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For me, it tends to be the store. There are places I won't shop because of bad customer service.
In the past it might have been more the card, but now it's definitely the store.
If I shop somewhere regularly and their store card has benefits I need/want, I'll get the card. As far as shopping at a store that doesn't take my "preferred" card, that doesn't bother me at all.
I have multiple cards spanning the four major networks, so I'm likely to have one they will accept.
Fortunately, the places I tend to shop at do accept all 4 major networks, so that's not a decision I have to contend with very often. It's highly unusual for anywhere around here to exclude one or more; so while I don't frequently end up at places that don't take AmEx or Discover, more often than not, there are much greater issues with the store itself than just their network acceptance that tends to keep me away (unsafe area, too nasty for me to be shopping/eating from, bad customer service, serving a different customer profile than myself, etc). Of course, there are also shops that do accept all forms of payment that also have those problems too, which I do routinely avoid as well.
When it comes to loyalty, however, a store has to really go out of their way to obtain that from me. Publix is one of the very few stores that I am loyal to. I would definitely still shop there and find another form of payment if I was not able to use my Sallie Mae/AmEx BCP.
Don't think I've ever had to deal with customer service.
I go into a store knowing what I'm going to buy beforehand and would prefer if an associate was not bothering me.
It's actually a bit irksome when I'm trying to be sold something or told of a promotion that I'm already aware of.
Haven't had an issue with acceptance of Amex or Discover yet. Always carry other networks just in case.
For me it's definitely the store, especially after I switched my daily driver from the PRG to the CSP. Though that might be more of a sign of the universal acceptance of Visa, rather than anything else!
Some cheap restaurants have an annoying no-card policy, or a high minimum spend before you can use a card. Those really irritate me, and I tend to avoid them.
@Anonymous wrote:
Yeah I generally try to use payment method the store prefers especially when they treat me well and give me deals. Now a store that I'm not super fond of but they have something i want I'll use my first choice at the time.
I used to be loyal to the card but that changed after I developed some nice relationships with some of the local store owners I deal with. They often give me 15% off just for being a repeat customer. In those cases I have no problem paying however they want
+1
I'm like that with the dry cleaners I use... they have a sign that states credit cards for $10+ only but even when my bill is over $10 I still pay cash since they treat me very well and I know the margins are generally slim for that line of business.