Sydney Opal Top up - AmEx Shop Small Promo - Nov 2014

FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 11:43
Last edited 13/09/2016 - 13:48 by 1 other user

Hi All. I figred out Opal top was the best way to take advantage of Amex shop small promo for me. I thought it would be good to setup a page where we can point to each other best places to take advantage of this deal. meumax has kindly provided below list of places in sydney city where this should work in original thread

http://1drv.ms/1u1SIf7 (Link created by love a bargain)
CBD
Lucky Charm QVB ($2 surcharge for AMEX!!)
Sussex St Convenience Store 368 Sussex St Sydney
Darling Park Newsagency 201 Sussex St Sydney
City Convenience Store 379 Pitt St Sydney(Works with $1 surcharge) Confirmed by Lokesh7. Also works at Ezmart across the road(corner of liverpool & pitt st) with $1 surcharge
Ezymart 6 York St Sydney
Connaught Sydney Newsagency 187 Liverpool St Sydney
Sussex Newsagency 151 Sussex St Sydney
Pavillion News 126 Phillip St Sydney
Ezymart near menies hotel(50 cent surcharge) - Confirmed by djones145
Pyrmont
Convenience Store Village 38 Harris St Pyrmont
Quay Newsagent Alfred St Circular Quay (on the train station side of the road) $1 surcharge
City Supermarket, 1 Alfred St $1 surcharge (corner of Pitt St)
City convenience 37 Pitt $1 surcharge
Ezy Mart 58 Pitt St 50 cents surcharge
Loftus convenience 16 Loftus St $1 surcharge
Below shops are confirmed by carwashhair
Taylor Square Newsagency 163-169 Oxford St Darlinghurst Y $1 
Ghalla Convenience Store 1/263-265 Castlereagh St Y $2
 World Square newsagency Shpp 7 387 Pitt St Y $1 
City South Convenience 22 Campbell St Haymarket Y $2 
Eclipse/Downtown Convenience Shop 1 743-755 George St Y $1
 Glebe Point Newsagency 335-341 Glebe Pt Rd Y 2.5
 Uni Supermarket/Ezy mart Shop 13, 2-12 Glebe Pt Rd Y 50c - $1 
Ezy Mart Broadway 225 Broadway (nr Shop centre) Y $2
And for a zero fee so far, the winners are…. 
City Convenience 419 Pitt St Y $0
 IGA Annandale Booth St Annandale Y $0
City convenience 525 george st $1
Below 2 with $2 surcharge
City convenience 614 george st
Lucky charm Newsagency (in the tunnel to town hall station from george st)

Shops Not accepting Amex (Confirmed by OzBargainers)

Supanews in Chatswood Chase won't take AMEX. Confirmed by Love a bargain
60 Park Street, Sydney City Convenience
419 pitty st

Has anyone successfully topped up opal using Amex for any of these places for this promo? Have you got any other places to add around Sydney to this list? I Intend to try City Convenience Store at lunchtime today and will reprot back how I go.

Deal Page- https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/165381

General Discussion American Express Shop Small Statement Credits

Related Stores

American Express

Comments

kati on 05/11/2014 - 11:47

+3

Great idea, keep us posted. I am happy to look up places around Strathfield/Burwood and try them all out and report on how it went.
- illumination on 19/11/2014 - 23:45
  
  Did you end up finding anything? This will be useful for me :D
  - kati on 26/11/2014 - 13:51
    
    +2
    
    Found a few places that were not successful despite having ShopSmall advertising like the newsagent at Ashfield concourse. I'm making a concerted effort to go around today/tomorrow and will update. It's a bit last minute, sorry, but nothing like a deadline to get cracking…
    - FiDad on 26/11/2014 - 15:37
      
      Thanks for the effort
derpdeder on 05/11/2014 - 11:50

+1

Quality post. Add the Newsagent at Central next to Platform 10.
- FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 12:05
  
  Will do. Have you successfully tried them? For some reason Map is not working for me so I can't double check
  - derpdeder on 05/11/2014 - 12:20
    
    +1
    
    They definitely accept Amex with no surcharge, not sure if they are a small business though. Will do a purchase within the next 2 days to check.
    - derpdeder on 06/11/2014 - 13:35
      
      I would take Central Station off the list. They are Amex, no surcharge for future reference but I did not get the email after the purchase as I did with other places telling me I qualified. They are a Newslink so maybe they are part of a bigger group.
      
