Amex Business Gold 4x Categories

I have done similar write ups like these for the Ink Cash, Sapphire Preferred and the Ink Preferred. This time around I am writing about the Amex Business Gold 4x categories, which had a bit of a shake up not too long ago. The earning system on the American Express Business Gold isn't the easiest nut to crack, and the way the point post are even more confusing. Because of that, I figured it was worth going over what actually earns 4x with the Business Gold and when you can expect those earnings to post.

American Express Business Gold Earning Structure

Here is the overview of the Amex Business Gold card's earning structure:

• Earn 4X Membership Rewards(R) points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories.
  • While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter).
  • Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
    • US purchases on the following 6 categories are options:
      • Electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
      • Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
      • Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
      • Online, TV, and radio advertising
      • Gas stations
      • Restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1x on other purchases.

Deep Dive Into The 4x Earning Categories

Let's dive into these Amex Business Gold 4x categories a bit deeper, since the wording can be a bit broad on the main pages etc. The restaurants category is pretty straightforward, as is gas stations. I will say that the transit category is pretty well defined in the general terms as well. Here is more info on the remaining categories:

Electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers

To earn additional rewards in this category, the purchase must be made directly from U.S. electronic goods retailers or U.S. software and cloud system providers.

Electronic retailers are in the primary business of selling a range of electronic goods like Dell Technologies, Newegg etc.

Software and cloud system providers are in the primary business of selling programs and data storage, whether downloaded or cloud-hosted like Adobe, Salesforce etc.

Examples of merchants where you will NOT earn additional rewards include:

• Online marketplaces that provide a variety of products outside of electronic goods (e.g., Amazon, eBay)
• Superstores (e.g., Target, Walmart)
• Purchases from wireless telephone and cellular service providers (e.g., AT&T, Verizon)
• Application purchases via aggregator platforms
• Consulting and management services

U.S. Wireless Telephone Service Providers

This one is somewhat straightforward. Put your cell phone bill on the card and you may earn 4x on the purchase if it is a top 2 category each month. The problem is that your cell phone bill may never be a top 2 category for you each month (depending on your spending patterns).

The terms say the following types of purchases are NOT included:

• Purchases from authorized retailers, resellers or third party sellers
• Purchases for hardware (e.g., phones and accessories) or repair services
• Bundled services offered by Wireless companies for TV, Internet and VoIP
• VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) services

I would have to imagine things purchased from your service provider, like a new phone, would code properly. If it doesn't, you don't really have recourse though because of the terms though.

Online, TV, and radio advertising

To earn additional rewards for advertising purchases, the purchase must be for online, television and radio advertising and purchased in the U.S. in order to promote a business.

How The Top 2 Categories Work

The Amex Business Gold 4x categories are set up a bit differently from other cards. That is because they give you a plethora of options for the categories, and then say you will earn 4x in the top 2 categories each month. Which means that your categories can change each and every month depending on your spending patterns each month.

The $150,000 earning cap for the Amex Business Gold's 4x categories is a cumulative total of all of the options. That means you don't get $150K in each individual category, but rather, it is a pool that each category pulls from.

When Do The Membership Rewards Actually Post Then?

Because of the unique set up for the Amex Business Gold 4x categories the points post a bit different from other cards. This is often a point of confusion in the ToP Facebook Group.

The designation each month of the top 2 categories is done automatically by American Express. It is compiled once your statement is cut. Because of that, there will be transactions showing in your points activity on your Membership Rewards account until AFTER your statement closes.

Once the statement closes you will see the points activity showing which Amex Business Gold 4x categories were triggered, and the earning for the rest of your purchases. The points will still be pending until you make your payment too. They will then post to your Membership Rewards account balance a day or two after the payment is made.

An Example

I grabbed a screen shot of my Amex Business Gold 4x categories earning over the last month. The statement for this card closed on May 9th for $1900. As you can see, it isn't showing any points activity since before the statement closed. Even though I have 10 transactions since then, nothing is showing in my activity because the next statement hasn't cut yet. The statement in which these 10 charges will settle on.

I also pointed out the pending points section, which is where the total points earned will show after the statement closes. Those are not from my previous Business Gold statement, since I made the payment over a week ago, and are from another Membership Rewards earning card. Once my next statement closes they will appear pending here though, and they will stay there until I make a payment to unlock the points.

Amex Business Gold 4x Categories: ToP Thoughts

The earning set up for the American Express Business Gold card is not the easiest one to track. What 4x categories you earn in will depend on how you spend each month. And, you won't be able to see how the points earning shakes out until the statement actually closes. Then, the points won't post until the payment is made in full. Confusing, right? Hopefully this guide on Amex Business Gold's 4x categories made it a bit easier to understand. You should now have a clearer understanding of how the 4x categories actually work and when the points post now.

Let me know how you use your Amex Business Gold card over in the ToP Facebook Group.