AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[thegurio]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Gambling problems? Surely no-one gambles with more than they can afford to lose.

You are sadly, sadly mistaken...

Let it be said that i have officially gambled once and lost $50 and it was fun. Only because i used self control and only had $50 on me and we were on holiday. Having said that however the plethora of TV and radio commercials etc tell me that there are plenty of people who do. You, whilst you are obviously doing quite well, live in La-la land as you cant understand people in debt. I take my hat off to you but at the same timei carry an above average wage in CC debt and most of all i dont care, i can maintain it and have had a hell of a time on it too! I can only hope your good fortune continues...

 

[JohnK]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Gambling problems? Surely no-one gambles with more than they can afford to lose.

Really? Have a look around you. Go and spend some time at a church where they hand out food items and sometimes even provide cooked food. You will be surprised what you see. Unemployed people with children and they have no money left over from the welfare payment as it was spent on the horses and poker machines as soon as it was received.

Some people lead selfish self centred lives with no idea of what is going on in the world around them. But we are getting way off topic now....

 

[simongr]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

People like me. There are many reasons. How about gambling problems? How about being taken for a ride by someone? How about spending beyond ones means?

I to pay some interest and the cost of maybe $30 per month gives me flexibility in other areas. I will probably clear this down in a few months subject to a few other things that are going on.

Also I had an amusing experience this weekend. Mrssimongr tried to pay by Amex in a store and the response from the clerk was "Sorry - we are allergic to Amex at the moment" - a slightly more fun way to phrase it I thought

 

[rhjames]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Let it be said that i have officially gambled once and lost $50 and it was fun. Only because i used self control and only had $50 on me and we were on holiday. I carry an above average wage in CC debt and most of all i dont care, i can maintain it and have had a hell of a time on it too!

I don't see a problem with gambling if you enjoy it and can afford it. Of course I realise this isn't always the case for some people - my comment was a bit off the cuff. However I'm surprised to find people in this forum who are comfortable having credit card debt - not something I can relate to. On the other hand I can understand simongr who has some CC debt, but obviously plans to reduce it.

I love the comment "allergic to Amex". I'm also interested to read that I'm not the only one swinging more towards cash. I refuse to pay a surcharge on a card unless there's no other option. With ATM readily available I can normally just grab cash when needed. If in doubt in hotels etc I ask when checking in. Even at petrol stations I either carry cash or ask before filling up. If I don't have cash and they have a surcharge, I drive on. I know a few stations I won't go to because of the surcharge.

I believe that the shops, hotels etc would offset their cost of using cards in not having to handle and manage large amounts of cash, and savings in accounting etc, and the risk of theft. I don't see why it should be passed on to the consumer. It would be interesting to hear from retailers on this.

 

[roego]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

You know I agree about the comment about not shopping where there is a surcharge.
Though it would be a nuisance to ourselves, and could never get organised enough to make a difference, if all of us paid cash everywhere for a while it would make a difference. Not just to the card companies but to the business themselves.
The cost of handling cash is enormous. The counting and balancing, and the security involved.
In my business I always liked credit cards.. no cash to handle..transactions balanced every night and the money in my account next day.

 

[docjames]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I thought they were only allowed to recoup costs, not change over and above what it's costing them (ie. 3% fee if that's what they;'re charged, not 5% or 3% if they're charged 1.5% etc).

 

[oz_mark]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I thought they were only allowed to recoup costs, not change over and above what it's costing them (ie. 3% fee if that's what they;'re charged, not 5% or 3% if they're charged 1.5% etc).

I don't believe the RBA imposed any such limitation. They can charge all they like.

 

[Flashback]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I don't believe the RBA imposed any such limitation. They can charge all they like.

And I can tell you they most certainly do.

I'm perplexed though, on our merchant account we accept VISA/MC and now AMEX also, and we are *very* low volume. However our rate on AMEX is as low as VISA/MC.

Why is it that every other *high volume* retailer seems to be the opposite, with AMEX costing a lot more?

 

[Chicken]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I'm perplexed though, on our merchant account we accept VISA/MC and now AMEX also, and we are *very* low volume. However our rate on AMEX is as low as VISA/MC.

Why is it that every other *high volume* retailer seems to be the opposite, with AMEX costing a lot more?

It depends on industry I guess.

I know my work pays just under 1% for Visa / MC, but AmEx and Diners are just under 3%. No idea why.

 

[auriga]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Received a bill from a telco ( Comcen).
Surcharge for Amex/ Diners 3.8% !!!
Surcharge for Visa/Master 0.8%.

Not impressed!:evil::evil::evil:

 

[ethernet]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

My summary: Pay Cash. Pay lots of it. Make a statement and a difference.

