Who Does/Does Not Accept Amex?
Comments
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Slightly off the main topic but LegoLand Windsor doesa NOT take Amex. Didn't stop the guy on the main entrance desk running my card through a VISA/MC manual machine!
National maritime Museum does NOT but their Cafe does!! :-/A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.
A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent,
the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.0 -
I've certainly used Amex in Asda petrol stations [cheap petrol too!] and I'm pretty sure I've used it in-store as well [don't shop there v.often].
Iceland takes it.
NTL does not.
Nor does Sky.
AOL DOES.Expect the worst & hope for the best...0 -
French Connection (FCUK) do accept Amex (so, the wife's part of my latest bill tells me...)
So do:
British Midland (FlyBMI)
British Airways
Thetrainline.com
PC World
Savoy Tailors Guild
Fat Face
Screwfix
Office (shoes)
Jurys Inn hotels
Plumbcentre
Oyster Travelcards (London Underground)
Deep Pan Pizza Co.
Its Pizza & Pasta... Fool's Gold ...0 -
Used my Amex at Asda last night after trying and failing to do chip and PIN transaction on my switch card (used it at Tesco day before so no problem with card).
Assistant tried to use chip even though I told him I hadn't got a PIN. Worked on the swipe though (second attempt).
I would suggest that Asda's systems are a bit dodgy.
Anyway I dont really like using Chip and Pin at Asda 'cause the terminals are fixed to the counter making it very difficult to be discreet when entering your PIN. Or am I just being paranoid???0 -
I was told that Amex is not accepted by many retailers because their fees to retailers are higher. This would mean that many of the cheaper retailers with low profit margins will find it more difficult to entertain the card.
I signed up for a blue Amex card recently and both ebay and my ISP - freedom2surf will not accept the card. They have also just halved their cashback commission which has not impressed me. If the cashback reduction is mirrored by a reduction in fees to retailers that will allow more to afford their services, I will rethink my current opinion of the card and its usefullness.PLEASE DO NOT STEAL
The Government will not tolerate competition
Always judge a man by the way he treats someone who is of no use to him0 -
I was told that Amex is not accepted by many retailers because their fees to retailers are higher. This would mean that many of the cheaper retailers with low profit margins will find it more difficult to entertain the card.
This is correct. As a small retailer (6 shops and not because I'm 5'0'') I was shocked and angry at the time we installed card machines into our stores. I can't remember the exact figures, but suffice to say American Express fees were significantly higher than those of Mastercard & Visa.
Now I'm sure that they MAY be another reason for this other than greed, however it was unacceptable to me to have to pay such high fees.
As a guide, for a retailer like ourselves with a turnover of £5m on toiletries, stationery, housewares, greeting cards etc our fees are currently -
Switch(Maestro)/Visa Delta - 11p per transaction
Mastercard & Visa - 1.375% of the transaction
This probably lower than some and (much) higher than others. It will explain why those selling higher value goods (e.g.cars) will prefer not to take credit cards.
As far as AMEX goes, I have had two calls in the last fortnight from them asking if I would be interested in taking their card. Call it cutting my nose off to spite my face because I might be preventing customers from spending money in my stores, but the experience of several years ago left a bitter taste in my mouth. I don't even know whether the fees are still higher or whether they have dropped them in line with others, but I've no real desire to find out.0 -
I think you guys are effectively promoting amex. the only catch with this is that their merchant fees are so high that it ultimately pushes retailers' prices up - which isn't so good for money saving.
In my experience, for any substantial purchase, if the retailer will take amex then you can negotiate a couple of % off by paying by cash - in which case it is not a particularly worthwhile rebate.
It's a nice idea, but I think with all the places that don't take it, it would be difficult for many people to spend £7500 plus, or much more even than £2000.
I must confess I just stick to a Mastercard cash back card.0 -
What would be really useful is if AMEX had a page on their website which listed all of the companies which they had signed up in alpha order so we could check ..
It's quite embarassing having to ask do you accept AMEX, and then more often than not being told no!0 -
Richer Sounds (https://www.richersounds.com) now accept AMEX. Their website doesn't show it, but you can definitly pay with AMEX instore.
Tried to use Amex in Richer Sounds last night. They were not very keen and said that they prefer not to but if I insisted they would have to ring Head Office to get it authorised and it would take about 20 minutes. Did I have a visa card or something else I could use instead?
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Tried to use Amex in Richer Sounds last night. They were not very keen and said that they prefer not to but if I insisted they would have to ring Head Office to get it authorised and it would take about 20 minutes. Did I have a visa card or something else I could use instead? :(
The reason I put that posting in was cause I used Amex in a Richer Sounds (Croydon branch) in Sept. I had no problems using it then, they were quite happy to take the card, no questions asked. Also it was for a fairly substancial amount."An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi0
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