Aeroplan eStore (AP eStore or eStore) is a great way to boost your AP point generation whether it's to get you to 25K status or to pad out your point haul for your next amazing redemption.
I'll be talking in base eStore earn rates unless otherwise specified. AP 25K status and above earn an additional 2x on top of this, but that 2x does not count towards EDQ. Ie. If you got to 25K status by EDQ this year, next year when maintaining your status, don't rely on the +2x earn.
In a recent post I talked about how the current AP anniversary promo for estore bonuses can provide massive return on organic spend. But it's worth noting that eStore doesn't always track purchases well and as a result you may miss out on points if you aren't careful. Thankfully the eStore team has always been quick to respond to any support requests I've made, but having good eStore Hygiene will not only reduce the missing points, but simplify any claims for missing points.
Knowing When to Strike
First step in good eStore Hygiene is knowing a good bonus when you see one. Base eStore multipliers typically range from 1-5x. Some lower margin stores seldom if ever go above 1x (ex. AliExpress) while higher margin stores or subscription services can afford to offer a bigger upfront bonus to get you in the door.
If your purchase is not time sensitive, unless the rate is 5x or more, it may be reasonable to wait and get a feel for the typical range of bonuses offered. In July 2024 they had a 10x bonus on selected categories, the prior10x bonus was actually 5x eStore plus 5x bonus in spring 2024 for using an AP credit card but was more widely applied across the whole store. While the broader availability was nice it forces your credit card choice which as we'll discuss later may be limiting. They also often have good promotions for Black Friday so that would be the next time to strike.
Below is a sample from my estore tracker which creates a "heatmap" of hot deals. Note that the shown multiplier includes the extra +2x for being 25K status or higher.
Not shown is a column where I list why I'm tracking/what I'm looking for so that when the time is right, I strike. For time sensitive things, or small ticket items this approach is likely overkill, but Dell for example just went from a base of 1x to a base of 10x, an effective return change from 2% to 20%.
Watch for exemptions and category limits
Each store has its own exemptions and rules which should be read carefully especially if you're planning a large spend. Getting it wrong on a $10 purchase and missing out on 100APP is not a big deal, but if you mess up a $3K laptop at 10x points, that's 30k APP or half a one way business ticket Toronto to Lisbon down the drain.
Common things to watch for are restrictions on using additional discounts and exemptions of certain lower margin items or cash equivalents (buying gift cards). Typically the reward will be based on pre tax cost, not include shipping and be lost if the item is returned. You don't want to make a big purchase expecting points only to find out it wasn't eligible when you go to dispute it later.
Consider your payment method
If booking a Marriott property via eStore you're most likely better off using the Amex bonvoy card as the 5x Bonvoy point multiplier for this category makes it more valuable than the core 1.25x AP points from the AP cc.
If purchasing something sold in foreign currency, consider using a no forex card like the Scotia Passport.
If planning to use gift cards, make sure they are not exempted (eg. Lego store) (most vendors allow it but not all), reach out to me to discuss how this can supercharge your earning.
Amazon
Amazon deserves its own brief discussion as it does things a little differently. Instead of one multiplier for the whole store, they have many different multipliers for different categories. Sometimes categories get added or removed, and while some categories are routinely high or low multipliers, some vary widely. Make sure to check carefully before you proceed! As mentioned above there was a 5x promotion in April that covered many of the categories, but during the current 10x promotion it is much more limited.
Not shown here is the +2x bonus for status. I have also hidden the rows where I keep a reminder of categories I would be interested in if they were included. I do this because the categories have been added and removed in the past (note the empty spaces).
You're being watched - and that's good
Now that we've covered how to make sure your purchase is eligible, let's talk about how to make sure that the purchase is captured by eStore so that you're points are seamlessly awarded.
eStore needs to be able to track your movement from their page to the vendor, and the purchase of the product. As such you need to approve all cookies along the way. Selectively approving cookies may block a tracking cookie necessary to confirm the purchase automatically. You also should have adblocking software disabled for the same reason. I recommend having a separate "clean" browser for this purpose. I use Chrome for my normal browsing, but open up Edge when I want to purchase on eStore.
They also need to take credit for each item, attributing it to their referral. As such you should start the process with an empty shopping cart. Items already in the shopping cart might not be attributed to eStore and points may not be awarded. If I'm buying a lot of things, I'll plan it out first, make sure my cart is clear, then start the process through eStore
eStore add-on - the good and bad
eStore also has a browser extension which can be really helpful in several ways. First off when googling products it can automatically flag links for sites where there is an eStore promo, making sure you don't forget to get your bonuses.
Secondly if you go to a store page it can pop up to let you know it's eligible and provide a link to activate the promo.
Thirdly it displays a tracking code for the shopping session that you can copy down to expedite any disputes later.
What's the downside? For some reason some vendors are not included in the extension which may lead you to miss promotions. For example Amazon doesn't show up.
What do I do? I have the add-on installed but I don't rely on it. If it shows up for a specific site I prefer it over the eStore portal as it gives me a tracking number, but when in doubt I consult the eStore itself.
Fight for your right to points
So you've picked the best time, you've made sure you are within the exclusions, you went through the eStore portal or the add-on, you waited diligently, but for some reason your points never posted. What do we do now? We go to the eStore and submit a dispute.
Your personal threshold of value will decide how many missing points it would require for you to submit a ticket, but good tracking can make the process easier. The dispute process requires the merchant name, purchase date and amount, missing number of points, and order number. With that in mind I track that information for each purchase in a spreadsheet. If 2-3 months have passed and the points haven't arrived I open the dispute page and copy in the info. Sure I could search my email for the order confirmation and amount at that time, but I find it so much easier to just copy it from the initial order confirmation page. Plus if you don't record the date and amount of points, how will you recognize they're missing in the first place? Furthermore, they ask for how many points you think are missing, if you didn't write down the multiplier at that time there is no easy way to look back to know what to claim.
Conclusion
While sign up bonuses may be the fast track to big point totals, smart organic spending is the ticket to AP 25K status and a healthy supply of ongoing points to spend. And once you do obtain 25K status, the additional +2x points in eStore just sweetens the deal. For example on my wife's latest Sephora haul we got 17x or 34% back on the purchase!
Timing the purchase with good multipliers, watching for exemptions, considering which payment method, and making it easy to be tracked and knowing when/how to dispute can allow you to turn spend that would have earned you an economy flight to Chicago into a business flight to Zurich.
Referral links
With its best in market 5x multiplier Amex Cobalt is a powerful point earner that can get you on flying for free 5 times faster than much of the competition - sign up here. TIP: Consider waiting until a supplemental card promotion before adding the free supp card for even more points.
To see the access the best offers for different Amex card such as the Business Gold, or Platinum click here. Or to compare all the cards I can refer to, check out my card comparison tool.
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You're going to need somewhere to stay after all of these free flights. The Amex Bonvoy or the Business Bonvoy card will earn you free hotel stays and can be combined with the Aeroplan eStore for some incredible double dipped rewards.
If you're on the fence, or wondering about other cards reach out to me for a free consult, and if you sign up for a card through my link, let me know and I will walk you through advanced tricks and personalized advice to help you get the maximum benefit both from earning and redeeming points - getting your travel journey going faster than you ever thought possible.
Check out my Keeper Cards series to see other cards worth exploring
Disclaimer
This should not be taken as financial advice and details are subject to change. I have made good intentioned efforts to be accurate but ultimately consult card terms and conditions