      Smartbuy Convenience Store at 344 Kent St is a confirmed outlet though for Shop Small\Amex\Opal. 3% surcharge.
    - FiDad on 14/11/2014 - 21:33
      
      @derpdeder: Did you get the credit for central station amex topup? I am just wondering as sometime you don't get a email but get the credit
    - voteoften on 14/11/2014 - 21:34
      
      @lokesh7:
      
      Yes that has happened to me.
    - FiDad on 14/11/2014 - 21:42
      
      @voteoften: which shop?
    - derpdeder on 15/11/2014 - 09:20
      
      +1
      
      @lokesh7: Nah mate, no credit for Newslink Central Station.
    - FiDad on 15/11/2014 - 11:35
      
      @derpdeder: thanks for update mate
uggugg on 05/11/2014 - 11:56

Which of these places add a surcharge for using AMEX?
kati on 05/11/2014 - 11:59

+2

Just to clarify: you get the most benefit by recharging your Opal card with $20. (to get $10 rebate)

Any more than $20 and you may as well use Woolworths gift cards for 5% off, ING Paywave (if you are on 5% rebate) etc.

Please take note if any retailers have Amex limits eg. $30 before they let you pay by Amex. Have seen a few places like this around the CBD (restaurants etc), so just watch out.
- FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 12:04
  
  Good Point. I do intend to only top up $20 from each shop. I still got about $150 credit on the card left from woolworths friends and family deal top up
- derpdeder on 05/11/2014 - 14:35
  
  "Any more than $20 and you may as well use Woolworths gift cards for 5% off, ING Paywave (if you are on 5% rebate) etc."
  
  How does that work? If I recharge $100 in one go, I get $10 back with Shop Small, or $5 back with ING.
  - FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 14:43
    
    +2
    
    But you get $10 back from shop small even if you just do $20 top up. And you can then do another $80 top up at woolies if you want and get another $4 off. Total savings=$14
Love a bargain on 05/11/2014 - 12:22

+2

Maybe we should also add a list of those that have been proven to not accept AMEX so that others don't have to bother trying.

For a start, Supanews in Chatswood Chase won't take AMEX.
- FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 12:29
  
  Good point and that was intention anyway to save our time being wasted. I will create a list of store who do not accept Amex and add this to the list
djones145 on 05/11/2014 - 12:51

+1

Ezymart near menies hotel is 50 cent surcharge

all the ezymart and city convientent stores near Wynyard and circular quay is all 1 dollar surcharge but all accept and part of shop small (did it in august)
- FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 14:27
  
  Just to confirm this is Menzies hotel in carlington st next to wynyard?
  - aec on 19/11/2014 - 13:07
    
    Just came back from this one. This mid east guy gave me crap attitude and charged one dollar extra, not 50c
- mehow on 05/11/2014 - 14:45
  
  Ezymarts are not part of the program.
  - FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 15:14
    
    I just did a top up from a Ezymarts and got the confirmation email from Amex so they seem to be part of this promo
  - djones145 on 05/11/2014 - 15:31
    
    that program is list WAY out of date
    there is a pharmacy on that list that has been closed for over 15 years (cause they move to another one down the road) that's on it
- mehow on 05/11/2014 - 15:26
  
  did you get the email from AMEX when you paid for it? Whats the address?
  - djones145 on 05/11/2014 - 15:31
    
    yep, I've used them this month and also in august
FiDad on 05/11/2014 - 13:41

+2

Update- Went to City Convenience Store 379 Pitt St Sydney and they had a sign saying $1 surcharge for Opal top up if you pay via Eftopos. I decided $9 free credit is better than no credit so bought $20 topup for $21 and got the Amex email almost immidiately so chances of getting credit are good. Noticed there was a ezy mart across the road(Corner of Liverpool& Pitt st) so went there and same story $1 surcharge and got the email straight away
- SAM JIM on 06/11/2014 - 12:05
  
