Local businesses are the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, and American Express Shop Small is designed to give them the support they need.

American Express card members can get a $5 credit on their account each time they spend $10 or more at up to ten different participating small businesses in New Zealand until 30 November 2021.

The concept

First, register your card if you haven’t already. You may find that your principal card has automatically been registered (as it was for me).

Then, if you spend $10 or more in one transaction at a participating business in New Zealand, you will receive a $5 credit to your account.

This offer can be used up to ten times per card. This means if you have multiple cards, make sure to register each of them. This includes any supplementary cards that your family may have.

The range of included retailers is reasonably broad, so you should be able to find somewhere close to you that would fit within your normal spend patterns.

The small print

There are a few important terms to know of for this promotion:

• Corporate and business travel Cards are not eligible.

• If you are issued a replacement card with a new card number after registration, your participation in this offer will end & you will need to save the offer to the new eligible card.

• Credit may take up to 90 days to appear on your account upon completion of an eligible transaction. In my experience it’s much quicker, but this covers American Express if there are delays.

• A full PDF of all eligible merchants (as of the start date of the offer on 1 August) can be found here.

Summing up

These American Express offers can easily help offset a portion of your annual fee each year. I have the Platinum Charge card, which is expensive, but each year I easily recoup the value paid in terms of points earned and other benefits.

This offer lets you shop at your usual retail or dining establishments without breaking your normal spending habits. Alternatively, you can always try somewhere new.

Plus, you are helping out small businesses, which is good for the New Zealand economy, especially with the reintroduced border controls on Trans-Tasman travel.

You can find more information at the Shop Small page.