Forget the surcharge issue - ask the right question why is there, and why as with all things electronic - is it not going down or being regulated? As a punter - do you like knowing 3-8 % of everything you spend is going to lilly white hands. I would like a slice of that business - money for jam!

The magic term to google for is - 'interchange fees' and to some extent comparative bank fees - Australia Vs rest of world. ANZ and 3% in international transactions - what a joke/international disgrace.
Also google on Westpac. On foreign exchange conversions 'point stealing' was found not to be a crime back in the days of swiss franc loans. Legal 'points stealing is still going on.

Yes, it is on the nose - see SEARS Vs Visa and MasterCard in USA. Sears and Walmart would like to boost their profits by 2% by doing nothing, other than by issuing their own cards and cutting out the banks (much to their horror). In Australia - Aldi is the ONLY merchant with a hard business nouce.

Things may have changed, but card issuing in Australia is a cartel/oliogopoly. Telstra had a legacy peer right to the 'club' but they may have sold it. ACCC is supposed to be looking - bank act moreorless says fees must be based on cost, not cost plus, but the enforcer is asleep at the wheel.

Now I forget whether banks have doubled or tripled their (disclosed) fees for each and every Australian over the last 4 years - is that 2K or 3K per head?

So, I actually FEEL for the poor bloody merchant, and pay CASH, because if we dont the banks will continue to up their 'take'. I tell businesses without CC surcharges, that I now shop elsewhere, as they are not smart about business.

The one exception is plane tickets where travel insurance is included, and high risk items on the net.

 

[nlagalle]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

It's interesting about the AMEX surcharge. While I was away the family business received a call from our bank offering us AMEX on the EFTPOS terminal for 1.09%. That rate rate was even under what we get visa/MC for!

 

[Flashback]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

It's interesting about the AMEX surcharge. While I was away the family business received a call from our bank offering us AMEX on the EFTPOS terminal for 1.09%. That rate rate was even under what we get visa/MC for!

Similar experience to mine, except the rates were on par.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Similar experience to mine, except the rates were on par.

So is it likely that some places that charge more for Amx are simply taking the p!ss?

 

[Flashback]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

So is it likely that some places that charge more for Amx are simply taking the p!ss?

That was my thoughts.. however some people here have noted they are paying ~3% on their merchant accounts for AMEX.

 

[nlagalle]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

That was my thoughts.. however some people here have noted they are paying ~3% on their merchant accounts for AMEX.

3% or more used to be the norm. I was surprised at the 1.09%. When I call them I'll see if the V/MC can be the same...

 

[NYCguy]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

So is it likely that some places that charge more for Amx are simply taking the p!ss?

Yup. That's why every time I get asked to pay a surcharge for using Amex, I file a report on the Amex website. I have had a few wins, with companies deciding to either reduce or eliminate their surcharge for customers who wish to use American Express cards.

If they don't reduce or drop the surcharge, I don't shop there again. Simple.

 

[PaulZ]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

It's interesting about the AMEX surcharge. While I was away the family business received a call from our bank offering us AMEX on the EFTPOS terminal for 1.09%. That rate rate was even under what we get visa/MC for!

Dear Nlagalle...

I am extremely surprised to hear that.



I am the Treasurer of an amateur football club.

We bank with the NAB.

We have a online merchant facility (i.e. we go to a website and enter the credit card details)... We don't need the more common terminal... as we don't really do Point of Sale transactions... mainly auctions or sponsorship.

We pay 1.099% for Standard (silver/gold) visa/mastercard... and
2.47% for Platinum. (I think it is a joke we have to pay a premium when customers use Platinum... but couldn't get them to budge).

I rang AMEX Merchant Services direct to see what kind of rate they could offer us. $90 setup fee and 3.25%... and that is for a not-for profit organisation...

We put through about $20,000 p.a.


If anyone has any ideas about how to get one of these extremely low rates for accepting AMEX... I would greatly appreciate it!

PZ

 

[albatross710]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

3% or more used to be the norm. I was surprised at the 1.09%. When I call them I'll see if the V/MC can be the same...

We stopped taking Amex, even though we do still have the Merchant Facility. Visa/Mcard we've be able to get down to 0.8% yet Amex wouldn't budge (for us) on the 3%.

It was easier just to not accept it as we sell $5k items and I know customers hate the idea of surcharge.

Interestingly our research shows we haven't lost a sale as most people carry an Amex and a Visa/Mcard but not everyone carry an Amex.

I hope we get a call from Amex with that lower offer!

 

[nlagalle]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I hope we get a call from Amex with that lower offer!

The call was from our Bank - not AMEX....