Why accept credit cards online?
The amount shoppers spend online vs in store increases every year.1 And in 2020, e-commerce played a particularly pivotal role, with online retailing values up by 46.1% year-on year.2
As a convenient, flexible and safe payment method, accepting credit cards online helps you cover all customer payment preferences, allowing you to keep up with growing demand. There are many business benefits:
You won’t have to turn away customers who prefer to pay by credit card online, meaning
fewer abandoned baskets.
Boosted sales and customer service. For many online shoppers, the ease, safety and potential
reward benefits of paying by credit card makes it their preferred online
payment method. Offering this payment option could help build trust and loyalty, leading to more custom.
Greater customer purchase power. When able to pay via credit card, customers aren’t limited to the money in their account, which will allow them to pay for higher-ticket items.
Keep up with your competitors. Many businesses already accept credit cards online – don’t lose customers to them.
Why should you accept American Express® Card
payments online?
Doing business online should always be easy and convenient – for both you and your customers. By accepting American Express Card payments online, you’ll benefit
from our competitive and transparent pricing, speedy payment options and best-in-class solutions to help prevent fraud and disputes. Not to mention the opportunity to make our valued customers yours – they’re pretty special:
They spend more. UK American Express Cardmembers
spend an average of 70% more on online purchases than UK Non-Cardmembers.3
They’re loyal to the businesses that welcome our
Cards. Some 58% of UK American Express Cardmembers say they would
be more loyal to an online merchant that accepted American Express compared to
one that didn’t.5
They’re loyal to American Express. When buying online, our Cardmembers
will shop around until they find a merchant that accepts their Card. As
58% of our UK Cardmembers report that American Express is their payment method of
choice for all online purchases, accepting American Express Card payments
online could increase your conversions.5
They’re digitally active; 89% of UK American Express
Cardmembers shop online.4
How to accept Credit Card payments online from American Express
Keen to start accepting American Express on your e-commerce site? Call us on 0800 339 911 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 18:00) or request a call back from one of
our Sales Representatives. And read our guide on how to accept payments online for more information.
What online merchant services does American Express offer?
Our merchant website provides a suite of tools to help you accept payments
online and future-proof and grow your e-commerce business.
- Digital marketing tutorials - discover tips and useful resources on building a website, improving your Google rankings and how to boost your social media presence.
- Online logos, letting customers know you accept American Express.
- Social media post templates to share your website with your customers.
- Online merchant services account - view and download settlements, submissions and transactions whenever you need to.
- Stay up-to-date with any disputes to resolve them as quickly as possible.
- Multi-Currency – this cross-border payment processing feature helps merchants reach Cardmembers globally, without the cost of setting up locally. With a Multi-Currency merchant account, you can reach Cardmembers across borders using over 100 submission/presentment currencies and 18 settlement currencies.
Online payment processing
How does the money make its way to you when a customer pays online?
1. Your customer completes a transaction
2. The transaction record comes
through to American Express
3. American Express debits
the Cardmember's Account
4. American Express credits the merchant’s Account,
and according to the payment terms, this amount is then paid directly into the bank account provided
Online Credit Card processing safety
At American Express, our online fraud prevention solution SafeKey is designed to protect both American Express Merchants and Cardmembers.
SafeKey helps reduce unauthorised online payments by requesting additional verification from the Cardmember, using 3D Secure technology. This way, you can be sure that your customers are exactly who they say they are, and that their transactions pose no potential risk to your business. Through SafeKey, American Express benefits from leading authorisation rates, helping you maximise your cart conversion.
All Cardmembers are automatically enrolled into SafeKey. As a merchant you’ll need to contact your payment service provider, acquirer, or merchant plug-in provider, or you can contact us directly to take care of your enrolment into the programme.
Address Verification Service (AVS) allows you to check a Cardmember’s billing address and postcode against the details we have on record.
Enhanced Authorisation (EA) lets you base authorisation on more comprehensive data by taking extra details into account like Cardmember IP address and shipping information. This helps to tell legitimate customers from potential fraudsters.
Learn more about the online payment security basics.
If you already accept American Express, set up an American Express Online Merchant Account here.
And download the American Express Merchant App to manage your payment information on the go.
We Love Local: Small Business Resource Centre
Discover tools, tips and offers for small businesses. Helping you deliver to your customers during COVID-19 and beyond.
Useful links
How to take online payments
Discover how to get set up and
how online payments work.
Accepting Credit Card payments online
Do you sell your products or services online? Find out more on why e-commerce businesses should accept Credit Cards.
Accepting Credit Card
payments in store
Do you sell your products or services in store?
Here’s how accepting Card payments in store could help grow your business.
1Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/timeseries/j4mc/drsi
2Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/december2020
3Source: American Express commissioned internet panel survey conducted in January – February 2020 based on purchases made in the 6 months
prior to the survey. Definition of American Express® Cardmembers: Respondents who reported that they have an American Express Card and that they used that Card
to make purchases in the prior 6 months. Definition of Non-Cardmembers: Respondents who reported that they do not have any type of American Express
Card and that they used Visa, MasterCard, or debit cards to make purchases in the prior 6 months.
4American Express internal data: UK cardmembers spending online in 2019
5Source: American Express commissioned internet panel survey conducted in January – February 2020 based on purchases made in the 6 months
prior to the survey. Definition of American Express® Cardmembers: Respondents who reported that they have an American Express Card and that they used that Card
to make purchases in the prior 6 months.