I have yet another account that went through renewal successfully via auto pay. This one was a real test of the systems as there have been feedback that the payment system doesn't like seeing more than two accounts being paid with the same credit card. I will not deny that the system can be rather finicky when applying the same credit card to a third account. However, once established, it will work fine with auto pay. Either color me lucky or myth busted!
Because so many people get tripped up with account showing suspended during the renewal process, I decided this time to take a peek into the account to see first hand the various phases of renewal, but take no manual intervention regardless of what I see. On the late evening of the renewal day, the account shows suspended. On the morning after, the account remains suspended but a reactivation box appears on the main page. In the payment tab, the rewards are shown as converted to funds in the account and the money is taken from the credit card for the remaining charges. The weird thing is there is a huge pause in the system in which the available funds are not immediately applied to paying the bill. A few hours later, the payment is finally applied and the account returns to active status.
Having seen what the account goes through during the renewal process, I can appreciate why those who are anxious will try to intervene. It really doesn't help when system takes several hours to go through the process of taking money from the credit card and actually applying the payment. The reactivation box is like a baited mouse trap.
To summarize, customers renewing should do as I have been saying all along. Don't bother looking in the account if auto pay is set up; there is nothing useful to see there. Just let the system do its thing. Only take action if the service is actually suspended.
