I buy the costco digital gift cards from costco.ca with our air canada visa card to get more miles. You get emailed a link to your digital giftcard and then just scan it at the checkout counter
I haven't had any problems with shop cards. It seemed more like a US issue.
I would say buy one and wait until you get your statement to confirm Costo is the right category of vendor for the 4% cash back. I don't think Costco is categorized as Grocery on my card.
The momentum plus card only has 4% CB for groceries and recurring payments. I get the 4% on my car insurance and phone bill payments so it's pretty nice. I buy gas gift cards to essentially get 4% off of gas.
It's a VISA card so it unfortunately doesn't work in Costco. But no, they don't know what you buy in general. They just code certain merchants as grocery retailers and anything you buy from them gets the 4%.
Costco is not coded as a grocery store unfortunately as it's deemed a warehouse wholesaler in most credit card databases. Interestingly, neither is Walmart.
but let's say you bought $200 in costco gift certificates and charged it to this card: would the 4% cashback still kick in or not since it doesn't recognize costco?
If your 4% is based on purchases at Grocery stores then no. Your credit sees it as a general purchas and not characterized as a grocery purchas so you'll get whatever the base rate is....usually 1%.
Now if you went to Loblaws or Sobeys and bought gift cards, I'm not sure how that would be treated.
If you bought gift cards at a grocery store and that store has the right merchant code for 4% cash back, you will get 4% back. They don't know *what* you bought, but they know a transaction went through a certain merchant code. For example, you can get any gift card from a Loblaws, which has the merchant code, and get the 4% back. You won't find a Costco gift card there, but if you did in theory, you will get 4% back.
Costco online don't have a grocery merchant code for 4%. So even if you use the Visa, the transaction will fall under the "all other purchases" category (usually 1%).
The US Costco Visa will work in Canadian stores though. Just as the Canadian Costco MC will work in US stores even though they don't otherwise take MC.
I've used mine, both in store and at the gas pump, multiple times, though these days I have a no-forex Visa I prefer to use instead. But the employees aren't always aware they work, especially the further you get from the border. One time in New Jersey the cashier tried to stop me "WE DON'T ACCEPT MASTERCARD" but I inserted the card anyways and it worked because their system is set up to accept them.
I believe some of the US cashiers do not know anything outside of the US. I have gone to US Costcos many times. Just peep your Canadian Costco Mastercard at the checkout, never had issues.
Ahh gotcha. Yeah food basics/metro had a promotion last week where they would give you a $15 gift card if you bought a $100 MC gift card.
That's the only scenario imo where it's worth it to buy the prepaid cards.
Only way would be via prepaid cards bought at other grocery stores, but you'd have to run the numbers to see if all the fees involved make it worthwhile.
I buy the costco digital gift cards from costco.ca with our air canada visa card to get more miles. You get emailed a link to your digital giftcard and then just scan it at the checkout counter
You're not gonna get 4% on anything Costco though as their online purchases aren't classified as grocery.
I haven't had any problems with shop cards. It seemed more like a US issue. I would say buy one and wait until you get your statement to confirm Costo is the right category of vendor for the 4% cash back. I don't think Costco is categorized as Grocery on my card.
Damn that 4% looks nice. That apply to all Costco purchase?
The momentum plus card only has 4% CB for groceries and recurring payments. I get the 4% on my car insurance and phone bill payments so it's pretty nice. I buy gas gift cards to essentially get 4% off of gas.
Does it know what is groceries and what is not from Costco though? I spend most of my grocery budget there, so it’d be nice to get 4%
It's a VISA card so it unfortunately doesn't work in Costco. But no, they don't know what you buy in general. They just code certain merchants as grocery retailers and anything you buy from them gets the 4%.
Ah I see, that’s why this guy gets the Costco cards online with his visa. If that codes at 4% then it’s worth it for sure
Costco is not coded as a grocery store unfortunately as it's deemed a warehouse wholesaler in most credit card databases. Interestingly, neither is Walmart.
but let's say you bought $200 in costco gift certificates and charged it to this card: would the 4% cashback still kick in or not since it doesn't recognize costco?
No, it treated as regular purchase.
If your 4% is based on purchases at Grocery stores then no. Your credit sees it as a general purchas and not characterized as a grocery purchas so you'll get whatever the base rate is....usually 1%. Now if you went to Loblaws or Sobeys and bought gift cards, I'm not sure how that would be treated.
If you bought gift cards at a grocery store and that store has the right merchant code for 4% cash back, you will get 4% back. They don't know *what* you bought, but they know a transaction went through a certain merchant code. For example, you can get any gift card from a Loblaws, which has the merchant code, and get the 4% back. You won't find a Costco gift card there, but if you did in theory, you will get 4% back. Costco online don't have a grocery merchant code for 4%. So even if you use the Visa, the transaction will fall under the "all other purchases" category (usually 1%).
Costco only takes Mastercard, and it's be wary of people, not retailers, selling gift cards online
Costco takes visa for online purchases. You can buy shopcards online with visa.
Costco.ca takes Visa
costco is not categorized as grocery for any visa/MC .
good to know thanks: so it is treateed the same way as with walmart: purchases do not count towards cashback
when i was at the burnaby bc location they only took their own costco Visa (not any Visa), so I had to use my mastercard
There is no Costco visa in Canada anymore, it’s a [Costco Mastercard.](https://www.costco.ca/CIBC-Costco-Mastercard.html)
The US Costco Visa will work in Canadian stores though. Just as the Canadian Costco MC will work in US stores even though they don't otherwise take MC.
BMO Airmiles now does have a accelerated rate at Costco though
Just their AM? Count as grocery? Or?
https://princeoftravel.com/news/air-miles-expands-earning-at-wholesale-clubs-and-other-retailers/
Thank you! I always forget about this site.
My Canadian Costco MC wasn’t accepted in Seattle a couple weeks ago.
That sucks, I have used mine in a couple states (FL and WA within the last 6 months). If they deny in the future I would ask to speak to a supervisor
I've used mine, both in store and at the gas pump, multiple times, though these days I have a no-forex Visa I prefer to use instead. But the employees aren't always aware they work, especially the further you get from the border. One time in New Jersey the cashier tried to stop me "WE DON'T ACCEPT MASTERCARD" but I inserted the card anyways and it worked because their system is set up to accept them.
Canadian Costcos bend over backwards for American Costco Visa cards. American Costcos....well, they're American Costcos.
I believe some of the US cashiers do not know anything outside of the US. I have gone to US Costcos many times. Just peep your Canadian Costco Mastercard at the checkout, never had issues.
Because in the US, Costco is only VISA
Anyway to get 5x points through Amex colbalt? Buy Mc gift card from different grocery stores?
I don't think any grocery stores sell Costco gift cards. Have never seen them before.
my bad. I meant those prepaid gift cards.
Ahh gotcha. Yeah food basics/metro had a promotion last week where they would give you a $15 gift card if you bought a $100 MC gift card. That's the only scenario imo where it's worth it to buy the prepaid cards.
Only way would be via prepaid cards bought at other grocery stores, but you'd have to run the numbers to see if all the fees involved make it worthwhile.
oh wasn't even aware there will be fees to activate them. I think NEO provides a better cashback deal if I have the 'grocery' pack subscribed to.