  Hi Lokesh. Copied your trick. Went to both the locations and bought $20 recharges and paid $1 surcharge. Received the email which said:
  "Thank you for using your registered Card ending in xxxxx to Shop Small.
  We're just checking to see if this purchase qualifies for the American Express Shop Small Offer* and if so, you will receive a $10 statement credit to your account in the next
  5 days.*"
  Have you checked if these two shops are on shop small list. The map is pretty crap and I can't locate these shops.
  - FiDad on 06/11/2014 - 12:59
    
    Same I can't locate these shops in the map but I am hoping it will work as others have successfully used Ezymart stores as well as this city convenience store in previous promotion. Should know for sure in next 3-4 days
    - FiDad on 10/11/2014 - 10:34
      
      +1
      
      I can confirm that I got $10 credit for both of these shops as well as for 419 Pitt st
meowmeowmeow on 05/11/2014 - 13:51

+1

Hmmm this is a good idea. I'll have a look around circular quay tomorrow lunchtime and see what i can find
- djones145 on 05/11/2014 - 14:11
  
  check the one if Chifley plaza if u can
  bit far for me but I remember in the august post someone said they don't charge surcharge!
  - meowmeowmeow on 05/11/2014 - 14:40
    
    Is that the Pavillion news one? Or a different one?
carwashhair on 05/11/2014 - 15:39

+2

I've been doing this so far. Last week, I went around to a half dozen opal agents accepting amex and asked what surcharges (if any) they charge. This week, when going back in I asked and some have changed their surcharges. Basically I think quite a few of them make it up on the spot. Therefore, I think the charges are negotiable.

Having said that, here are the participating stores, their addresses, whether they top up opal (the "Y" symbol), and their charges:

Taylor Square Newsagency 163-169 Oxford St Darlinghurst Y $1
Ghalla Convenience Store 1/263-265 Castlereagh St Y $2
World Square newsagency Shpp 7 387 Pitt St Y $1
City South Convenience 22 Campbell St Haymarket Y $2
Eclipse/Downtown Convenience Shop 1 743-755 George St Y $1
Glebe Point Newsagency 335-341 Glebe Pt Rd Y 2.5
Uni Supermarket/Ezy mart Shop 13, 2-12 Glebe Pt Rd Y 50c - $1
Ezy Mart Broadway 225 Broadway (nr Shop centre) Y $2

And for a zero fee so far, the winners are….
ILS Convenience 419 Pitt St Y $0
IGA Annandale Booth St Annandale Y $0
- meumax on 06/11/2014 - 08:59
  
  +1
  
  Thanks for all that work. At least the increased cash back this time makes it more palatable to absorb the surcharges and still come out ahead enough to make the effort worth the time invested.
  
  Gonna go on a little excursion at lunch today.
meowmeowmeow on 06/11/2014 - 08:32

Can confirm Pavillion news on Phillip St accept AMEX and do opal cards. 3% surcharge, so a $20 top up costs $20.60. I got the email straight away. It's on Phillip St outside the Deutsche Bank building.
Love a bargain on 06/11/2014 - 09:01

Are there any around Town Hall station?
alwayscheaper on 06/11/2014 - 09:02

60 Park Street, Sydney City Convenience not accepting Amex =( Despite being on the shop small list…
meowmeowmeow on 06/11/2014 - 09:08

Just out of curiosity, since the map AMEX have supplied is terrible, can you just outright ask the store if they are part of shop small? Like would the checkout person know what it is? Anyone have any luck with this? I'm gonna go to a few around circular quay/wynyard at lunch. Will try and stick to the ones on the map i guess.
- alwayscheaper on 06/11/2014 - 09:14
  
  They will have no idea, you can ask no harm but they probably say "What?!"
  - djones145 on 06/11/2014 - 09:15
    
    yeah they mainly have no idea
    just have to test it out
    usually if they take amex and are not part of a chain its good
  - meowmeowmeow on 06/11/2014 - 09:15
    
