Amazon halts ban on UK-issued Visa credit cards

LONDON, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Amazon.com said on Monday it would not stop accepting UK-issued Visa Inc credit cards on its British website later this month as it had proposed, adding that it was working with Visa to resolve a dispute over payment fees.

“The expected  change regarding  the use of  Visa credit  cards  on Amazon.co.uk  will no longer take place on January 19,” the company said in an email to customers.

“We are working  closely  with Visa on a potential solution  that will enable  customers to continue using their Visa credit cards  on  Amazon.co.uk.” 

Amazon said in November it would ban Visa’s card because of the high transaction fees charged by the payment processor.

It said customers could still use Visa’s debit cards, along with Mastercard and Amex credit cards and Eurocard.

Visa could not immediately be reached for comment. It said at the time it was “very disappointed that Amazon was threatening to restrict consumer choice in the future”, and would work towards a resolution.

An EU-enforced cap on fees charged by card issuers is no longer in place in the UK following Brexit.

(Reporting by Michael Holden and Paul Sandle)

Photo – EPA/JOERG CARSTENSEN