Comments on: American Express Cardmember Gift Offers

By: Cherie Fensten

Cherie Fensten — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:12:39 +0000

I am not interested in cookbooks or cooking or your address book or appointment book. Could I have a gift card to a department store or indivicual store or movie ticker. etc? I have many points but have never received any kind of gift. thanks, cherie Fensten

By: Tiff

Tiff — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:20:54 +0000

When you order the book it clearly states that if you dont want the books send back the card within 20 days and you will not recieve the book. If you wish to recieve the books do nothing and the next avlible book will be sent to you at the prevailing price of 29.95. so you are fully aware of what you are doing when sign into the continuity program. Dont blame american express because you cant read anything before you sign up.

By: viv

viv — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:07:15 +0000

I don’t want the gift so what should i do to cancel it. in the letter they told me to return the advance notice card in order to cancle the gift. i want to know what is advance notice card? what is it look like?

By: Jill

Jill — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:26:52 +0000

I think it would depend on the length of the program for me – are you forced watching your mail indefinitely? or is it a year-long thing? If it was fixed duration I’d do it.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:36:04 +0000

I wonder how American Express got into the publishing industry and how many other non-financial sectors they are in.

By: BrianC

BrianC — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:27:04 +0000

I used to go for these offers all the time. These days I find some of these microdeals with multiple steps to be more trouble than they’re worth.

By: centsandthecity

centsandthecity — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:51:22 +0000

I really don’t like the negative option billing (didn’t know it was called that) because I would definitely forget to decline the offers.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:43:33 +0000

I try to stick to the web for my recipes. While I love cook books, I find sites like http://www.recipezaar.com to be excellent and I get to save some of my book shelf real estate.

I have always found the negative billing option to feel like a shady business practice.

By: NateUVM

NateUVM — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:26:08 +0000

Just not sure it’s worth having to send back everything else that comes along. Seems like one of those systemic traps that syphons away money. Personal choice, sure, but I would rather be out a cooking book and keep my life more simple.

By: eric

eric — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:08:44 +0000

didn’t know about this gift thing…is it the same for personal and business cardholders?

By: lsward

lsward — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:11:59 +0000

The negative option billing scheme is one of the worst financial traps you can fall into while your eyes are still open. You sign up to get the one great item they are pitching and it comes and you forget about anything else, but next month there is a message you have to reply to or they will send you merchandise whether you want it or not and bill you for it. And the next month and the next month and the next month as long as they can. They can be very difficult to cancel and even after canceling they will continue to send you things and billing you for them. Ask anyone from the 60′s or 70′s who signed up for a “Book of the Month Club”. They sounded great but they were like a sticky spider web.

What happens if you change your address or stop using the email account they access. Those messages just keep coming every month and you keep getting billed. Don’t ever sign up for “Negative Option Billing”.

If American Express wants to do it right have them send you a message once a month asking you to reply only if you want the merchandise.