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

[TiggerDat]

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The Bahamans is a touristy-spot, so this may not be such a surprise. How much time do you spend outside the US (and to a lesser extent outside Europe as well)?

If you travel a lot overseas, you'll notice a lack of acceptance of anything other than Visa/MC in many places. For example here Discover has 0 presence (nobody takes it), while Amex is extremely limited.

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I had dinner Saturday night at a Russian restaurant in China and pulled out the Discover Card.  The waiter told me they don't take Discover.  I pulled out the Capone card and asked if they take that.  He said yes, so I handed him the Discover Card and simply told him to first try it.  He came back and asked me to sign my slip.  I actually know that it is accepted almost everywhere in China.  It might actually be accepted in more places than Visa or MC here, but the people might not know it.  Discover has an agreement with Union Pay, the Chinese Processing network.  I almost laughed at the waiter!  Sometimes you just have to make people try because they might not realize the reality of things.

[Open123]

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@CreditScholar wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

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@HiLine wrote:

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. 

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The only example I could think of here is when I'm booking a business function.  

Since I'm assuming most attending will be there for the "free culinary" experience and wouldn't be as discerning, I'd mind as well find an establishment that accepts a form of payment most rewarding, less obtrusive for accounting and the easiest to track (Amex allows for uploading of receipts under the corresponding charge).  For all three, I know of no issuer better than Amex.

For instance, I want to pay for a dining function at a steakhouse.  If Ruth's Chris didn't accept Amex (they do, but let's pretend they don't) while Morton's did, I'd have the event at Morton's, even though I prefer Ruth's Chris crabcakses and "sizzling butter on metal plates" experience.

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So this is why you held your event last year at Morton's! You and your starpoints hoarding Open!

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Those points really add up!  

The large non-discretionary annual purchases (taxes, insurance, vendors, business functions) is where my strong preference on using a card with the rewards system I find most valuable.  And, since SPG points are so flexible, one can never have enough, especially if I needed some airline miles to round off an itinerary.  Admittedly, while I have a bias in favor of Amex, it really boils down to "what I get" for "what I pay."  

I'm not fee sensitive, but return sensitive.  If Chase or any other issuer can offer me a better value proposition with a better valued rewards structure than Amex, then they'll be the my card of choice.  Amex counts on brand image and loyalty, but lower my rewards value proposition and they'll see exaclty how little both mean to me; just as I'm sure they'll reciprociate by rescinding "courtesies" they extend me should my finances ever change.

I do like them the best.  And, this I cannot explain, except for a profound accultration from coming of age (Gen X'ers) when AmEx was truly "The Card" and "member since" was a source of pride, not some kind of catch-phrase brandied about to reduce AAOA.

[PokemonMaster]

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@bluedog1 wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

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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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If the establishment has something I can't find elsewhere (like foie gras in CA), then I'll just use Visa, MC or cash.  For larger purchases, I'll only use an Amex because of the warranty, accidental coverage and consumer protections.  If the merchant doesn't accept Amex, I'll go buy it elsewhere.

For business, our firm won't consider hotels or restaurants for larger events unless they take Amex.  Just easier for accounting and it's preferred by our accounting dept.

PS - Because I've got the BCP, I will not shop in any grocery establishment without Amex acceptance.

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+1. I like to put large purchases on Amex for the protections. I've only made a claim once but it was extremely easy and my account was credited within 2 days. For small businesses I don't mind paying with a different card. I do have issue when a merchant tells me to pay with cash instead of credit when credit is clearly accepted, since I never carry more than a few dollars on hand. It's happened a few times and needless to say I don't go back.

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It's happened to me twice with stores demanding I use cash over credit . The first time I had about 8 dollars worth of items I was buying and the cashier points to a tiny little sign on the register which was not noticeable until she pointed it out that says 10 dollar minimum for cards. I luckily at the time had a debit card on me so I had to use their ATM and eat the nasty fee that came with it. I don't go back there anymore. Just recently it happened to me again at a different store which I again refuse to go back to. I was in a rush on my way to class and I stopped to get a bottle of water. I get up to the cashier and put my two bottles on the counter. She's on the phone and waves her finger at me and says there's a minimum to use my card. But this time there's no sign posted anywhere about this and I have no debit card on me. I was in a rush so I grabbed two bags of beef jerky as filler and she rang me up. I was a couple of cents short of the minimum but she told me close enough. It's fine if stores choose to have a minimum for card purchases but they should at least be required to plaster it all over the store and on the front door instead of wasting my time and their own with that stuff.

