AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[wxxnxs]

We can only hope these greedy buggers keep pushing the limits until something will be done, I bet we are all going to question our loyalty to these hotels just simply because of a surcharge only "they" believe is required...

More and more hotels in Australia start surcharging for credit cards, just follow the airline industry. It seems become a norm now, blaming RBA that surcharge here is legal.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

As we are discussing hotel surcharges, Rendezvous and The Marque Hotels do NOT surcharge any credit cards, the first 3 hours of internet per day is free, and Rendezvous is also a CBA Awards partner, so an extra 2 CBA points/$1 (or an extra 1QFF/$1), and they're also a Qantas hotels partner (3QFF/$1 spent)... at least one hotel chain appears not to have followed the masses!

Hotels aside, does anyone know how to buy Sydney train tickets (RailCorp) with AMEX? I have so far discovered that AMEX is accepted by Airport Link (so if you're departing Sydney on the same day, you can buy the return ticket from them with AMEX), and that you can buy some tickets from 7-Eleven, but how about single tickets and day returns? In the past, it seemed that 7-Eleven only sold multi-use tickets (weekly etc), or do they now sell single tickets too?

I tried using my AMEX in one of the RailCorp vending machines at Circular Quay station, but as soon as the card was read, it just displayed 'transaction cancelled', so no luck there!

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Was trying to buy something online tonight, and discovered that QANTAS DOES NOT ACCEPT AMERICAN EXPRESS OR DINERS (including the direct sweep Qantas-branded cards with the airline logo on the front...) for purchases made in their 'Qantas Shop'!!!!!!! Absolutely appalling - yet another 'enhancement'...

I'll be contacting Qantas with a please explain, and will be sending the details to Amex

 

[paul d]

The reason why AMEX is not accepted in the Qantas shop is to prevent anyone getting their hands on bonus sign up points by purchasing something like a key ring in order to fulfill a condition of a Qantas purchase .
I know ...... I tried !!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Surely this isn't the case, as "QF Shop Pty Ltd" has a different ABN to Qantas Airways Ltd, and therefore would have a separate merchant account - which would easily be distinguishable from the main QF merchant account(s) by the card issuers with regards to QF bonus points if that was the reason. For example, the Westpac (Qantas) Earth cards earn bonus points on QF flight purchases, but do not earn bonus points for bookings on Qantas Holidays/Hotels, staff travel, or through any of the other Qantas merchant accounts (although some other cards do)... Blocking the QF Shop merchant account from being eligible as a 'Qantas purchase' would be extremely simple, so I hope QF respond to my query with a better reason as to their lack of acceptance.

 

[TonyHancock]

Not that I expect a lot of folk here will be rushing to stay at the Formule 1 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, but it doesn't take Amex!!!

 

[straitman]

Not that I expect a lot of folk here will be rushing to stay at the Formule 1 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, but it doesn't take Amex!!!

I'll just have to strike that place off me list :!: (thank goodness)

 

[drewbles]

Not that I expect a lot of folk here will be rushing to stay at the Formule 1 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, but it doesn't take Amex!!!

Damnit!

*cancels reservation*

 

[pointsjunkie]

As we are discussing hotel surcharges, Rendezvous and The Marque Hotels do NOT surcharge any credit cards, the first 3 hours of internet per day is free, and Rendezvous is also a CBA Awards partner, so an extra 2 CBA points/$1 (or an extra 1QFF/$1), and they're also a Qantas hotels partner (3QFF/$1 spent)... at least one hotel chain appears not to have followed the masses!

Hotels aside, does anyone know how to buy Sydney train tickets (RailCorp) with AMEX? I have so far discovered that AMEX is accepted by Airport Link (so if you're departing Sydney on the same day, you can buy the return ticket from them with AMEX), and that you can buy some tickets from 7-Eleven, but how about single tickets and day returns? In the past, it seemed that 7-Eleven only sold multi-use tickets (weekly etc), or do they now sell single tickets too?

I tried using my AMEX in one of the RailCorp vending machines at Circular Quay station, but as soon as the card was read, it just displayed 'transaction cancelled', so no luck there!

They're also a Membership Rewards Bonus Partner
Amex Bonus Rewards | Partner - RENDEZVOUS
Amex Bonus Rewards | HOME

I try to support them cause like you say, they're not surcharging plus they're giving away Bonus Points!

