I’ve noticed that a few merchants seemed to have stopped accepting AMEX that used to accept it (Restaurants, especially). But since it’s still accepted at Migros, coop and Denner, that covers a lot.
Digitec doesn’t list AMEX as a payment method, and if I remember it’s not available at checkout.
But yes, forgot SBB / public transport as a major merchant where I spend some CHF.
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Use it through your Paypal account.
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I found it in my list of transactions, so …
But actually it was via Paypal, that is true.
I don’t have these extra charges, and I would definitely stopped using AMEX in question for these providers if there would be any.
Will try PayPal next time. Do they (PayPal) charge your credit card from within Switzerland?
EDIT: May usual plan is to buy with Galaxus vouchers at 11-18% rebate from Optiopay.
I know, but being Swiss resident and paying in CHF to uber, booking, Airbnb, I have no extra charges.
Well I think it is not so straightforward. I guess all big international companies billing you in CHF has some kind of Swiss bank account, or whatever, so when you pay to them, your transaction is in Switzerland, no foreign transfer fees. But if it is a small online shop showing you prices in CHF but debiting you from a non-Swiss account, it is a foreign transaction and you are slapped with a fee. There were stories like that in this forum.
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What about Cashback card and booking.com, but in another country?
I had one case with Cummulus card, with witch I booked hotel on booking.com in Italy and even though the currency was CHF, Cummulus took provision for foreign transaction.
How ist that working with AMEX card? Anyone had that experience?
I think 100% of the CC have that problem. Let me google it.
Edit:
here it is:
tldr; don’t use it abroad or with foreign companies
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Doing the same thing, never got any fees with amex.
However I would prefer to have prices in original currency and pay it with a Revolut card. But I can’t. Or at least I didn’t find how to do it.
I am sure they put their own currency exchange margin of couples percents. Still a good deal for most common mortals, but not for me.
Did you try using VPN? I think I compared that once and there was no hidden conversion fees between currencies. But I will check it deeper and post some screenshots
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I checked it. They charge around 2.2% for conversion from EUR to CHF.
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I did have this situation (purchase nominated in CHF, getting charged in another currency, e.g. GBP) a few years back.
And getting charged by MC/UBS extra 2% or so for the forex.
Don’t recall if it was booking, easyjet or some other holiday stuff…
Then I learned my lesson and ever since just pay for anything having to do with a company that’s not situated in CH - using Revolut.
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A reminder for when using any credit card is to always get the price in the local currency. Refuse any other currency when paying in person.
Online it’s different. You can compare prices if it’s possible to switch currency. If the currency is fixed, it might be tricky to understand which company will trigger the 2.5% increase. I thought the bank account location, but I’m not that sure.
Anyway the real scam happens usually in person. Alway pay in local currency (and let your CC/bank do the rest).
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I get your point on simplicity, but it’s really just a 2nd card that is more than useful when being anywhere outside of Switzerland.
You pay for everything abroad using your CHF credit card?
And loading it up (if you haven’t planned before the trip) takes literally 2 clicks within the app and is instant (via CC).
Not that much of a hassle as you paint it, at least for me.
One more useful tip - you get 3% cashback (additionally to the card cashback) if you use booking with Rabattcorner: Booking.com: Cashback und Rabatte für Hotelbuchungen - Rabattcorner
Not sure if it was booking.com (it may have very well been them) or some other site, but…
I‘ve definitely seen OTA sites on which the cashback portal offer yielded a higher price than coming from price comparison websites - on the same OTA.
Example:
OTA coming from cashback portal I was registered with and logged in: 100€, 2% cashback
Same OTA coming from price comparison site: 95€, no cashback.
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Regarding the surcharge for non-Swiss sellers, I had this twice even when paying in CHF. One a webshop with Swiss page and prices, but delivery from the Eurozone. And then with Uber eats, paying via Paypal and the Amex. My conclusion was to use the Amex only for Swiss CHF transactions.
That does make my set-up a bit complicated:
Amex Cashback for Swiss CHF, when accepted
Migros Cumulus when not
Neon for all foreign transactions (even though I don‘t like them)
I‘m still hoping that the Cumulus Cembra split will lead to other attractive offers that might make my set-up easier and allows me to replace Neon.