On Saturday, eBay announced to customers that it would no longer accept American Express as a payment option on its platform due to the high fees charged by the card company. After careful consideration, eBay made the decision to discontinue accepting American Express starting August 17, 2024.
Customers were notified via email that their saved American Express cards had been removed from their accounts and that they should consider using alternative payment methods such as PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
eBay also recommended using other major credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, and Discover for transactions on their platform. Any purchases made with American Express before the cutoff date would still be valid and processed accordingly.
Feedback on the change was swift
American Express expressed disappointment in eBay’s decision, stating that it limits customers’ payment choices and takes away the service, security, and rewards associated with using American Express cards. They emphasized that acceptance costs for American Express are comparable to other card networks.
Some users expressed concern over the decision, mentioning that they may reduce their eBay purchases and explore alternative platforms that still accept American Express.
The online retailer eBay, with 132 million active users worldwide, has been a pioneer in online auction-based e-commerce since its launch in 1995. This move by eBay is not the first time a major merchant has chosen to discontinue accepting American Express.
American Express, known for its classic green charge card introduced in 1958, has seen changes over the years as it expanded its business into various sectors like banking and insurance operations.
