I’m a merchant. I have Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover charge abilities for our customers who buy things from our website. I use Authorize.net for the processing.

Today I get a computer generated letter from Kim Goodman, Executive VP of Merchant Services, Americas.

She informs me that for the privilege of my putting money into AMEX bank (last year it was like over $150,000) I now get to pay them 3.5%. In effect I have to pay more to let people pay me if they use the AMEX card.

We do not run a porn shop. We sell virtual tour cameras and products – services to law enforcement and REALTORS. This sucks that I have to pay more when customers want to pay me with their AMEX card.

Google check out is the circumvent here. They charge 2.2% and they don’t care what card my customers use.

Does anyone else have a beef or a bone to pick with AMEX? I mean, don’t they charge their customers a premium to own the card? So why do the small business owners of America have to take it in the shorts with price hikes like this?

– Bartman