AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[cmon0005]

I went to a local hairdresser yesterday and on their window not only did it have an Amex accepted here sticker it had an Amex shop small promotional sticker. The owner was serving us and I asked if I could use Amex she replied 'what's Amex and no' I then said American express and she said ohh,no we don't accept that card, I then pointed out the Amex sticker she didn't even know it was on there!

 

[Astroboi82]

I actually bought a new Ultrabook on saturday and must say I was annoyed when the guy told me that if I was to use Amex it would be a 1% surcharge, I was about to just cop it considering i got a good price and I would still be in front plus I figured if Im spending this much i may as well get the points, untill another guy at the counter pointed out that was a mistake and they actually charge 3%. No way I was going to cop that !

 

[wxxnxs]

AMEX is not welcome anywhere nowadays, and meanwhile, "enhance" their earning scheme. What is wrong with that?

 

[kyle]

Is there a possibility that the merchant signed up to accept Amex in order to get a lower rate for the Visa and Master, but tells the customer they don't accept Amex?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I've seen a retailer say they take amex, then tell customers on checkout they don't. Customer whips out visa and pays.
Apparently staff were told to do so to save on fees as everyone has a emv anyway

 

[Cynicor]

I've seen a retailer say they take amex, then tell customers on checkout they don't. Customer whips out visa and pays.
Apparently staff were told to do so to save on fees as everyone has a emv anyway

Yeah, don't ask, cover the card and see what happens.

Miraculously some of these stores take Amex again!

 

[Flashback]

Yeah, don't ask, cover the card and see what happens.

Miraculously some of these stores take Amex again!

Yeh, in those instances I usually say "that's fine, I'm just going to try it anyway".

 

[kyle]

I've seen a retailer say they take amex, then tell customers on checkout they don't. Customer whips out visa and pays.
Apparently staff were told to do so to save on fees as everyone has a emv anyway

I wonder if they are allowed to do that under their merchant agreement?

Next time I will just say, I've got a Visa linked to my Amex... lol

 

[zzyss]

Yeah, don't ask, cover the card and see what happens.

On that note, I just pre-ordered a "Coin" (long story - just go to the website, http://onlycoin.com). It will be interesting to see how many merchants I will be able to "trick" into accepting Amex as if it were Visa/Master since the card is pretty much unmarked... although of course there's the risk some might not take it at all and think it's a skimmer or something.


(btw if you're interested in getting one too, help a brother out: onlycoin.com/?referral=uadawAPc)

 

[The Rok]

On that note, I just pre-ordered a "Coin" (long story - just go to the website, http://onlycoin.com). It will be interesting to see how many merchants I will be able to "trick" into accepting Amex as if it were Visa/Master since the card is pretty much unmarked... although of course there's the risk some might not take it at all and think it's a skimmer or something.


(btw if you're interested in getting one too, help a brother out: onlycoin.com/?referral=uadawAPc)

Looks like a scam. Pay now, no shipping info and MAYBE receive it in 7 months? Pooh to that idea...

 

[whatmeworry]

Is there a possibility that the merchant signed up to accept Amex in order to get a lower rate for the Visa and Master, but tells the customer they don't accept Amex?

A former IGA in Footscray I shopped at the other week said no AMEX so I paid with MC but when I checked online, the retailer still said IGA?

 

[DeKa]

On that note, I just pre-ordered a "Coin" (long story - just go to the website, http://onlycoin.com). It will be interesting to see how many merchants I will be able to "trick" into accepting Amex as if it were Visa/Master since the card is pretty much unmarked... although of course there's the risk some might not take it at all and think it's a skimmer or something.


(btw if you're interested in getting one too, help a brother out: onlycoin.com/?referral=uadawAPc)

I doubt it will work here - pretty much all our cards are EMV now (and if you swipe and it has a chip, it asks you to insert the chip). Be interested to know though.

 

[kyle]

A former IGA in Footscray I shopped at the other week said no AMEX so I paid with MC but when I checked online, the retailer still said IGA?

Go back and try the Amex and see if it works.

 

[zzyss]

Looks like a scam. Pay now, no shipping info and MAYBE receive it in 7 months? Pooh to that idea...

Yeah, thought did cross my mind, but it has been written up in most of the major tech journals, and hey, it's a startup! What's not to trust? Cheaper than many a Kickstarter project I've backed before, that's for sure.

I doubt it will work here - pretty much all our cards are EMV now (and if you swipe and it has a chip, it asks you to insert the chip). Be interested to know though.

Yeah, I thought it'd be worth a try, especially given my Westpac-issued Amex doesn't have a chip yet, and I can also use it to store basic gift cards (I generally tend to carry several Coles/Woolies ones that I get discounted via Entertainment Book so it's not just credit cards.)

 

[whatmeworry]

Go back and try the Amex and see if it works.

Don't go there that often but will try to hide the AMEX logo next time!

 

[Mal]

The coin will not work well on Australia and by the time it comes out I am sure there will be few cards left in oz that won't be chipped.

 

[DeKa]

and I can also use it to store basic gift cards (I generally tend to carry several Coles/Woolies ones that I get discounted via Entertainment Book so it's not just credit cards.)

Now that's a good idea. Please report back when you get it, if it works.

The coin will not work well on Australia and by the time it comes out I am sure there will be few cards left in oz that won't be chipped.

Agree. It relies on the fact that the US are way behind with card technology. I thought the US was moving to EMV soon too though, which will render Coin obsolete very quickly.

 

[zzyss]

Agree. It relies on the fact that the US are way behind with card technology. I thought the US was moving to EMV soon too though, which will render Coin obsolete very quickly.

US? Quickly? BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAA... this is a country where most transactions are still being done using cheques (I mean, checks).

The Coin guys have mentioned EMV support in future, and the thing dies from running out of battery in approximately 2 years anyway, so hopefully by the time I'm up for a new card they will have made some progress there (hah!) or else it was an interesting and fairly cheap experiment in payment systems innovation.

At any rate, I've thought of a bunch of use-cases to try here in Australia, "Amex sneaking" being one of them - will be very interesting to see how many merchants actually have terminals that accept Amex but choose not to (if there's a swipe error I can just play dumb and switch the card at the press of a switch).

 

[Buzzard]

No AMEX surcharge here this morning

Our router blew up so it's cash only

Been waiting since 0845 for Telstra to arrive :evil:

PS - we don't charge a surcharge anyway

 

[docjames]

2% at local caltex with a miniscule sign.

0% on MC/Visa.