Accept our Cards through a Payment Provider
Accept our Cards through a Payment Provider
Join a growing global community. In 2021-2022, we added 311,438 new Merchants in the UK.
Here’s what it means to say yes
High-Spending Customers
Our Cardmembers spend on average, almost 4x more than other Cardholders4
Customer Loyalty
59% of UK American Express® Cardmembers report they go out of their way to visit retail stores that accept American Express.2
Free Marketing Materials
We provide physical and digital signage to encourage our Cardmembers to spend with you.
Our thing? Helping you do your thing.
Contact a participating Provider
This is not a comprehensive list of participating providers. If your payment provider is not listed, contact your provider to get started directly or give us a call at 0800 399 911 to learn more.
We value our local communities and are committed to promoting small businesses for free. American Express encourages our Cardmembers to shop locally and support their community.
Eligibility criteria applies depending on your payment provider.3
Please contact your payment provider to find out more.
There are many reasons why accepting American Express can benefit your business:
Welcome high-value Cardmembers
• 88% of UK Cardmembers reported American Express as their payment method of choice2
• Our Cardmembers spend on average, almost 4x more than other Cardholders4
Free Marketing Materials
• Including physical and digital signage to encourage our Cardmembers to spend with you
• And promotions, training and webinars to help you attract more customers
As a small business owner you know the benefit of happy customers. Did you know our Cardmembers could earn rewards when they shop on their American Express Card?
Accepting American Express Cards at your business could help keep customers coming back by allowing them to shop the way they prefer.
When it comes to accepting credit cards, some businesses believe that American Express is always more expensive, and they believe they can get a better rate from other card brands. However, for small businesses our rate might be lower than you think. You can fin out more with your payment provider.
Do you have signage posted to let Cardmembers know they can use their Card at your business? We’ve heard testimonials from Cardmembers who specifically look for that American Express Card logo in the window; if they don’t see it, they might not walk in the door of your establishment. In fact, according to an internet survey of Cardmembers who reported using an American Express Card, 68% of consumers surveyed report they’re more likely to make retail purchases when they see on the storefront a clear signage for American Express.4
1. Based on American Express merchant locations set up between January 2021 and December 2022.
2. Source: American Express commissioned internet panel survey conducted in February 2022 – March 2022 based on retail 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 retail purchases in the prior 6 months. Definition of Non-Cardmembers: Respondents who reported they do not have an American Express Card and used Visa, MasterCard, debit cards, cash, direct transfer, or payment services to make retail purchases in the prior 6 months to the survey.
3. Shop Small eligibility criteria:
- The business must be located in the United Kingdom (UK), which consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and includes islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland and the self-governing dependent territories of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
- The business must be a traditional “Brick and Mortar Establishments” business that deals with its customer face to face in premises that the business owns or rents.
- A Shop Small business must have at least one physical business location – up to a maximum of 30 locations – within the UK.
- Businesses must not be an airline, government agency, public administration organisation, charity, non-profit, trade association, shopping property management company, direct seller or political organisation or operating in industries that are deemed ineligible for Shop Small.
- Businesses that are part of a franchise brand are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Businesses that have an online or mail order business are excluded.
- Eligible businesses who process American Express payments solely through a third-party processors and/or an affiliate programme are included.
- Eligibility criteria apply depending on your payment provider, contact your provider to find out more
Subject to American Express Shop Small terms and conditions. To find out more, call 0800 032 7216 or visit our Shop Small Resource Centre
4. Source: American Express data for United Kingdom Cardmembers spending across Europe compared to Global Data Payment Card Analytics for transactions with domestic cards at terminals in the country and outside the country, including at physical terminals and initiated remotely.