Why don't all ATMs and stores accept all credit cards?

As for why you can't use credit cards everywhere, I think the main reason is that it's at the merchant's discretion. For example, I have a credit card merchant account for my business, which allows me to accept credit cards. However, I can't perform a debit transaction, so I can't accept an "ATM card. read more

As for why you can't use credit cards everywhere, I think the main reason is that it's at the merchant's discretion. For example, I have a credit card merchant account for my business, which allows me to accept credit cards. read more

You also asked why ATM machines don't all accept credit cards. Actually, most of them do, and when you perform that transaction, you're actually getting a cash advance against your credit card (which is typically a very bad idea from a personal-finance point of view, for reasons I'll mention in a moment). read more

The deadline for retailers to change to the chip-enabled payment systems was last October when U.S. credit card companies, including Visa and MasterCard, announced new liability rules. read more

All that said, it’s getting easier and less expensive for businesses to accept card payments every day. Why Stores Don’t Accept AmEx and Discover. Some stores accept plastic, but they’re selective. Most merchants accept Visa and MasterCard, but occasionally they decide not to take American Express and Discover. read more