46

    So much complaining about free money. It used to be winter only, so this summer will be a nice bonus for everyone. If you’re not fussed, then don’t bother!

    • TGLoyalty says:
      12 Apr12 April 08:49

      +1

    • Christophe says:
      12 Apr12 April 09:25

      For now I’ll give you, and Amex, the benefit of the doubt on the basis that we’ve never had a summer Shop Small promo (barring last year’s ad-hoc Covid one).
      Maybe I’m a ‘glass half-empty’ person, or maybe it’s my years of points/miles/offers chasing experience, but I would not be surprised at all to find Christmas 2021 Shop Small has the same restrictions – we shall see.

      • Mike says:
        12 Apr12 April 20:52

        I am very a glass half full person after previously tracking down SS off licences / wine shops and buying £10 bottles of wine for a £5

        • Genghis says:
          12 Apr12 April 22:13

          Trouble is the £10 bottle in the corner shop is a £6 bottle elsewhere.

    • kt1974 says:
      12 Apr12 April 12:48

      The issue isn’t the “free money”, the issue is that it doesn’t work half the time – either they don’t take Amex, the “Amex machine isn’t working”, or they take it via Stripe or “the second machine” which isn’t registered for SS. When it was only £10, I didn’t bother chasing up the inevitable 2 or 3 transactions that didn’t register every year. Now it’s £15, I just won’t spend and risk that the discount doesn’t work.

      • Dace says:
        13 Apr13 April 10:04

        It is now about knowing where takes it already. I have discovered enough local take aways/restaurants where it works. For me, it is disappointing that Amex have done this (as who doesn’t want a better rate of return) however, it is still a nice little bonus and I will continue to treat it as such, rather than just expect it.

  • Froggitt says:
    12 Apr12 April 09:04

    The pub near us on the SS map was turned into flats years ago.

  • RussellH says:
    12 Apr12 April 10:20

    Whether Shop Small is exciting or not is irrelevant. But it is vastly more interesting than the vast number of normal Amex offers for overpriced clothing sold by companies that I have never heard of.

    • Genghis says:
      12 Apr12 April 11:05

      So you’re not interested in £500 of Agent Provocateur spending, Russell? 🙂

    • Sandra says:
      12 Apr12 April 11:24

      Have to agree, £5 back from a spend at my local, excellent quality, butchers is far more interesting to me than the current Ann Summers offer on my Gold card!

  • David S says:
    12 Apr12 April 10:59

    SS of no interest this time around. It was a good deal in our local coffee shops where you could spend £10 but it would be impossible to spend £15

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