topic Re: Amex acceptance issues in Credit Cards

Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 23:18:11 GMT

I opened up my first Amex card, the cash magnet. Thought I would see if the hype of the great customer service is what it's made about to be without having to worry about an annual fee. I read that 99% of merchants in the US that take credit cards take Amex. Is that true? I only know of a couple places near me that don't take it but since I've never used Amex before i wasn't really paying attention to it in the past. In this country will I run into issues with people merchants accepting it?

Re: Amex acceptance issues

Hoben02 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:05:01 GMT

I think that is more the case if you plan to do international travel like Europe you may have issues. As for the 99% maybe it's due to Costco since they are hooked to visa

Re: Amex acceptance issues

wasCB14 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:08:10 GMT

At the places I shop the acceptance rate is probably closer to 90%. In one minute I thought of 6 merchants I bought from in the last year that didn't take Amex, and I doubt I've shopped at 100 places, let alone 600.

Maybe that 99% figure includes a lot of tiny digital storefronts.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:11:00 GMT

Does this mean I shouldn't have opened a cash magnet?

Re: Amex acceptance issues

1LostArk — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:20:08 GMT

I'm the last year I've run into my share of places (mostly restaurants and small businesses) in the US that take Visa / MC but not Amex. Just carry a backup Visa and don't worry about it.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

1LostArk — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:24:23 GMT

@rgd51 wrote:
Does this mean I shouldn't have opened a cash magnet?

On the contrary. Build a history with Amex of paying in full. Eventually you'll get offers for better cards from them. They do have some of the best cards for whatever your needs might be.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:28:09 GMT

I PCed my freedom unlimited to a freedom flex and then got the cash magnet to be my catch all card to get 1.5% instead of 1% on non category spend. It's so rare where I am to see a place that doesn't take Amex.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

Aim_High — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 01:04:53 GMT

@1LostArk wrote:
I'm the last year I've run into my share of places (mostly restaurants and small businesses) in the US that take Visa / MC but not Amex. Just carry a backup Visa and don't worry about it.

I agree with @1LostArk and @wasCB14 that, depending on where you shop or dine, the real-life rate is probably less than 99%. While they like to advertise that rate as-a-whole, I travel around the continental US regularly and have often found merchants who decline AMEX. It has really stood out to me since I didn't have AMEX cards for several years and then added them back to my wallet.

As @1LostArk said, it's most often small local businesses and restaurants. So the 99% includes a lot of national chain merchants and restaurants. But most people don't just shop/dine at national chains. Consequently, I'd never just travel with an American Express card alone of any type, and whether domestically or internationally. Same for Discover. The acceptance rate is just better on Visa/Mastercard.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean you shouldn't have one. Just don't rely on it alone.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 01:24:11 GMT

@Aim_High wrote:
@1LostArk wrote:
I'm the last year I've run into my share of places (mostly restaurants and small businesses) in the US that take Visa / MC but not Amex. Just carry a backup Visa and don't worry about it.
I agree with @1LostArk and @wasCB14 that, depending on where you shop or dine, the real-life rate is probably less than 99%. While they like to advertise that rate as-a-whole, I travel around the continental US regularly and have often found merchants who decline AMEX. It has really stood out to me since I didn't have AMEX cards for several years and then added them back to my wallet.

As @1LostArk said, it's most often small local businesses and restaurants. So the 99% includes a lot of national chain merchants and restaurants. But most people don't just shop/dine at national chains. Consequently, I'd never just travel with an American Express card alone of any type, and whether domestically or internationally. Same for Discover. The acceptance rate is just better on Visa/Mastercard.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean you shouldn't have one. Just don't rely on it alone.

It was between this and the cap one quicksilver but I canceled my cap one cards a year and a half ago since I was upset at them for bucketing my starter card I'd had with them for years and I said things I shouldn't have said to the CSRs which I regret so I doubt they'd want me back as a customer.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

NoMoreE46 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:52:43 GMT

Don't look back on gettting this card.

Look forward on using it where ever accepted.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:56:08 GMT

Pretty much everywhere near me accepts Amex from what I've seen. I feel the cash magnet is a perfect way to dip my toes in with Amex due to no annual fee or categories to track. I know a restaurant near me doesn't take it but I'd just use my freedom flex there anyway.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

Aim_High — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 03:06:52 GMT

@rgd51 wrote:
Pretty much everywhere near me accepts Amex from what I've seen. I feel the cash magnet is a perfect way to dip my toes in with Amex due to no annual fee or categories to track. I know a restaurant near me doesn't take it but I'd just use my freedom flex there anyway.

Right, they are pretty widely accepted so as long as you have one Visa or Mastercard backup you should be good-to-go. And yes, Cash Magnet is a good way to get some AMEX experience since it's no AF and uncapped-uncategorized.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 03:08:41 GMT

Apparently Amex has lowered its swipe fees in recent years to reach that 99% acceptance through some opt blue program.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

sophiebelle — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 03:20:02 GMT

I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 03:26:26 GMT

@sophiebelle wrote:
I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card.

So is amex frequently not being accepted more of a myth than reality?

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 03:45:57 GMT

If I end up deciding in the future that I want to PC it to a different Amex card such as the blue cash every day do they allow that?

Re: Amex acceptance issues

notmyrealname23 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:28:48 GMT

@rgd51 wrote:
@sophiebelle wrote:
I regularly use my Amex cards and I travel every week for work. I can think of 4 or 5 places I've been too that would not accept Amex in the past 3 years. The ones who didn't accept it were a few restuarants. It really is quite rare. Enjoy your new credit card.
So is amex frequently not being accepted more of a myth than reality?

It truly depends.

About 50-some miles as the crow flies from my home, there's a town about 15 miles from my favorite campsite where the gas station, restaurants and general store don't take AMEX. I've been in rural US locations where they don't take AMEX at the local bar or motel all the time. It just happens and that's why I have a Visa/MC backup.

If you're spending 99% of your time in big cities in the US you won't have a problem.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

rgd51 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:38:22 GMT

If I ever wanna PC the cash magnet to the blue cash every day does Amex allow PCs or are they more like cap one regarding that?

Re: Amex acceptance issues

UncleB — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 05:07:25 GMT

For what it's worth, the only places I frequent in the suburbs that don't take Amex is Great Clips and KFC.

In the rural area where my family lives acceptance is (suprisingly) nearly 100%, with the holdouts being a local small grocery store and a KFC that's around 20 miles from where they live. Even the Mom/Pop places in their small town take Amex, and the little gas station (that's been there for ages) even takes contactless at the pump now.

Acceptance will be really specific to where you're located (and where you shop) but in my experience it's not an issue.

Re: Amex acceptance issues

OmarGB9 — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 05:19:03 GMT

Haven't really had an acceptance issue anywhere, except for ONE local mom and pop supermarket that I don't shop at all that often anyway. Other than that, 100% acceptance.

And yes you can PC to another cashback card such as BCE or BCP, though you'll forfeit any Signup bonus forever on whatever card you PC to, even if you close it out and try to apply for a new one.