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Is your AmEx card ‘good’ on St. John?

CardAnyone who uses an American Express knows he needs a second credit card. 

Simply put, AmEx is not taken as readily as Visa and Mastercard primarily because it charges a processing fee higher than its competitors.  So, not unexpectedly, at some bars on St. John, you might as well have left the card home, for all the good it will do you at closing time.

 “For my business, AmEx charges double what Visa/Mastercard/Discover/Diner's charge”, said St. John Julie, a jewelry store owner at Wharfside, in a comment on TripAdvisor.com. “Credit card companies fees are based on volume,” she said. “Since 99% of the businesses on St. John are small and independent, we don't have enough volume to get good rates.”

However, another self-identified island retailer said he likes to see that green card. “AMEX customers seem to have higher disposable incomes and spend more $$$$; making them well worth the extra percentage we have to pay.”

AmEx gift cards are also usable many places.  StJohnMax said Woodys, Lime Inn, and Cruz Bay Prime “gladly accepted” his cards.

4 thoughts on “Is your AmEx card ‘good’ on St. John?”

  1. A lot of vacationers use their AMX Sky Miles to get to St John. I have never actually purchased a ticket because I always use mine. Using your card there is like putting miles back in for the next trip!

  2. Surveys suggest savvy retailers large AND small, in the first world, seeking the business of high income customers accept AMEX. Sometimes “counting the beans” isn’t necessarily the best business decision in the long run.

  3. AMEX is NOT accepted in at least one in two places on St. John. Anyone who has an AMEX has a Visa/MC and doesn’t even know the particular business doesn’t accept the green card until they are purchasing. They then gladly switch saying, “oh well, I figured I wouldn’t be able to use it anyway”.

  4. This should be a problem taken up between AMEX and the retailer. Good customer service should mean making the customer happy by accepting all forms of payment. Retailers should be glad they have the business and figure out how to make it work. It always leaves a bad taste in my mouth when they refuse my card. It is part of their cost of business no matter how expensive it gets. Just raise the price to cover the cost. Make the bottom line work.

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