    Hahahah yeah that's what i thought. Guess i better use the map and write myself a list for lunchtime, so i don't accidentally buy opal topup from a shop that isn't part of shop small :)
    - alwayscheaper on 06/11/2014 - 09:18
      
      Please do report back which ones work.
  - lplau on 06/11/2014 - 09:21
    
    They will prob have no idea of Shop Small unless they are the boss.
    Lackies won't know about it since they wouldn't have gotten the Amex Communications.
  - derpdeder on 06/11/2014 - 09:50
    
    As a current merchant, Amex make it very well known to you that you are part of the Shop Small promotion. Whether this gets passed on to employees is obviously dependent on the individual business.
lplau on 06/11/2014 - 09:23

Anybody care to make a list for Myki in Melbourne?
- Love a bargain on 06/11/2014 - 11:25
  
  Maybe you should start another post as you're unlikely to find anyone from Melbourne following this post.
Love a bargain on 06/11/2014 - 11:24

Can someone tell me how I can cut & paste a table or link a spreadsheet to here?

I've found it hard to quickly tell the location of a shop (esp those in the CBD) by its address so I've put the info on here into an Excel and grouped them by areas. Thought I should share the result here.
- scrimshaw on 06/11/2014 - 12:25
  
  Go here
  http://www.tablesgenerator.com/markdown_tables
  
  Click "File"
  Then click "Paste table data".
  
  Then copy and paste your data range directly from Excel into the text box. Then click Load.
  
  It will spit out a nicely formatted table and right below that is a "Result" box where you can copy the entire table in Markdown Syntax and paste it into Ozbargain. When posted it turns it into a table.
  
  You can also use Google Doc's. This method is easier if you want to make it possible for everyone to edit the file, just make it a public document.
  - Love a bargain on 06/11/2014 - 12:56
    
    +4
    
    Cheers scrimshaw.
    
    Uploaded it onto OneDrive (http://1drv.ms/1u1SIf7) so that we can all add to/ update it as we test out more shops.
    - alwayscheaper on 06/11/2014 - 13:52
      
      Love it man!
    - zzyss on 11/11/2014 - 10:05
      
      +1
      
      Thanks for this. Should put this link in the OP so people can see it.
    - FiDad on 11/11/2014 - 11:32
      
      @zzyss: done
    - zzyss on 11/11/2014 - 12:18
      
      @lokesh7:
      Cheers, mate!
    - Love a bargain on 11/11/2014 - 15:18
      
      +1
      
      Just updated the table. Hope it helps.
meowmeowmeow on 06/11/2014 - 12:34

+1

In addition to Pavillion news i posted above, i have visited 6 more stores. Some weren't even on the AMEX map but they had the shop small sticker on their window.

Convenience store in the Gateway building, Alfred St Circular Quay - didn't want to admit he did opal cards and then decided it's cash only, before i even showed my AMEX. I guess the "American express cards welcome" sticker doesn't mean much.

Other than that, all good. Couple of the vendors questioned me, are were like, you already have $87 on there. I told them to do it anyway.

Success with opal and shop small email received straight away:
Quay Newsagent Alfred St Circular Quay (on the train station side of the road) $1 surcharge
City Supermarket, 1 Alfred St $1 surcharge (corner of Pitt St)
City convenience 37 Pitt $1 surcharge
Ezy Mart 58 Pitt St 50 cents surcharge
Loftus convenience 16 Loftus St $1 surcharge

All a nice little loop to end up at Little Vienna for lunch before going back to work :)

Hopefully the $10 rebate works out in 5 days, otherwise i'll be heaps angry.
- carwashhair on 06/11/2014 - 13:40
  
  Just checked, and my monday purchases have had their rebates hit today.
carwashhair on 06/11/2014 - 13:44

Also, I'm really wondering whether we could you know, report the stores that are part of shop small/amex merchants but say they are not accepting amex. Amex used to take quite an interest in these cases…

http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/customerservice/car…
- alwayscheaper on 06/11/2014 - 13:59
  
  +1
  
  From what I know Amex have tried to improve this for the last 5-7 years and have fairly good result.
  As a matter of fact their employees now have a form and competition to report stores not accepting amex.
  I have submitted through the link you posted, I have hope of more than 50% that they will get it and action if they can.
  
