Free $25 from American Express: Small Business Saturday (Updated 2011)

(Update: American Express is running the same promotion again in 2011. Registration begins in early November.)

American Express is promoting Small Business Saturday again this year. Register your American Express when it opens November 1st, and then use your registered card to shop at a participating small business on Saturday, November 26th. You’ll receive a $25 statement credit when you spend $25 or more at participating small businesses. From this press release:

For the second year in a row, American Express will help drive traffic through the doors of small businesses with a special incentive: a $25 statement credit offer for Cardmembers when they register their Card and spend $25 or more on Small Business Saturday at any qualifying small business that accepts the American Express Card. Cardmembers will be able to register their cards in early November.

I think this is a very creative way for American Express to promote acceptance of their cards at small businesses, which has always been their relative weak spot due to their slightly higher fees for the merchant. Last year, over 20,000 people were able to get $25 from their American Express cards. Here is the fine print from last year, 2010:

Eligible merchants include any independently owned small businesses that accept the American Express Card. Purchases made online, at large, national chains, at franchised business locations and at government agencies are not eligible. Prepaid, corporate cards and ExpressPay transactions are not eligible. [...] Limit one statement credit per Cardmember. Statement credits are generally issued within 5 business days after your qualifying purchase, but may take up to 2 billing cycles to post to your account. Additional terms apply; see Registration Terms and Conditions for details.

A small business owner yourself? You can promote your small biz with their free “small business toolkit” including $100 in Facebook ads.

Find more in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 10/24/11, 12:40am | Trackback

View the original article here