CloudsBelow

Tried to use my AX at SDM an hour ago.
Cashier refused to take it!! Said she was told the store is not insured against swipe fraud and since the PIN does not work, no accepting.

I have an AX w/out a chip and she said no way!

Thought having my no chip card was great - really annoying after a dinner to have a waiter come by with a machine waiting as you enter tip etc ......... Thinking I need to get the chipped version of this card soon

blackjack-21

I too have a no chip AMEX card, and they've never refused it at our local SDM in Mississauga. So this would be your particular store all of a sudden refusing to accept your card, even before the Dec. 1 deadline.

If all of us who are annoyed at SDM suddenly stopping the AMEX cards make a point of telling our regular SDM's owner/manager (in some cases the pharmacist-owner, as in our nearby SDM) that we're really unhappy at the loss of AMEX for our purchases there, and because of that they'll be losing at least a portion of our business, maybe they'll get the message. Enough complaints to the store owners/managers/franchisees and maybe they'll then pass along the information to the powers that be at head office.

bj-21.

mia

Precedent:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ting-amex.html

AA_EXP09

I only carry the card when I'm in Canada. I don't carry it overseas with me.
Even as it is I think I have too many cards.
(NEXUS, DL, bank account, several (15+) credit cards denominated in 3 different currencies, 3 FF memberships, and 10+ merchant rewards programs.)
That being said, I won't carry them all at once.

blackjack-21

Thanks mia.

Difference is that Walgreens has a much larger presence in the U.S. then SDM has in Canada, hence a larger response that caused them to rethink their original decision at the time not to take AMEX. Still, if enough of us email, call, or mention to SDM that because of their decision not to allow AMEX use at their store they'll be losing our business, MAYBE there will be some reconsidering of the change. Possibly even mentioning to AMEX Canada in a call or email might help put some substance to our annoyance.

As mentioned in the linked thread, we prefer to have some choice in which CC we use as payment, sometimes influenced by bonus offers or similar, and SDM removing one of those choices doesn't set them in our good graces.

Time is running out prior to the Dec. 1 deadline, so if we're going to have some response or have SDM reconsidering their decision, now's the time to express our thoughts.

bj-21.

amexmuscz

i used my Amex at SDM today with no problem. I even called Amex CSR and asked about the Dec 1st "deadline" and she said its a myth thats been going around. She said SDM will accept Amex even after this so called "deadline".

We will see.

Vasco

I find this an extremely odd position to take as it would imply that non-Chip Visa and Mastercards would likewise be turned away, and not just Amex; something that I understand to be a violation of Visa and Mastercards' merchant terms of service (i.e.: "if we say we accept Visa then we must accept all Visa cards without exception, even if they do not have Chip & PIN.") There's a bad manager at work in that store making the cashiers look bad.

blackjack-21

Seems as though the confusion is building, as in the AC thread someone wrote that calling AMEX got a response from the CSR that it wasn't going to happen. Another post said it was only going to happen at SDM Home Health stores, not regular pharmacies. So either AMEX really doesn't want it out that another large retailer won't be taking their card, or it's not settled yet between AMEX and SDM. Or their CSR hadn't gotten the message yet.

I only know that the other day when we were shopping at our usual SDM and asked about the loss of AMEX, the cashier, who's been at that store for many years, and who we'd think might know of SDM's decision from the store's management, immediately gave us the answer (as I paid for our purchase with my AMEX) that it wouldn't be accepted after Dec.1.

I'm surprised though that if it's going to happen shortly (Dec. 1) that SDM hasn't posted a sign mentioning that near the cashiers, instead of finding out at the last minute that your AMEX card won't be accepted.

Unusual way this is happpening, with differing info from many sources and no one being really sure of the fact. Hoping it doesn't happen, but I guess we won't really know until after (or on) Dec.1.

bj-21.

seanman571

I went over to a SDM in Mississauga and asked the cashier about it, she said that it's true. It's one of those things that we'll just have to wait and see.

xray

I think they're just trying to keep it quiet in hopes that the would-be Amex customer will just pull out another method of payment when told that Amex is not accepted...

jarusoba

What if I bought some expensive items with Amex while they still take it. And then refund when they no longer take Amex. Would they refund them to the Amex? Or they would refund them in cash?

AA_EXP09

I should try that!!

beep88

Probably send you a cheque in 4-8 weeks

xray

Give you the refund in Optimum points ?

CloudsBelow

I would suggest there are some very serious discussion/negotiations going on here.
In the small pond that is Canada, Amex and SDM are sizeable fish.

Amex would not want to lose SDM, IMO .... Might have to give in on the fees at some level