  Though understand that convenience stores are cash based and amex transaction will be pretty small for their effort, but I report anyway so they know their shop small list really need updating!
- SmiTTy on 13/11/2014 - 12:40
  
  I have .. there is a "go fresh" shop in castle towers (NSW) that didn't accept amex but was part of the shop small.
  
  I wrote to amex through the contact us section on their shop small website and told them. They actually responded and said they have initiated the process to get it removed.
- zzyss on 14/11/2014 - 09:32
  
  http://www.takeamex.com.au
  - Love a bargain on 14/11/2014 - 10:31
    
    Use this form to report business that supposedly accept AMEX but doesn't (or make it difficult to):
    
    https://www316.americanexpress.com/iFormsSecure/un/iforms.do…
    - zzyss on 15/11/2014 - 14:06
      
      Yeah if you click the URL I posted you'll see that it's just a vanity URL for the same link that you posted; plus easier to remember :-)
    - Love a bargain on 15/11/2014 - 15:13
      
      @zzyss: The one you posted is for telling AMEX which business you wish would accept AMEX, whether they are supposed to (eg through being on the shop small list) or not. Whereas the other one is for reporting to AMEX the businesses that suppose to accept AMEX but are not.
    - zzyss on 16/11/2014 - 11:05
      
      @Love a bargain:
      
      I clicked both links and they both showed exactly the same page…?
FiDad on 06/11/2014 - 14:36

+1

Just an update regarding shop -ILS Convenience 419 Pitt St Y $0 is actually a City convenience store. They do not charge a surcharge for using Amex for opal top up as pointed out by carwashhair but don't go there today as they seem to have an issue with their eftpos chip reader. Guy tried my Amex 4 time but it did not work and then i tried to pay via my coles MasterCard as guy has loaded the money already on opal and got the same error for MasterCard. In the end pay pass worked for my MasterCard. Not happy but its not his fault seems to be an issue with eftpos machine issue.
- xotic on 06/11/2014 - 15:38
  
  A quick update - I just topped up my card at the ILS Convenience store and paid no surcharge. Looks like the issue you were having has been fixed.
  - FiDad on 06/11/2014 - 15:41
    
    Thanks for the update. just to make sure we are on the same page. this Shop is called city convenience and is next to Encasa?
    - xotic on 06/11/2014 - 15:45
      
      +2
      
      Yup, 419 Pitt Street.
    - FiDad on 06/11/2014 - 15:55
      
      @xotic: Thanks I will try them again tomorrow
  - wutang01 on 17/11/2014 - 09:46
    
    That's interesting. I tried visiting them on Sat 15 Nov (before I noticed lokesh7's comment) and the guy working wasn't particularly great at explaining why my Amex wasn't working. He ushered me away saying "we don't accept Amex, we don't accept Amex".
    
    I visited City Convenience Store 379 Pitt St Sydney and Ezmart (cnr of Liverpool & Pitt St) instead.
meumax on 06/11/2014 - 14:47

+4

For anyone heading to World Square newsagency, be aware there are two news agents at World Square.

The one you want is on street level in the arcade with the giant bull statue that exits on to the corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets. There is another kiosk newsagent on the lower ground level which also has Opal but I am not sure if they are a shop small merchant.

Incidentally, the corner of Pitt and Liverpool is also where you will find a City Convenience and an Ezymart. So I racked up $60 worth of Opal credit all within meters of each other at that corner with a $1 surcharge at each shop.
- xotic on 06/11/2014 - 15:43
  
  Thanks for the tip. I just went to the World Square newsagency and also topped up at the City Convenience and Ezymart as you have highlighted. Also, nearby is the ILS Convenience store which is the only one that did not accept a surcharge. After having satisfied myself with 4 topups, I decided to head back and when I went to George Street found another City convenience with a shop small logo outside and decided to make it an even $100 topup for the afternoon.
  
