Originally Posted by nfh
I tried to use my Amex card at Sainsbury's on Saturday for a transaction of nearly £400. At the checkout, they refused to accept my card, saying it was because Amex's charges are too high. I was asked to pay with a Visa card instead.
Visa and Mastercard
in France use the
same network under the "umbrella" of GIE CB :
- all french banks (issuing cards) are members of GIE CB
- GIE CB has contracts with Visa International and Mastercard
- charges for accepting Visa/MC payments are VERY low
Visa and MC are accepted nearly everywhere in France (1 million places) and in all ATMs.
Amex had to build it's own network and has higher costs...