Do most retail outlets accept Amex?

Semple

I have an MBNA account that gives me AMEX and VISA, I try and use the Amex the most as it earns more points. But i've only had rare occasions where shops/restaurants etc don't accept it. Not even a case of small purchases either. I remember trying to buy a carpet for about £400 from one of the big named brands and they don't accept AMEX.

bris

As an ex merchant I found Amex expensive and difficult to deal with. I cancelled after about 4 months and in that time I only had a handful of times it was actually presented anyway so no big deal. The times it was presented they always had an alternative, so no lost sales.

keiran

My understanding is that the rates that Amex charges its merchants are, nowadays, not that different to those of Mastercard and Visa (but many merchants continue to believe they're sky-high, or are on old terms)

I have no problem with merchants choosing not to sign up to Amex and therefore not accepting Amex cards

I do, however, have problems when they do choose to sign up to Amex but then appear so extremely reluctant to take it, or want to slap an extra charge on it

SuperHan

I have an MBNA MyRewards card with an AmEx and Visa card on the same account with different levels of reward.

I think in the 12 ish months of having this set up, I've only had to use the Visa card once - at a restaurant that has a few branches but is not a national chain.

I don't put 100% of my spending on there, but it's rare that I get told they can't take AmEx when I try and spend on it.

planteria

grumbler wrote: »

If you use Amex you must have a second credit card on you. Before I was forced to Amex by Barclaycard I used to have only one CC and one debit card in my small wallet.

i challenge that must though, as if CapOne are going to cut my deal with them i am seriously considering not bothering with a non-Amex card in my wallet as backup, to keep the file clean. unless i have a 'BT card' that is currently unused-in which case i might aswell have it in my wallet.

as Semple says, it is "rare". it depends on where you spend money, of course. the Post Office starting to take Amex was a key for me:T

the rates are still higher keiran. fwiw i have known a customer looking to spend £3500 and when told he couldnt use Amex he decided to shop elsewhere. that sale alone would have made it worthwhile for the retailer to accept Amex for a year.