OK I run online shops from my web servers. Have done for a few years locally.
Now we have launched an international product so we charge in 2 currencies.
NZ Dollar for New Zealand and US Dollars for everyone else, this keeps it simple.... RIGHT.
We have a local bank (Most Excellent Bank of New Zealand) that allows us to do multi currency transactions online and converts them into NZ Sheep Chips for us.
We have had American Express for a few years, and used it happily for local campers doing their shopping.
We opened it up for our international web site and what went wrong?????
ALL the US Dollar transactions across 24 hours went SPLAT and failed.
Why is this? I asked myself so I called up Am Ex and asked "Why is this".
The nice (just joking) person said....
"You are ****TING ME" was close to my response.
She replied...
Being confused by the tiniest margin here I casually asked "How can a company with America in the first word NOT accept US Dollars?"
The reply...
Like SURE....
Three times what it is costing me at the moment. AND you keep the money earning interest for you for up to 35 days. I am SOOOO glad we all shared your little joke.
Nope, they are serious.
You just got to love some peoples ideas of how to do business with CUSTOMERS.
Now we have launched an international product so we charge in 2 currencies.
NZ Dollar for New Zealand and US Dollars for everyone else, this keeps it simple.... RIGHT.
We have a local bank (Most Excellent Bank of New Zealand) that allows us to do multi currency transactions online and converts them into NZ Sheep Chips for us.
We have had American Express for a few years, and used it happily for local campers doing their shopping.
We opened it up for our international web site and what went wrong?????
ALL the US Dollar transactions across 24 hours went SPLAT and failed.
Why is this? I asked myself so I called up Am Ex and asked "Why is this".

The nice (just joking) person said....
Oh American Express can only accept transactions in New Zealand Dollars.




"You are ****TING ME" was close to my response.
She replied...
Outside of America Am Ex will only transact the local currencies.
The reply...
We can set you up a SEPERATE Am Ex USD account. Then once a month we will send you a check for the amount of purchases in that month, less expenses.
Three times what it is costing me at the moment. AND you keep the money earning interest for you for up to 35 days. I am SOOOO glad we all shared your little joke.
Nope, they are serious.

You just got to love some peoples ideas of how to do business with CUSTOMERS.
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