Do you remember the last time you made a purchase, and the retail clerk would ask “cash or credit”? Me neither. Has it been that long ago that we started to we swiped our own cards or started using mobile payments – or is it simply that technology is moving at such a fast rate that we can’t keep up. An article we did earlier this year indicated that it would be 2019 before mobile payments flourished in Canada, but they are already dealing with Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay and today American Express Canada has announced AMEX Pay is starting to do business in Canada.
Not only will AMEX Pay allow you to make purchases on your smartphone using your American Express card – provided it was obtained in Canada – but you already have the option to redeemed Membership Rewards points for purchases on Amazon.ca, although 1,000 points are the minimum you can redeem at one time. Laura Scheck, Director, Consumer Cards & Loyalty, American Express Canada said, “This new benefit is not only simple to use but provides Cardmembers with the choice and flexibility to use their points for what they want.”
When you shop, the most difficult decision may be deciding how to pay for your purchase. AMEX Pay works much like the others, including Android Pay. It uses an NFC payment system built into the AMEX Pay application, meaning, of course, that your device must be NFC compatible. It will work with any AMEX card member, be it a consumer card or a business card, although pre-paid cards (like the American Express Gift Card) are not eligible. You can ‘carry’ up to six cards on any one device; however, only one card can be activated at one time between devices.
To help with security, each time you activate a new AMEX card to your app, it creates a Device Card Number unique for that card number and your device. This means when you purchase a new smartphone, and the AMEX cards must be removed, or deactivated, from your old phone before you can reactive them on your new phone – it has to go through pairing a new Device Card Number between your new phone and the card. Another nice feature is if your cards would be stolen or lost (not the nice feature) you can still use your AMEX Pay while you are waiting for your new card(s) to arrive.
If you live in Canada and ever thought about getting an AMEX Card, now may be the time. The AMEX CA app allows you to review transactions, have access to six months’ worth of PDF statements, have critical updates pushed to your device, make a payment, receive special offers, manage multiple cards, and view your Membership Rewards.