  However, I have not received a single email from AMEX this afternoon.
  - Love a bargain on 06/11/2014 - 15:51
    
    Where is the last city convenience shop?
    - xotic on 06/11/2014 - 15:54
      
      City Convenience 525 George Street ($1 surcharge).
- shuffle1 on 10/11/2014 - 21:26
  
  I tried the City convenience at corner of Pitt and Liverpool. They mentioned card would be $1 surcharge and topped up my Opal… then they said they didn't take Amex when I tendered my card. So I had to pay on another card, $21 for $20 credit :(
  
  Looks like they have stopped taking Amex.
  - FiDad on 13/11/2014 - 13:45
    
    Just did one at them using my supplementary amex card
Elitebhy on 06/11/2014 - 14:59

+1

St James Pharmacy Castlereagh/Elizabeth St no surcharge.
- Love a bargain on 07/11/2014 - 11:07
  
  Did you get a confirmation email? I topped up there yesterday afternoon but still haven't got the email. Although I did see a shop small sticker by its door when I walked in.
  - Elitebhy on 07/11/2014 - 15:54
    
    Yeah got the confirmation.
    - Love a bargain on 07/11/2014 - 17:12
      
      Cheers. Still no sign of the email. I might wait till it shows up on my account before I contact AMEX.
      
      Does anyone know who/ which number I should contact though? (Mine is a bank-issued AMEX so I'm not sure whether I should contact the bank's customer service number or AMEX's.)
    - djones145 on 07/11/2014 - 21:03
      
      @Love a bargain:
      did you tap and go?
      I found tap and go takes a few days for the email to register
    - Love a bargain on 08/11/2014 - 08:29
      
      @djones145: Yes, it was tap & go. I's just shown up on the transaction list but still haven't got any email. Maybe I'll wait a few more days. Can't proof it's paid with the AMEX card (as oppose to the VISA card in the same account) until I get my statement anyway.
    - jackofspade on 08/11/2014 - 17:03
      
      +1
      
      @Love a bargain:
      I never get the email when using bank issued card but the credit appears after 3 biz days.
    - Love a bargain on 08/11/2014 - 17:50
      
      @jackofspade: Thanks
    - djones145 on 10/11/2014 - 12:57
      
      @Love a bargain:
      I think I did a tap and go last time and took me over 10 days to get the credit, I never got an email if I remember correctly
    - Love a bargain on 11/11/2014 - 15:03
      
      @djones145: The credit has finally come through!
    - djones145 on 12/11/2014 - 08:46
      
      @Love a bargain:
      
      sweet! I found tap and go means no email but u get the cash back after a few days
Elitebhy on 06/11/2014 - 15:01

+2

Society Convenience Store $1 surcharge Philip St
Glasshouse Convenience Store $1 surcharge King St
The Lucky Charm $2 surcharge Elizabeth/Park St underground foodcourt
rah1 on 07/11/2014 - 15:04

+1

1 more which is not accepting, although being in the list.

Macquarie Park Newsagency 293 Lane Cove Road, NSW 2113
Cryptarcadian on 08/11/2014 - 15:02

+1

Redfern Convenience Store
152 Redfern St
American Express accepted for $1 surcharge, or no surcharge if you're buying something alongside Opal top-up
KangarooOz on 09/11/2014 - 02:19

City Convenience 419 Pitt St does have $1 surcharge. I recevied the email from AMEX almost immediately.
djones145 on 09/11/2014 - 07:13

sweet few more places to hit
zzyss on 10/11/2014 - 17:05

Newington Newsagency: nope
St Leonards Forum Newsagency: nope
- mini2 on 11/11/2014 - 07:25
  
  No surcharge or not accepting?
  - zzyss on 11/11/2014 - 09:47
    
    Sorry, not accepting any cards at all, Amex or otherwise.
    - roughana on 14/11/2014 - 10:22
      
      St Leonards Forum Newsagency took a card for a topop today while I was there, just not Amex.
    - zzyss on 15/11/2014 - 14:07
      
      @roughana:
      Huh. I think I might've been dealing with the owner, since it was a rough looking guy who was pretty adamant about it. There was also another girl working there at the time.

Sydney Opal Top up - AmEx Shop Small Promo - Nov 2014

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