AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[andye]

I believe you should be looking for WISH cards. Ideally through an entertainment book as that portal allows amex and gets you 5% off. I suspect that you will need the physical card and not an e-gift card, but I'll leave that for others to confirm.

Can confirm that the eGift card won't work but the physical WISH card will. You can usually buy a physical card with an eGift card (so getting the bonus and not having to wait for a physical card to be posted) at WW if you put it in with other shopping.

The Caltex has to have a WW logo on it. A Starmart Caltex with a WW logo is now the best points-earning option on that basis

 

[Mr_Orange]

I believe you should be looking for WISH cards. Ideally through an entertainment book as that portal allows amex and gets you 5% off. I suspect that you will need the physical card and not an e-gift card, but I'll leave that for others to confirm.

Correct. E-gift cards do not work at Woolworths branded Caltex stations with a Starmart. You need a PLASTIC card for that.

Purchase at 5% discount from the Ent Book or Auto Clubs. Both accept Amex again after the Auto Club portal has been updated.

 

[TomVexille]

Correct. E-gift cards do not work at Woolworths branded Caltex stations with a Starmart. You need a PLASTIC card for that.

Purchase at 5% discount from the Ent Book or Auto Clubs. Both accept Amex again after the Auto Club portal has been updated.

RACQ might have, but the everyday gift card site through the RACV portal still doesn't accept amex :evil:

 

[Mr_Orange]

RACQ might have, but the everyday gift card site through the RACV portal still doesn't accept amex :evil:

Bummer. Maybe RACV haven't caught up yet..... or perhaps they never will!

 

[TomVexille]

Bummer. Maybe RACV haven't caught up yet..... or perhaps they never will!

It's stupid since you actually buy from Woolworths

Entertainment book to the rescue until then...

 

[Mr_Orange]

It's stupid since you actually buy from Woolworths

Quite, and since Woolworths accept Amex..............

 

[TomVexille]

Quite, and since Woolworths accept Amex..............

Exactly

 

[prozac]

In Canberra, Burbury Hotel charges 1.5% for any CC payment.

 

[wooley]

In Canberra, Burbury Hotel charges 1.5% for any CC payment.

I had a little Chinese restaurant out west in CQ want to charge me 10% for AMEX...

 

[Mr_Orange]

I had a little Chinese restaurant out west in CQ want to charge me 10% for AMEX...

OMFG, really??? That is outrageous!!

I hope you have reported them to Amex.

 

[lovestotravel]

Perisher - Home do NOT take Amex anymore and I assume this will be the same on the mountain.

Disgusting that a large tourism operator that already charges alot for what is offered has decided to stop taking it

However, they are in their final year of operation before Vail Resorts (USA) starts running the mountain, so I guess they want to milk every $ possible and dont' care about annoying customers anymore

They now join Falls Creek and Mt Hotham (resorts) that do not accept Amex

 

[Mr_Orange]

Perisher - Home do NOT take Amex anymore and I assume this will be the same on the mountain.

Disgusting that a large tourism operator that already charges alot for what is offered has decided to stop taking it

However, they are in their final year of operation before Vail Resorts (USA) starts running the mountain, so I guess they want to milk every $ possible and dont' care about annoying customers anymore

They now join Falls Creek and Mt Hotham (resorts) that do not accept Amex

There is, of course, a good solution for this. Go skiing at a proper ski resort, i.e. Japan, USA/Canada, Europe.... The cost of skiing in Aus and NZ is actually more expensive than going to Japan, yet the quality is dire.

 

[prozac]

There is, of course, a good solution for this. Go skiing at a proper ski resort, i.e. Japan, USA/Canada, Europe.... The cost of skiing in Aus and NZ is actually more expensive than going to Japan, yet the quality is dire.

I think the failure to accept amex is possibly driving skiers offshore. As these are probably the ones with high discretionary spending habits it can only be bad for local snow-business. (rhymes with...)

 

[lovestotravel]

There is, of course, a good solution for this. Go skiing at a proper ski resort, i.e. Japan, USA/Canada, Europe.... The cost of skiing in Aus and NZ is actually more expensive than going to Japan, yet the quality is dire.

Indeed, which is what I started to suggest in my post with "charging alot for what is offered"

I generally ski about 10-20 days in Australia each year and 40 overseas each year. The recent cheap season passes have helped the industry but not accepting Amex in a ski resort is crazy. Most people at the snow would have an Amex and making them use an alternative form of payment is just a slap in their face

 

[prozac]

...I generally ski about 10-20 days in Australia each year and 40 overseas each year. ...

:shock:!!! 2 months a year on the piste. You must be a travel writer.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Amex have announced a flat rate of 1.09% on merchant transactions up to an annual volume of $500,000 with the condition
that the merchant agrees not to differentially surcharge across all credit cards !

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Most interesting TOF - most interesting.

 

[FuzzyAUS]

Amex have announced a flat rate of 1.09% on merchant transactions up to an annual volume of $500,000 with the condition
that the merchant agrees not to differentially surcharge across all credit cards !

Just a matter of calling them? as we haven't heard anything about it, and if its the case I can tell you we would put through a lot more AMEX for clients

 

[sjf]

Amex have announced a flat rate of 1.09% on merchant transactions up to an annual volume of $500,000 with the condition
that the merchant agrees not to differentially surcharge across all credit cards !

I actually had a chat to an amex sales rep yesterday and was offered 2.75% + GST if I surcharge and 1.95% + GST if I decide not to. I asked about any promos or volume rates and was advised that these rates were flat and fixed for my industry.

Do you have any info on that rate, that is actually better than what I'm currently paying to accept Visa/MC

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

I actually had a chat to an amex sales rep yesterday and was offered 2.75% + GST if I surcharge and 1.95% + GST if I decide not to. I asked about any promos or volume rates and was advised that these rates were flat and fixed for my industry.

Do you have any info on that rate, that is actually better than what I'm currently paying to accept Visa/MC

It may be Industry Specific, when I first read the advice I assumed that all small business would qualify, but I quote from the advice received from Amex :

"as part of our commitment to small business, we've recently removed the $50,000 threshold cap on your Merchant rate.
This has been driven by a review of your account and meeting American Express criteria as a small business to receive a flat
threshold free Merchant rate.
This means it's a flat rate of 1.09% plus GST, regardless of the amount of American Express transactions you put through
your business. And with no annual fee and no other terminal processing fees, this is one more way we are making business
easier."

And from the small print :

"Offer is only available to selected small businesses that satisfy American Express criteria, including annual transaction volume
of under $500,000"

"The Merchant rate listed above is only open to Merchant Establishments with the trading name and address that matches
the 10 digit Merchant number/s quoted on this correspondence"

I will contact AMEX and see if I can find out more.