Shop Small — missing shops 2022 Summer Campaign

[ms]

Has anyone else noticed, that a lot of places from previous years not showing on the map?

[Gary]

Seemed smaller selection of shops compare to last time which is interesting as actually don’t cost the merchants anything unless Amex redefined eligibility.

[Stephan]

Yup. Almost 80% of the ones I would go to aren’t on the map which is odd

[Lumma]

I wonder if it’a something to do with a lot of retailers switching to alternative payment systems such as Square which mean AMEX doesn’t directly work with the company?

[David]

I always thought the map was a bit useless, with shop small working at retailers not on the list. I’ve also seen retailers on the map who don’t even accept amex!

Has anyone had a shop small confirmation email from amex immediately after purchase this time or have they stopped doing this?

[Gary]

The emails stopped long ago.

[ankomonkey]

Amex have not been prompt in the past at updating the map to remove merchants that no longer exist and merchants that don’t take Amex and have been reported as such. Both of these types of merchant still exist on the latest map when I search around where I live.

[Carlos]

Gary wrote:

The emails stopped long ago.

incorrect, got mine

[RussellH]

Couple of places that were on the map last winter, but refused to take Amex not on the map now.

Odd experience this afternoon, though. Local farm shop is on the map. Try to pay with Amex – contactless – declined. Insert card, PIN accepted, processing, then declined. Young lad on the counter says that he is sure that they DO take Amex. Try 2 other Amex cards, still no luck. Lad from the counter says that maybe the card machine is not right and gets another one – still does not work. Staff very apologetic. End up paying with Marriott MCard, and shop misses out on a second sale of local gin.

I suspect a misconfigured terminal. Usually, if Amex is not accepted, the terminal rejects the card completely, it does not ask for and process the PIN.

[YC]

Anyone can confirm last year’s shops that triggered shop small but not on this year’s map still resulting in email confirmations?

[Rui N.]

I shall try that this evening! But probably won’t be able to confirm either way before the end of the promo…

But last year I did that in another store that stopped appearing on the map, and it didn’t trigger. Now they’ve showed up again on the map!

[Luca M]

I noticed a lot of the usual places missing, both around where I live (all local restaurant/pubs that were there in previous years, not there now) and also in central London. I actually asked the manager of a restaurant I know very well and frequent once a week and he told me that he was not aware of why they were not being included this year, especially as Amex had recently given them a lot of branded merchandise to use in the restaurant (umbrella holders, bill wallets, etc.)

[mark2]

YC wrote:

Anyone can confirm last year’s shops that triggered shop small but not on this year’s map still resulting in email confirmations?

I have received email confirmations for one card so used it today in merchant which has disappeared from list. Would have tried on Monday but it is a butcher!
No email yet.

[Rui N.]

Rui N. wrote:

I shall try that this evening! But probably won’t be able to confirm either way before the end of the promo…

So, I went to this store (dry cleaner) to use my offer. I’ve used them several times in the past during shop small. This year they are not on the map. But there are at least 3 promos for this June 2022 shop small promo in the store (one on the outside windown, one in the inside window and a little thing on the counter)! I’ll be quite pissed if I don’t get my fiver!

[rams]

Local chippy I always go to and has worked during promotion not on map when I search local area, but listed when I type for it and then it comes up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (very fresh fish!).

Email sent after purchase so it did trigger.

Will try my butcher on Sat to see if it works. That always used to be on map and listed when I searched but not coming up at all now. Really odd.

[Carlos]

I can confirm it works online too, bought a cake and got £5 small shop off

[lev441]

So I’ve started to get the £5 discount from
Shops that were previously not on the map but appeared in previous shops smalls…

[Backpacker]

All the 20 or so places I might think about visiting that are usually on shop small are NOT on shop small this year – even though the still take AMEX and meet all the criteria!
Therefore, I have not used the offer once – visited several of these places and nothing triggers – total damp squib for me, first time ever that nothing works..

[captaindave]

Popped out for a couple of liveners last night, and this made me peckish, so chippy on way home…

Got emails for both today, the pub was listed on amex site but not chippy – bonus –

[YC]

Got an email from one that was listed in previous years. Seems the odds are in your favour that the offer will be triggered for these oldies

[Andrew J]

I refused to even save the offer on my cards out of protest at its ridiculousness.

[Peter K]

Andrew J wrote:

I refused to even save the offer on my cards out of protest at its ridiculousness.

That doesn’t make sense. I gained a fiver for my normal shopping that I wasn’t expecting. It’s literally money for nothing if you just spend as normal and gain an occasional bonus.

[RussellH]

Now done 4 transactions and got 4 confirmatory e-mails. – just like the old days.

My partner, though, has not had any e-mails…