Who Does/Does Not Accept Amex?

RichyRich

G-Pinn wrote: »

Why is it harder for businesses to accept Amex??

Because the merchant fees are higher.

[STRIKE] [/STRIKE]

To add to the list of recent declines:-

The Fragrance Shop (Bradford, Kirkgate branch) does NOT accept AMEX.
Peacocks (Bradford, Forster Sq. branch) does NOT accept AMEX.

And a recent (unlikely) acceptance

J. D. Wetherspoon pubs DO accept AMEX on food related orders.

Molescroft

ih8stress wrote: »

Is Amex the best card to go for at the moment then? I'm after buying a gas fire and new suite in the near future. I've just tried applying for the barclaycard one but am an existing customer, so don't qualify.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

I would say Amex would be best if the stores you want to purchase from accept it. Probably best to check with them first.We find our card accepted most places and manage to get about 80% of our regular expenditure on it with little problem. Our regular "no's" come from Costa Coffee, buying cinema tickets and renewing insurance policies. For these we have an M&S card which gathers points (use Amex in M&S stores though) and converts to money off vouchers once a quarter - usually enough for a nice M&S treat!

RichyRich

Molescroft wrote: »

renewing insurance policies.

That reminds me,

A futher recent NO came from Yes! Car Insurance!

Niemand

My Amex was declined by Pizza Hut yesterday. The waiter told me they stopped taking them about three weeks ago.

ali1972

Poundstretcher (or at least my local one) are a NO (yes, I was pushing my luck there wasn't I? All in the pursuit of BA Miles!! The following independent and local shops (London) are also currently No, despite being rather expensive retailers:

Terre D'Oc
Daunt Books
Cath Kidston
Hope and Greenwood


However the following are YES:

The Pier
Southeastern (trains)
Rymans
HMV
Boots
WH Smiths
Tesco
Dixons (Gatwick Airport Branch)
M& S
Field and Trek
John Lewis (Oxford St)
Pizzaexpress
Sainsbury
Pasta Brown
Emma Bridgewater (Marylebone High St)
Starbucks
Amazon
Odeon
Cafe Rouge
Superdrug
Debenhams
Gap
Next
Speedo Shop (Neal St)
Bodyshop
Giraffe
Pauls

vikingaero

I really should ask for a discount when I shop at an establishment that takes Amex. I'll offer then my Amex card or my Visa Debit card for 3.5% off!

compmad1

If you use an ordinary Tesco Clubcard you get 1 point for a pound spent. (= 4% when used on deals). If, however, you use a Tesco Mastercard you still only get the same number of points. I rang to clarify this today. I realise that I might as well use an Amex card to pay + also get points by using the ordinary Tesco Clubcard. There is no benefit to be had over using the Tesco Mastercard as opposed to an ordinary clubcard. I have lost a lot of money this year by thinking you got even more points when you used the credit card.

Niemand

compmad1 wrote: »

... There is no benefit to be had over using the Tesco Mastercard as opposed to an ordinary clubcard. I have lost a lot of money this year by thinking you got even more points when you used the credit card.

When I got my Amex card in April this year my wife and I used it everywhere we could, including Tesco and Sainsbury's. As you know, in Tesco you can pay by Amex (and get the 5% off during the offer period) and also get your Clubcard points (1 point per £1 as you point out).

Regarding the Tesco Mastercard: on the MoneyExpert: Clubcard MasterCard page, it says you get 5 points for every £4 spent in Tesco stores, and 1 point for every £4 spent elsewhere. From that, it appears you do get slightly more on the Tesco MasterCard than on a normal Tesco Credit Card.

compmad1

Niemand wrote: »

When I got my Amex card in April this year my wife and I used it everywhere we could, including Tesco and Sainsbury's. As you know, in Tesco you can pay by Amex (and get the 5% off during the offer period) and also get your Clubcard points (1 point per £1 as you point out).

Regarding the Tesco Mastercard: on the MoneyExpert: Clubcard MasterCard page, it says you get 5 points for every £4 spent in Tesco stores, and 1 point for every £4 spent elsewhere. From that, it appears you do get slightly more on the Tesco MasterCard than on a normal Tesco Credit Card.

Thanks. Do you know if you get 5% with Amex for the first 3 months of every new year, or is it a one off for just the first year that you join?

Also, I spoke to a clubcard person today. I have got a Tesco Finest Platinum Mastercard. Apparently new customers are not being offered this any more. I have got to get out my paper work to check this, but I was told that you get 1 point per £1 spent in Tesco and 1 point for £2 spent elsewhere.
They are doing a Tesco Clubcard credit card now which gives the points as you have said.

Niemand

compmad1 wrote: »

Thanks. Do you know if you get 5% with Amex for the first 3 months of every new year, or is it a one off for just the first year that you join?

It's a one-off offer for new customers. You will get the cashback on the Card Anniversary Date, for the preceding 12 months.