Specter Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 Don't you think you may be cutting yourselves short of some possible revenue? Everybody takes Amex these days!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 No, they don't, and there are some good reasons not to, for a smaller company. Am Ex charges higher fees to the vendor for their services, and this comes straight out of the bottom line for BTS and thus CM2. Besides, EVERYBODY has a Visa these days!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specter Posted July 19, 2000 Author Share Posted July 19, 2000 Ahhh, Wrong answer Mark IV! Obviously you are not a financially astute person! There are many individuals out there who carry EITHER Visa or Amex! BTS would absolutely add to their bottomline by accepting amex as well!! Funny post though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compassion Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Specter: There are many individuals out there who carry EITHER Visa or Amex!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I wonder how many? I read an interview with the VISA CEO in Forbes, I think it was, maybe 5 or 6 years ago. Can't remember his name, but he made the point that Visa's share ofthe card market is larger than al competitors combined. The telling quote from the man from VISA was that their only real competition was cash, and they were moving in on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Madmatt Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 There are also many individuals that accept Carte Blanche too but you don't see that offered. As a former retailer and a current consumer I can see the business implications of carrying American Express. Amex DOES add a special vendor surcharge for the 'privledge' of accepting their card and for a small company like BTS (who aren't in all likely hood going to grow rich on CM sales) to handle Amex just isn't worth it. Amex cards by they very nature are really meant for larger purchases anyway and for $53 US I can see why they opted to not go this route. Madmatt ------------------ If it's in Combat Mission, it's on Combat Mission HQ! CMHQ-Annex, The Alternative side of Combat Mission Combat Mission HQ CMHQ-Annex Proud members of the Combat Mission WebRing [This message has been edited by Madmatt (edited 07-19-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disaster@work Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 This thread reminds me of that funny sequence in 'Futurama' in the episode where Fry finds out he's rich because of all the money he's had lingering in his account from the 20th century. I'm paraphrasing. Fry tries to pay for something with his ancient credit cards. Fry: Do you take American Express? Clerk: That was phased out in 2052 Fry: VISA? Clerk: That was phased out in 2130. Fry: Mastercard? Clerk: 2521. Fry: How about my Discover card? Clerk: Uh ... we don't take Discover card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrapGame Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 Ah yes, I wondered how long it would take for the Visa/MC vs Amex debate to raise its ugly head. MadMatt is definitely correct. AmEx charges a higher percentage of the total sale to use its card than does Visa/MC. I believe the numbers were roughly something like 1.5% of the total sale for Visa/MC and 3.5% of the sale for AmEx (these might be out of date). This translates into lower profit margins for the Vendor for accepting AmEx versus Visa/MC. ------------------ CrapGame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadayne Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 LOL. Ah american television, how I miss it so. *sniff* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specter Posted July 19, 2000 Author Share Posted July 19, 2000 Tell that to all the SMALL restaurants and business owners that accept both! Oh well!! Nobody would confuse a group of excellant game programmers as savvy businessmen!! - except for some of you!! Yes BTS is small and maybe they wanna stay that way!! Still an excellant game though!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 Small restaurants probably accept AMEX because a lot of businesses still use it as their "corporate" card. It's quite common to use them for business-related meals. If the restaurant didn't accept them, they would more than likely see a difference in their bottom line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Specter: Tell that to all the SMALL restaurants and business owners that accept both! Oh well!! Nobody would confuse a group of excellant game programmers as savvy businessmen!! - except for some of you!! Yes BTS is small and maybe they wanna stay that way!! Still an excellant game though!