What Gives With American Express Card

[lowell holmes]

My card is declined more often than accepted. When i offer the card, they will not take it.

[Dan Friedrichs]

It's because Amex charges higher fees. More expensive for the merchant.

[John K Jordan]

My card is declined more often than accepted. When i offer the card, they will not take it.

Yes, the higher fees scare away some businesses, usually smaller ones. I use mine at nearly all of the bigger retailers, big box stores, wholesalers, tool and equipment suppliers, farm stores, building material places, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc.

Almost everyone will take it online especially when linked through PayPal - the vendor doesn't even know. When shopping locally I usually switch my shopping to those who will take it - the local Woodcraft has lost thousands of my business when ownership changed and they quit taking the card. I used to buy all of my building materials at one non-chain supplier until they also quit taking the card.

Those who cater to travelers tend to take it, domestically and overseas. Mine generates frequent flyer miles so we haven't paid for airline tickets to Europe for years.

When out shopping I look at the register or door for the little picture of the cards they accept. If I don't see AMEX I ask and pull out the emergency Visa if necessary.

JKJ

[Greg R Bradley]

It's because Amex charges higher fees. More expensive for the merchant.

It hasn't been that way for me for at least 10 years. WAY back, they charged a higher percentage and paid only once a month.

It is an additional qualification on the merchant to accept Amex. I bet many don't qualify and with the reputation of charging more, they may not try. I think many low end processors don't deal with Amex either so that may be the norm with low end stores that don't qualify with the good processors.

It is very rare around here that a merchant doesn't take Amex. I see maybe 5% tell me "no".

It would be interesting to hear about a vendor that STOPPED taking it without an ownership change.

[lowell holmes]

Well, I have a new Visa card coming and I will retire the American Express.

[Roy Petersen]

It hasn't been that way for me for at least 10 years. WAY back, they charged a higher percentage and paid only once a month.

Rates for us (retail location) are generally at least 1 percent (or more) higher for Amex than others.

[Doug Garson]

It's because Amex charges higher fees. More expensive for the merchant.

Yes and this is not new, I had a corporate AMEX card thirty years ago and had the same experience., Corporations liked the card but merchants, especially in small remote areas did not. Always fun to explain to the company's accounting department that the motel the company's travel group booked for me wouldn't take my corporate credit card and that's why I had to use my personal card and maybe they should cover, at least part of my personal card annual fee.

[Jim Becker]

What clearing house a business uses will affect fees. Both the Quickbooks and ETSY payment systems do not differentiate and the fees are the same regardless of the payment source outside of Quickbooks not charging any fee for ACH. I ask clients for ACH first for direct business for that reason and often find nice ways to reward that that with "some little thing".

I'm a long time AMEX member and I have stopped doing business with a few local businesses that refused to accept it for their own reasons. Yes, I understand that it might cost slightly more, but a half percent or one percent vs no revenue at all is their choice to make. AMEX is my primary choice for general payment...it's my "cash", if you will, because I don't carry more than a few emergency dollars on me at any one time. My VISA gets used more now since Costco switched over from AMEX to VISA, but AMEX is still my primary card and likely will be continually. They have done well by me over the years.

[Roy Petersen]

I'm a long time AMEX member and I have stopped doing business with a few local businesses that refused to accept it for their own reasons.
...
My VISA gets used more now since Costco switched over from AMEX to VISA

Why did you stop doing business with some because of no Amex but keep doing business with the other(s) that also stopped?

[Tom M King]

Not only are the fees sometimes higher, but it takes longer to get paid by them. When I had a boat business, I didn't take it because it took 90 days to get payment. That was back in the '80's, so I don't know what they do now.

[John K Jordan]

Not only are the fees sometimes higher, but it takes longer to get paid by them. When I had a boat business, I didn't take it because it took 90 days to get payment. That was back in the '80's, so I don't know what they do now.

On the consumer side they are fantastic. Any issue at all, they are on it, reversing charges until settled. A hotel in Italy decided to charge us for a room we canceled within the window - bang, AMEX fixed it. A question about car rental fees we didn't sign for, AMEX fixed it. The added warranty for things purchased by AMEX might be useful for some. They have a strong fraud alert system and called me once when they detected possible suspicious activity, already holding payment until resolved. Another time they called to ask if it really was me purchasing something by phone with an Australian company.

I've heard the same thing about getting paid by AMEX, from the seller's side things even now aren't so fantastic. The cash flow timing might certainly be significant to a small business owner.

I mentioned PayPal. I've bought many things from a one-person woodturning supplier who doesn't take an AMEX card for the reasons mentioned. However, if I use PayPal I understand she gets the money without delay even though it gets charged to my AMEX. Even with the fee, accepting PayPal might be a useful buffer for a small business .

JKJ

[JERRY BRINKMAN]

I'm a small business owner and we do not accept american express any longer since when we did accept it it cost us almost $50,000 dollars in per transaction fess, interest and monthly fees. I you were a business owner would you accept this card?

[Art Mann]

Does AMEX offer cash back for purchases like the Amazon Visa and several other cards? I get rebates totaling hundreds of dollars per year and I pay no fee. I used to have an AMEX corporate card and ran into businesses all the time that wouldn't accept it. I have yet to encounter a business that won't accept Visa.

Paypal is a good medium of exchange but the former CEO of that business heavily supported political causes with which I don't agree so I gave them up.

[Wade Lippman]

I got a AMEX card about 5 years ago that gave me $1000 in rewards when I spent $5000 in 3 months. I figured that would be easy since I put $4000 on my Visa every month.

I was wrong; I had a heck of time finding places that took it. Managed, but just barely.

Unless something has changed in 5 years, I don't much see the point of AMEX.

[Stan Calow]

Despite the commercials, it is not well accepted abroad. Chain hotels yes and places that draw a lot of Americans, but regular businesses, not that often.