Start Accepting American Express® Credit Cards at your Small Business Today
18+, T&C's and Eligibility Requirements Apply
Start Accepting American Express® Credit Cards at your Small Business Today
18+, T&C's and Eligibility Requirements Apply
Find out more
We are Promoting You
American Express invests in programmes that incentivise Cardmembers to spend with businesses like yours.
Merchant Services Benefits
Access to benefits like free marketing, savings on business solutions and more.
Customer Loyalty
70% of UK American Express Card Members report they agree American Express is their payment method of choice to pay for all purchases.1
Shop SmallTM brings customers directly to you
When you accept American Express, you can benefit from:
Customer incentives to Shop Small
Your business could be promoted in emails to Cardmembers
With Shop Small, American Express actively encourages its Cardmembers to support small businesses.
Eligibility criteria applies depending on your payment provider.2
Please contact your payment provider to find out more.
We make it easy for Cardmembers to shop with you
We know how important it is to attract customers to your store, that's why, when you accept our Cards, we provide promotional tools to encourage our Cardmembers to shop with you:
- Digital signage for promoting card payments at your online checkout
- Complimentary signage and supplies to attract Cardmembers
Access to marketing programmes
Unlock our marketing support for American Express Merchants. What's more, it's all provided by us, at no additional cost to you.
- Online training materials and webinars
- Partner offers and savings on useful courses and software
- Plus useful articles and tips for small businesses
Gain customers that are loyal to your business
American Express® Cardmembers love using their Cards.
64% of UK American Express Card Members report they agree they are more likely to regularly visit retail stores when they know they can pay with American Express.1
Acceptance through American Express
National and regional businesses or small businesses who prefer to accept directly through American Express can take advantage of competitive pricing opportunities, plus 24/7 expert support and protection to help their business thrive.
Acceptance through a Payment Provider
Eligible small businesses can accept through a payment provider. Find out more!
As well as big corporations, a huge number of small businesses in the UK accept American Express. These are in the retail, hospitality, travel and leisure sectors, plus many others. Some have physical locations and others are purely online, while many are a mix of both.
The number of UK Merchants who accept American Express is growing fast – in 2021-2022, 311,438 UK businesses joined us.3
1. Accept though your Payment Provider
Eligible small businesses can accept through a provider.
2. Accept through American Express
National and regional businesses or small businesses who prefer to accept directly through American Express can take advantage of competitive pricing opportunities, plus 24/7 expert support and protection to help your business thrive. Call 0800 399 911 or ask us to call you by filling out this form.
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 choice1
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
Shop Small
- Our regular Shop Small promotions put local businesses on the map and incentivise our Cardmembers to Shop Small. Terms of eligibility apply.2
1. Source: American Express commissioned internet panel survey conducted in March 2024 – April 2024 based on food and beverage purchases made in the 3 months prior to the survey. Definition of American Express Card Members: Respondents who reported that they have an American Express Card and that they used that card to make food and beverage purchases in the prior 3 months. Definition of Non-Card Members: Respondents who reported that they do not have any type of American Express Card and that they used Visa, MasterCard, debit cards, cash, or payment services to make food and beverage purchases in the prior 3 months. Abbreviated Claims: Source: American Express commissioned internet panel survey conducted in March 2024 – April 2024 based on food and beverage purchases made in the 3 months prior to the survey. Definition of American Express Card Members: Respondents who reported that they have an American Express Card and that they used that card to make food and beverage purchases in the prior 3 months. Disclaimer: The trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
2. 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.
3. Based on American Express merchant locations set up between January 2021 and December 2022.