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
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
Higher Spending Card Members
UK Amex Cardmembers spend on average 1.4x more per transaction compared to the average UK credit and charge card.1
Customer Loyalty
88% of UK Amex Cardmembers reported American Express as their payment method of choice.2
Shop SmallTM brings customers directly to you
For over 10 years, Shop Small promotions have driven Cardmembers to shop local and in-person with money-back incentives.
When you accept American Express, you can benefit from:
Customer incentives to Shop Small at no cost to you
Free signage and marketing materials to bring customers to your door
Your business could be promoted in emails to Cardmembers
Shop Small is funded in full by us – it won’t cost you a penny.
Eligibility criteria applies depending on your payment provider.3
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.
59% of UK American Express Cardmembers report they go out of their way to visit retail store that accept American Express.2
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.4
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 choice2
- Our Cardmembers spend on average, almost 4x more than other Cardholders1
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.3
1.Source: American Express data for United Kingdom Cardmembers spending across Europe compared to GlobalData Payment Card Analytics for transactions with domestic cards at terminals in the country and outside the country, including at physical terminals and initiated remotely.
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. Based on American Express merchant locations set up between January 2021 and December 2022.