Who Does/Does Not Accept Amex?

vikylove

greenlightluke wrote: »

I've recently got my AMEX card and so far it has worked in the Co-op and McDonalds. It doesn't work in Jack Jones clothing, Subway.
But I keep sticking it in and hoping for the best until it works.

odd. I got my AMEX Card accepted on Jack Jones clothing just this month.

JakeGreen

ionamartin123 wrote: »

with the advancement in technology and using mobile as a credit card, I'm wondering why not all cards are accepted everywhere. Should not there be an uniformity? By the way, I like the color of Amex

I think you need to learn more about how credit cards work.

AMEX charge higher merchant fees than Visa and Mastercard so some shops refuse to accept them on this basis... it eats into their profits.

reclusive46

JakeGreen wrote: »

I think you need to learn more about how credit cards work.

AMEX charge higher merchant fees than Visa and Mastercard so some shops refuse to accept them on this basis... it eats into their profits.

Although not always, I was speaking to the owner of a local restaurant that I frequent and when I was speaking to the owner he said that he was surprised when he signed up with Amex as his Amex rate was actually 0.2% lower than a Visa or MC credit card.

American Express has quite a good sales pitch now though lol As someone of you may know, reward Visa and MasterCard credit cards normally charge an extra 0.5 or 1% to the merchant (Sometimes higher). So now Amex is saying to merchants you can either pay our rate which is a little bit more expensive or pay a whole percent more as the majority of our customers will use a Visa or MC reward card if they can't pay by Amex.

JakeGreen

I didn't realise that the merchant % fee would vary depending on which type of Mastercard or Visa were charged?

I thought it was a flat rate for each which the merchant can negotiate with MC, AMEX or Visa.

Do you have any evidence that the merchant pays a higher fee if I use a cashback or rewards card compared to a standard Visa or Mastercard or AMEX?

reclusive46

JakeGreen wrote: »

I didn't realise that the merchant % fee would vary depending on which type of Mastercard or Visa were charged?

I thought it was a flat rate for each which the merchant can negotiate with MC, AMEX or Visa.

Do you have any evidence that the merchant pays a higher fee if I use a cashback or rewards card compared to a standard Visa or Mastercard or AMEX?

Amex is all one set fee.

Visa and MC are the ones that charge extra for premium cards (Which are effectively reward cards or those who are designed for those with high incomes)

Visa and MC also normally charge a merchant another 0.5% if its a non-eu card as well. To make things worse MC will often allow non-reward cards with just quite high credit limits "premium" cards as well.

So I'm sure you can see that in a lot of cases Amex can work out a lot cheaper, especially if you work in the tourist industry or where lots of tourists visit.

" Why are you charging more for premium cards?A.

Streamline is charged more to process premium cards than other credit and debit cards. This is therefore reflected in your pricing where these types of cards are accepted."

http://sme.streamline.com/pricingchanges/faqs Thats one link but doesn't take much of a google to find lots of places that show talk about extra charge.

bellsblm

all to do with how much the retailer will lose for the transaction cost

reclusive46

Coacers wrote: »

petsathome don't; the co-op and morrisons do.
tfl does, too, so if you buy a season ticket for about £1,200 (like i do) then you can earn £15 cash back by using your amex (i think £15 is right, isn't it? £1,200 x 1.25%).

Err.. Pets at home does. They have done for about a year. Used my card there this morning. (Note that the Vets that are in some pets at home stores do not).

http://www.petsathome.com Also on the website scroll down to the bottom and you will see "American Express cards now welcome".

Serendipitious

British Gas (billing dept) don't, according to a guy I just spoke with. Just paid off my small end of year amount so I can move to quarterly direct debit instead of monthly.

reclusive46

Coacers wrote: »

reclusive46 wrote: »

Err.. Pets at home does. They have done for about a year. Used my card there this morning. (Note that the Vets that are in some pets at home stores do not).


really? how strange. i was there on saturday (i go about once every four-six weeks) and they didn't accept amex. i've asked a couple of times across the last couple of years and it's always been a no. unless it's specific to the one i go to (waddon, near croydon). i definitely asked them recently, perhaps not on this visit but a maximum of about two months ago, i'd say, and it was still a no.

There staff training is a bit useless regarding this. Someone was in front of me asking if they took Amex a couple months back and the cashier said no and I jumped saying well you have done for about 12 months lol. I don't think the cashier appreciated it

I wouldn't ask, just insert. Like many places that tell you they don't accept it when they do.

Ghostlike

Good to know about Pets At Home. I've been refused there before, Amex-wise, so next time I shall simply insert and smile!