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Specter, The profit margins for a restaurant are significantly higher than what I suspect BTS's profit margins are for developing and marketing Combat Mission. As a manager of a small computer shop (another low profit margin enterprise), I often contemplated dropping Amex support. When you're looking at 5-7% margin on the sale of a computer that 3.5% that Amex charges doesn't look so good. I must say that I don't know exactly what the profit margins are for software development, but I know that they aren't all that great. Look at all of the time that Steve and Charles have put into developing this game. Development time costs money. Then add the cost of the web site and other types of customer support. Then add of the cost of printing the manuals and pressing the CD's. And don't forget the cost of having someone package the game and ship it out. Add everything up, and all of a sudden there isn't much filthy luchre left to line the pockets of our friends at BTS. Looking at it that way, then that 3.5% Amex service charge starts to look pretty ugly. I personally hope that Steve and Charles are making good money from the sales of Combat Mission. The more money they make, the more likely we are to see more Combat Mission. And finally, even though purchasing Combat Mission may more difficult since you are unable to use your American Express card, you really should find a way to purchase the game anyway. It is well worth the trouble. -Lurker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Madmatt Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Oh well!! Nobody would confuse a group of excellant game programmers as savvy businessmen!! - except for some of you!! Yes BTS is small and maybe they wanna stay that way!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Maybe not, but I can sure spot an pretentious asshole from a distance. Madmatt ------------------ If it's in Combat Mission, it's on Combat Mission HQ! CMHQ-Annex, The Alternative side of Combat Mission Combat Mission HQ CMHQ-Annex Proud members of the Combat Mission WebRing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von shrad Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 hehehehe [This message has been edited by von shrad (edited 07-19-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specter Posted July 19, 2000 Author Share Posted July 19, 2000 ------------------------------------ Maybe not, but I can sure spot an pretentious asshole from a distance. Madmatt ------------------------------------ Flattery will get you no where Madmatt! Though you are correct that my statement was a bit pretentious, for which I apologise, I am not that way by nature! As I said, It's a great game and I'll be buying it! Nothin personal my man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 LOL. Great post Matt. Specter, Good on you for taking it in good spirit . Matt's quite the character and just gave me my "laugh of the day" here with his one-liner . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianc Posted July 19, 2000 Share Posted July 19, 2000 Yeah! A slap in the face insult is always a laff riot and a great way to end any discussion! Gotta love that low road! ianc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specter Posted July 19, 2000 Author Share Posted July 19, 2000 Well Fionn and Ianc, You boys are easily amused I see! I can be a very nasty SOB! but I figured Madmatt must be havin a tough day at the office! I figured I'd take it easy! It's my good deed of the day!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FFE Posted July 20, 2000 Share Posted July 20, 2000 The US DOJ has filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Visa/Mastercard USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KwazyDog Posted July 20, 2000 Share Posted July 20, 2000 Actually Amex is considered a bit of a ermm, well joke I guess in Australia becuase of their rediculas surchanges they put onto the retailers to be honest. Even the bigger chain store over here dont always accept them. I work in a medium sized business and we will except them if the customer is will to pay their own surcharge for the privledge [This message has been edited by KwazyDog (edited 07-19-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Madmatt Posted July 20, 2000 Share Posted July 20, 2000 Errr, I was just stating a fact! I can actually, you know, spot them that is! No damage done Specter, I can give and take with the best of them. Some people have said getting a royal 'Madmatt 'Bite Me' style response' is a rite of passage around here. While I am not sure I agree with that, I can see where I can come off somewhat.. err edgy? perhaps... Welcome aboard and I hope you manage to purchase CM soon. You wont regret it. Oh and Ianc? A nice warm glass of SHUT THE HELL UP is on me this time! Bottoms up! Madmatt ------------------ If it's in Combat Mission, it's on Combat Mission HQ! CMHQ-Annex, The Alternative side of Combat Mission Combat Mission HQ CMHQ-Annex Proud members of the Combat Mission WebRing [This message has been edited by Madmatt (edited 07-19-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted July 20, 2000 Share Posted July 20, 2000 I'm closing this one up, but first I will say that Amex and Discover both charge higher percentages AND a flat fee per transaction. Every business is free to make its own decisions about what form of payments it takes. We have probably had more emails asking if we take some sort of the fly by night Web payment method than we have Amex. Since nearly all Amex holders also have a VISA or MC because most business do NOT take Amex. For example, I can pay by credit/debit card at the Post Office, grocery store, convience store, small shops in town, etc. and none take Amex. Specter, you should be complaining to Amex that they could be making a lot more money if they dropped their rates rather than complaining to us for not wanting to subsidize a multi-billion dollar corporation that doesn't appear to want to compete with MC/VISA at the retailer level Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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