Do customers really move to other places if Amex can't be used?

[BlueNightStar]

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@android01 wrote:

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@tinuviel wrote:

The hair salon I frequent is a small business that doesn't take Amex. I like my stylist and she does a good job. I just use my Visa, no big deal. I care far more about the service that I receive than about the payment method, especially when I have an easy option readily available.

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Bingo!  I've never really understood why people discriminate so.  Who cares if AMEX or Discover is not accepted?  My guess is that most of us have a Visa or MC we could use? A lot of small businesses don't even take checks anymore.  The payment method is the last thing on my mind when I'm buying some goods or services.  If I get what I want or need, then it doesn't matter how its paid for.  

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My hair salon does not take Amex either and I don't care. I love my stylist and wouldn't go anywhere else. A lot of smaller shops that I frequent online do not take Amex either. I care far more about the product or service I am getting than the payment methods they accept. I also understand their need to keep costs to a minimum to make their business viable and am happy to use whatever payment they do accept.

[longtimelurker]

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

[android01]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

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Frankly, all cards seem to offer some sort of "protection."  I can't differentiate one from another whether Visa, MC, Dicover or AMEX.  All seem to have the consumers best interest at heart, and all will side with the consumer on a disputed charge.  So, I'd say you were right in saying that "card type isn't an issue".   

[b_seeker]

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@w20031424 wrote:

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@jsucool76 wrote:

Nowadays most places do take amex/discover. Some mom and pop shops don't, but I think the population of those who don't is sort of dwindling. 

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My schools doesn't accept Amex for tuition payment citing high fees.  Too bad I can't use my Fidelity 2%.

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Want to know something funny? My school doesn't accept Visa payments on the Perkins loan, citing high fees. The other three are accepted though.

[score_building]

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@android01 wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

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...  All seem to have the consumers [their own] best interest at heart, and all will side with the consumer on a disputed charge.  

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Fixed, lol, find it challenging to keep track of which offers what protections too but Amex is widely reported as the most ameliorating, with least hassle factor, in this instance.

[Open123]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

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1.  Not sure "how much" better Amex is when things go wrong, but they are better than Visa, MC and Discover.  All things being equal, even if they're a "little" better, I see no reason not to use the card for the added benefit.  I prefer less paperwork and hate forms of any kind.

2.  I'd rather not purchase from dubious merchants, but when I do, it'll be with an Amex.

3.  For all non bonus domestic spending, I value SPG points the most, therefore for purchases especially large ones, I prefer to use my SPG.

For ordinary purchases, I choose my card based on the following, in order of importance:  (1) where I derive the most rewards; (2) dispute protection should something go wrong; (3) warranty and accidental protection.  Payment network doesn't factor into it, but the rewards I value the most invariably compells me to use SPG for non bonus spending, BCP for groceries, Sapphire for dining, Inks for office supplies and telecom and Amex Business Blue for most business purchases.

I'm not much into brand loyalty.  While I like both Chase and extremely partial to Amex, the moment another issuer offers a better reward structure for me, I'll switch in a heartbeat.

[indiolatino61]

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@w20031424 wrote:

Some places don't accept Amex due to high transaction fees and charge back. So my question is.. Do people really move their business elseswhere or they simply charge the transaction to their Visa/Mastercard ?

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It depends on what the purchase is and where, and how pressing the time frame. If it is a do-or-die gift giving situation, I will pay with a Mc or Visa. If I have time, and it is an up-scale shop, I may wait. I know I will wait more when I get my BCP...everything will go through it for a while.

[mauve]

The last time I drove through Ontario, I found that my problem was that Canada doesn't take Visa. I was in a drive-thru, swiping my Chase BP Visa through a Chase-branded card machine that the staff had handed me because THEY couldn't figure out why it wasn't taking my card and then I realized that there was no Visa symbol. It was like 75% of places I tried didn't take Visa. I didn't have other cards at the time, either. It might have changed since then, that was in 2007...And I don't recall having such a problem on previous trips to Canada...

[Dubious]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

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I really like your style of summarizing all the points that have been made. I've noticed this in a couple of threads now. I think you do a great job of clarifying/simplifying the discussion! 

[HiLine]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So from the responses, there are some cases where the answer to the OPs question is "Yes"!

1) When extended purchase protections are key.  I would guess this occurs with expensive items, delicate items etc. This might be based on the user's experience of how often things goes wrong.    Is Amex really much better here than what is available on some of the better Visa/MC cards?

2) Where you have doubts about the merchant.   Amex has a great reputation for taking the customer side in disputes.

3) Need rewards from an Amex program.   (Of course, others would use a particular V/MC/D for similar reasons)

But for many people, for ordinary purchases, card type isn't an issue.

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1. I know of no stores that offer high-value items where extended warranty would be worth anything that don't take Amex. Maybe someone can give an example?
2. I know of no dubious merchants that take Amex. Again, examples are welcome.

3. I would not switch to a less favorable store/restaurant just because it gives me a little bit less credit card rewards. Examples where the switch makes sense are welcome here as well.