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The Unofficial American Express and Ameriprise Financial Advisors Consumer Opinion Web Site Message Boards › The Unofficial American Express Consumer Opinion Message Board › Merchants Message Board › Why am I forced to take Amex?

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Why am I forced to take Amex? (Read 3393 times)

Shannon Steede

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South Dennis, MA

Why am I forced to take Amex?
Mar 31^st, 2005, 8:22am

My company is SimpleShip.com, we ship any size package or freight and we are stuck with Amex. The majority of our customers that ship for tradeshows for some reason, use Amex. We have tried to stop them, but if we want their business, we must accept it.

One customer found a misprint on an invoice and revoked a $700 charge because if it. Was I contacted by Amex? Did I get any documentation? No friggin way, they just sucked it out without any notification.

The finance charges are too high and customer service is nothing better than shoddy. I'd rather deal with the MOB, at least they are straight with you about how they operate.

http://www.simpleship.com

Deal justly, even with thine enemies; for its better to suffer with evil than to retaliate with vengence.&& -Book of wisdom

fasteddie

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Re: Why am I forced to take Amex?
Reply #1 - Apr 6^th, 2005, 12:45am

I don't entirely agree that you are forced to take Amex.

You win or loose most of your customers primarily on:
- price
- service
and Amex merchant facilities have little or nothing to do with it.

Don't be fooled by their marketing hype; if you do a bit of research you might be surprised that most American Express cardholders have at least one other type of card in their wallet and are quite capable of using that in lieu.

Give your existing clients a bit of warning (say to the end of the month) and explain your reasons that you consider Amex impossible to deal with and unethical.

At worst your Amex clients might grizzle a bit (probably because they miss out on their points) but if your business is any good it should survive, if not prosper with the lower fees.

Shannon Steede Amexsux New User Offline Member of Amexsux.com Posts: 3 South Dennis, MA	Re: Why am I forced to take Amex? Reply #2 - Apr 6^th, 2005, 9:20am Unfortunately, if I want to keep my customers, I have to. Many pay by Amex and I cannot go to them and tell them not to. For tradeshows they use Amex mostly. I don't know why, but they always seem to put everything onto that card. Yes I am forced into taking the card
Back to top	Deal justly, even with thine enemies; for its better to suffer with evil than to retaliate with vengence.&& -Book of wisdom

fasteddie

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Re: Why am I forced to take Amex?
Reply #3 - Apr 17^th, 2005, 7:12am

I guess we have to agree to disagree.

SimpleShip , there is no-one holding a gun to your head. YOU have made a commercial decision to continue the Merchant facility, albeit grudgingly. It might be DIFFICULT to break the relationship, but you are not being FORCED.

I admit it might take a bit of courage, but complaining about it on these boards (without any action) has limited effect. Are you hoping all the other Merchants at the Trade Shows drop Amex, leaving you to pick up the dregs?

I had a business myself without the (Sc)amex facility, and had a very neat, simple information paper ready to politely hand out to anybody that bothered to ask for it. Never a problem, and as far as I'm aware it didn't cost me any loss-of-business.

Why not try removing the Amex merchandising material and offer a little bonus like a Keyring, Coffee Mug (with Amexsux logo, if you can still get it after their legal problems??), Movietickets etc to anybody that DOESN"T use the Card? That'll ease your clients' pain and probably cost you less than what you've saved in fees.

HATEAMEX Amexsux New User Offline Member of Amexsux Posts: 23	Re: Why am I forced to take Amex? Reply #4 - Oct 29^th, 2005, 8:47am What about checks, could you give a discount equivlant to the merchant fee AMEX charges or less most customers I know jump on any discount offered.
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AMEX Amexsux Senior Member Offline Member of Amexsux Posts: 319	Re: Why am I forced to take Amex? Reply #5 - Apr 6^th, 2006, 1:16am
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GingerL Amexsux New User Offline Member of Amexsux Posts: 8	Re: Why am I forced to take Amex? Reply #6 - Jun 28^th, 2006, 6:15pm why people use AMEX is the flying miles. Everyone I know that uses it uses it for that reason. It would make sence people that do trade shows would want those miles. I have personaly decided I would rather lose a sale. I feel now AMEX is a way for scammers to scam honest merchants out of money and products.
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GingerL Amexsux New User Offline Member of Amexsux Posts: 8	Re: Why am I forced to take Amex? Reply #7 - Jun 29^th, 2006, 9:21am update I am no longer charged back maybe AMEX is seeing a patern now. to all merchants keep calling call ex head qaurters. I got my charge back reversed and it only took 24 hours
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