Official RBS CustomCash (Accelerator Rewards) merchant category list

This thread is to help us manage purchases with the RBS CustomCash Credit Card. The card pays 3% Cash Back for purchases you make in the Merchant Category in which you spend the most money and 1% for everything else. So for those of us with a second card that pays more than 1%, the best strategy is to make all your purchases for a month in a single category. The problem is that its not always obvious what category a merchant is in. For example, the mail-order pharmacy Medco Health is not listed under Pharmacies and Medical Providers. And there are some merchants which never pay 3%.

Lets record the merchant categories for specific merchants here. As far as I can tell, you can only find out the category for a merchant from the printed bill, and only for the highest spend category. It says something like “This month you’ve earned 3% Cash Back in the Hotel merchant category …” and these merchants are marked with a * in the account activity section.

Please add merchants that you have found for that category in the Quick Summary below. The RBS website gives some examples, and they are included in the listing below.

The listing of merchants and categories on the RBS Website seems to have several mistakes. I've changed the listing above to show all the information that I gleaned from the website as Unverified. When you add anything new, please show it as verified, so we can tell the difference. And please remove any unverified merchants that are wrong.

I haven't received my printed statement yet, but I can definitely say that Allstate falls under the category of "does not qualify for 3%". I made my insurance payment this month and it was definitely my highest spending but that is not what I got the 3% for.

The rest of my spending was on some lesser known specialized stuff so I'm not sure if you guys will want me to add it to the summary. I think it could get rather cluttered up if we were to do that. If my assumption is incorrect, let me know and I will add them by all means.

I can definitely confirm what many others have said as far as how arbitary RBS is in their classifications. I had a lot of cosmetics purchases this month and half of them were considered "specialty store" and half were considered "variety store". I only got the 3% back on the ones marked "specialty store". Actually I had another classification for one of the cosmetics purchase, but that was through Paypal and it was marked "professional services".

I've waffled on this card, I found out about it after an app-o-rama and I was going to hold off for 6 months, since I already have most of the 5% back cards - citi dividend, advanta business, discover. But with pets at home, 3% back on PETsMART and Petco is always useful. Then mix in that the option to pick a month and (assuming the unverifieds become verified of course) go on a:

stockpiling run at Wal-Mart/target/big lots/Sears/Kohls/michaels with 3% back, or a

holiday shopping run at Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Blockbuster/borders/ticketmaster/toys-r-us with 3% back

that's a very flexible card, I'll be applying tonight...

ahh, ok, I thought it said online you could call, so I guess I'll give it a go and report back...

Guys, I really think this thread should stay devoted to the RBS merchant category list, so please continue all of the general discussion about the card and application to the thread that was started about that here.

Thanks!

two bad reasons

I have to guess how much I want on the card then leave it sitting there earning no interest until I do use it...
Fatwallet says it takes up to 3 months to get me my money, I'd assume that the 3% comes fairly quickly

but your point is great and I do need to do a better job of researching the purchase through fatwallet options, I didn't realize it was a 7% payback. Obviously that is a good deal and now I know better. I clearly need to get more comfortable the fatwallet purchasing options...

Great thread, I gave you a Green.

Anybody know the category for DealPass Purchases?

Paypal is categorized as "PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIE" in my statement, I'm getting 3% back on that.
So far I use it exclusively for Paypal because I don't know of any other merchants in the same category.

I noticed that not all Paypal transactions have the same description even though most do. I've had a couple of people I've bought from through Paypal and they had a specific category.

bluechalk said: Car repairs done at a car dealer always get 1%.

I just had major work done at the local BMW and Toyota dealers. They both only got 1% Cash Back even though they were the largest expenses on the month's credit card bill. I called customer service and it appears that any expenses charged by a car dealer are not eligible for a 3% category

That should be listed under merchants that never earn 3%. Thanks for the data point!

Comfirmed with my last statement. TO my suprise. $37 earned at 3% category and $2 goest to 1% category.


most categary earned: Catalog & Direct Merchant

Leasure plus (for 20% discount on gift card)
Merchant Information
LEISUREPLUS-GIFTCARDS
800-551-7418,WA 989010000


Shopping Essential plus ( for dealpass program)
Merchant Information
AP9*SHOPPINGESSENTIAL+
800-316-8821,CT 069020000


Beginning CustomCash 1% CustomCash
CustomCash Balance 6.80 Redeemed 45.00 Earned 2.00
Highest Merchant Category Spend: CustomCash 3% CustomCash
Catalog & Direct Merchant Remaining 1.36 Earned 37.56

seems we can get gift card for 23% lower than face value from now on!

My statements don't use the term "CustomCash" anymore. They now say, "Accelerator Rewards".

Also, the RBS site doesn't have a merchant list anymore. So this is the only merchant list for this card on the web.

FWIW

Anyone used this card at BlueNile.com? Did you get 3% CashBack?

Just confirmed: Southwest Airlines, Cathy Pacific Airline

I just found my new statement online, and I didn't get 3% on Sprint PCS. I am getting it on Time Warner Cable, AT&T and Cingular, which made Utilities the biggest spending group, but I guess Sprint falls in another category, or always gets only 1%.

Hope this helps.

Payter

The best way to do it:

1) pay for rent (if allowed)
2) pay for big travel like airline tickets
3) pay for gift cards from dealpass

I only make 1-2 transactions per month. Use this card when i can find no 1%+ reward available. There is 1% minimum at least..

Question:
Say 1st month i spend $1000 in one category which is 3%,
2nd month i returned this $1000, but spend $1100 in another category.

The $1000 is in 3% category in first month but 1% in 2nd month..(since got another 1100 kicked in)
so total should be 3%*1000 reward +3%*1100 - 1%*1000 reward?

Will this work out?

My membership renewal at the New York Sports Club went under "Sports & Leisure".

p8er said: Sprint PCS did earn me 3% this time, but it's not in the Utilities group.

p8er said: I just found my new statement online, and I didn't get 3% on Sprint PCS. I am getting it on Time Warner Cable, AT&T and Cingular, which made Utilities the biggest spending group, but I guess Sprint falls in another category, or always gets only 1%.

Hope this helps.

Payter
Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless together earned me 3%.
I'm guessing they're "Service Providers".

It turns out Sprint PCS is listed in the "Electronics/Applianceshop" merchant category.

DeGlass said:
Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless together earned me 3%.
I'm guessing they're "Service Providers".

Added "Ashley Furniture" to Home Improvement Merchants where you get 3% rewards.