I recently took out an American Express card for its membership rewards.
Amex card: Why do some places accept them and some don’t?
However, when I go to pay in shops I often get a strange look from the cashier who will say ‘unfortunately we don’t take American Express.’
When I ask why, they always shrug their shoulders and I leave without an answer.
It is the same for using it online – there seems to be numerous places that will not take it as a payment method. Why is this? JP
Lee Boyce of This is Money replies: The Amex card doesn’t seem to be a popular choice amongst retailers and merchants.
To find out an official reason, I contacted American Express to dispel the various internet rumours and get a straight answer, direct from the horse’s mouth.
I asked: Why do some UK retailers accept the card and others don’t? And why do some online retailers accept it, and others not?
A spokesman replied: ‘American Express provides a premium service to merchants, including online retailers, in the form of access to our attractive cardmember base, marketing expertise and analytic services. For that service we charge a premium over our competitors.
‘Study after study has shown that American Express cardmembers spend considerably more than consumers who use other cards, in all types of establishments.