[john398]

I have to use my corporate card when I am on business and dining out, if they do not take American Express I go to a different restaurant because I rather not pay out of my own pocket

[w20031424]

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@bernhardtra wrote:

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The Bahamans is a touristy-spot, so this may not be such a surprise. How much time do you spend outside the US (and to a lesser extent outside Europe as well)?

If you travel a lot overseas, you'll notice a lack of acceptance of anything other than Visa/MC in many places. For example here Discover has 0 presence (nobody takes it), while Amex is extremely limited.

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I had dinner Saturday night at a Russian restaurant in China and pulled out the Discover Card.  The waiter told me they don't take Discover.  I pulled out the Capone card and asked if they take that.  He said yes, so I handed him the Discover Card and simply told him to first try it.  He came back and asked me to sign my slip.  I actually know that it is accepted almost everywhere in China.  It might actually be accepted in more places than Visa or MC here, but the people might not know it.  Discover has an agreement with Union Pay, the Chinese Processing network.  I almost laughed at the waiter!  Sometimes you just have to make people try because they might not realize the reality of things.

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Discover card is accepted anywhere in China where there's a POS.  I would say the Visa/ Mastercard acceptance rate is 1% overvall, but obviously higher in tourist frequented areas.

What I did is to put a Unionpay sticker on my Discover Card, which might be technically illegal, but I just don't want to waste time and explain everytime I buy something cause 99.9% merchants havn't heard of Discover Card in China.

[Open123]

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@w20031424 wrote:

What I did is to put a Unionpay sticker on my Discover Card, which might be technically illegal, but I just don't want to waste time and explain everytime I buy something cause 99.9% merchants havn't heard of Discover Card in China.

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Nice tip!  Thanks!

[GoldenloveNY]

I had this happened to me in a Blimpie sub sandwish resturant before. I ordered my sandwish, and when I gave her my Amex, she said, "I am sorry, but we don't accept Amex or Discover, only Mastercard/Visa and Debit". I said okay, and just paid with my debit card. I thought nothing about it until I left the store. They had a "Amex sticker" posted on their front door (on the upper right corner, along with a discover sticker. I just found it odd that the lady told me they didn't accept the cards when the stickers indicated they did. I was running late, so I didn't want to go back and ask her about it. Maybe she didn't know or just didn't want to accept my Amex....

[Open123]

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@GoldenloveNY wrote:They had a "Amex sticker" posted on their front door (on the upper right corner, along with a discover sticker. I just found it odd that the lady told me they didn't accept the cards when the stickers indicated they did. I was running late, so I didn't want to go back and ask her about it. Maybe she didn't know or just didn't want to accept my Amex....

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If there's an Amex signage, the merchant *must* not only accept the card, but may not otherwise discriminate against those who use the card.  This is entirely up to you, but you can always file a complaint with Amex over what transpired.

The merchant will definitely hear from Amex.

[GoldenloveNY]

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@Open123 wrote:

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@GoldenloveNY wrote:They had a "Amex sticker" posted on their front door (on the upper right corner, along with a discover sticker. I just found it odd that the lady told me they didn't accept the cards when the stickers indicated they did. I was running late, so I didn't want to go back and ask her about it. Maybe she didn't know or just didn't want to accept my Amex....

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If there's an Amex signage, the merchant *must* not only accept the card, but may not otherwise discriminate against those who use the card.  This is entirely up to you, but you can always file a complaint with Amex over what transpired.

The merchant will definitely hear from Amex.

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It happend two months ago. Can I still make a complaint? 

[Open123]

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@GoldenloveNY wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

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@GoldenloveNY wrote:They had a "Amex sticker" posted on their front door (on the upper right corner, along with a discover sticker. I just found it odd that the lady told me they didn't accept the cards when the stickers indicated they did. I was running late, so I didn't want to go back and ask her about it. Maybe she didn't know or just didn't want to accept my Amex....

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If there's an Amex signage, the merchant *must* not only accept the card, but may not otherwise discriminate against those who use the card.  This is entirely up to you, but you can always file a complaint with Amex over what transpired.

The merchant will definitely hear from Amex.

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It happend two months ago. Can I still make a complaint? 

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I'm sure you still could, if you're so inclined to.  

Just call the number on the back of your card and you'll be routed to the departmen which handles such inquiries.  Amex dislikes very much merchants who display the "Amex" sign, then refuses or impresses a cardmember to use a different card.  

Major violation of their T&C.