 

[pointsjunkie]

JB Hi-Fi has what appears to be a 1.9% surcharge on Amex.

I wouldn't normally shop at JB Hi-Fi (they are more expensive than most stores) but they had Stargate 9th season DVD on special for $29.98 so bought it. The 57c surcharge did not make a huge difference but still a nuisance.

Next time you should refuse to pay.... I've done it twice, both times I said I wouldn't go ahead with the transaction and walked away, and both times they chased me out of the shop and said they'd wave it! Just don't get why these businesses put a stupid surcharge on and then wave it anyway, why put customers through that, just creates such a negative experience!

Not sure if you've seen it but if you're enrolled in Membership Rewards or have an AMEX Card with Qantas Cobrand then you can get 5 Bonus Points per dollar with Harvey Norman or Domayne - just another reason not to give any business to JB Hi-Fi

Amex Bonus Rewards | Partner - HARVEY NORMAN
Amex Bonus Rewards | Partner - DOMAYNE

I've actually been on a bit of a roll with my Bonus Points lately, between Harvey Norman, Dell and HotelClub, have racked up about 80,000 Bonus Points!

 

[pointsjunkie]

If there are any Melburnians on here, out of curiosity, do you find this to be a common issue in Melbourne? I'm used to seeing businesses that have put tape or paper over the AMEX signs (or have only half of it left after they've tried to rip it off), although the only city that I've really had this problem is Melbourne (happened during my last visit also, although just one cafe).

I'm from Sydney but do spend a lot of time in Melbourne for work and a I kind of have to agree with you! BUT I must say it is dependent on the area from what I've found... in the city and suburbs quite close I've had no trouble at all, my Corp AMEX is accepted everywhere. However when I've ventured to other areas of Melbourne I've found more places don't accept it than do - and they blame their terminal all the time, say it's not working that day - yeh right! The funniest thing is that most of the places that didn't accept AMEX or had a big fat surcharge also had AMEX signage up - I asked them why they bothered promoting acceptance yet when it came to the crunch tried to penalise me for using it, surprisingly they couldn't really answer that question! Oh well, they all lost my business... :evil:

 

[drron]

Interesting time in Tassie this weekend.
Barnbougle-will only accept Amex if you have no other card.
Pipers Brook-cafe accepts Amex-no surcharge.cellar door-accepts Amex-2% surcharge.

 

[Mal]

There is a restaurant in Longreach which charges 5% surcharge for Amex (No surcharge for Visa/MC).

 

[hummel]

There is a restaurant in Longreach which charges 5% surcharge for Amex (No surcharge for Visa/MC).

I think I've mentioned it before but paid for parking at a secure parking terminal in Melb CBD today. No surcharge for Amex... but 2% for Vida/MC/Diners

 

[oz_mark]

I think I've mentioned it before but paid for parking at a secure parking terminal in Melb CBD today. No surcharge for Amex... but 2% for Vida/MC/Diners

They also pay bonus MR points for weekend charges.

 

[Moopere]

No surcharge for Amex... but 2% for Vida/MC/Diners

Aha! Thats so funny!

Its a wild and crazy world eh?

 

[JohnK]

I think I've mentioned it before but paid for parking at a secure parking terminal in Melb CBD today. No surcharge for Amex... but 2% for Vida/MC/Diners

I have used Amex in restaurants in Thailand and Singapore where you get a 15% discount off your total food bill for using Amex.

Surcharging in Australia is out of control. Credit cards are a cost of doing business....

 

[straitman]

I have used Amex in restaurants in Thailand and Singapore where you get a 15% discount off your total food bill for using Amex.

Surcharging in Australia is out of control. Credit cards are a cost of doing business....

Chances of that happening in Oz?

ZIP I'd say. :mrgreen:

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Vino's Bar & Dining in Brisbane at the Eagle St Pier (BNE) used to offer 15% off for AMEX, but only when you mentioned the offer (it was made via AMEX Selects)... sadly they're no longer open!

 

[Jama]

I can never understand the fact that so many places would reject making a sale because it is Amex. Sure it might cost them a little more in charges but they still make a sale which equals profit. Isn't a very slightly smaller profit better than none. If the don't accept my preffered option of payment as the customer, without additional charges, I just move on and give someone else a sale. I just can't imagine buying something really big with a huge margin only to have them watch you walk out the door because the don't like your Amex.