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View Full Version : Surcharge on credit/debit card transactions



Swanie78
12-28-2007, 12:24 AM
Did you know its against the rules (from Visa and Mastercard) for merchants to charge a fee if you are buying less than a certain $ amount?
I just learned this tonight and thought I'd share it.
Here's an article that talks about it. CC purchases (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20010418a.asp?prodtype=cc)
Several places around here do that. And although generally I buy more than their set minimum, I'm tired of buying gum, pop, water, etc just to avoid the fee at gas stations. Next time Im going to simply tell them they can't do that, and if they insist then my stuff is getting left on the counter! :wideeyed:

inkypingers
12-28-2007, 12:53 AM
This is a good thing to know. It is kinda twisted to me that as huge-moung-gous
as teh cc biz is they are trying to squeeze even more out of us!
Sick. Sock it to them Kelly~!
Inky hugs,
Jennifer

suzi_f
12-28-2007, 08:57 AM
There are a couple of small businesses in the area that say they will not take a CC under a certain amount. They don't say they will charge you a surcharge but they just won't take the CC. However, they will take a debit card. That I do not understand. I thought you had to pay the same fess for cc or debit. Oddness.

hbpuppy
12-28-2007, 10:56 AM
oooh. I've been told that I need to pay a little surcharge if my bill is less than a certain amount before. And, I've seen those signs at stores about the minimums. Oh baby I'm going to let them have it.

JBgreendawn
12-28-2007, 11:05 AM
anyone who accepts a bank card for payment has to pay processing fees on it. its a percent of the transaction.

GSMom385
12-31-2007, 09:21 AM
The reason they do that is on small purchases is the CC or DD fee is often more money than they make in profit on the transaction, because althought CC and DD fees are a percentage of the sale, there are also often minmium charges. I bet they are only covering the cost that the credit or debit company is charging them. Here is the part I find a little crazy and I hope I don't offend anyone that works for Mastercard or Visa, but they charge the consumer finacnce fees, late fees, card fees, etc. to use the card and then they also charge the retailer fees to accept the card, not to mention regulate them which costs money to update equipment etc to stay in spec, often times equipment the credit card company sells. So in the end the party making all the money here is the credit card company. Money that we the consumer end up paying in the end because retailers have to cover their cost of doing business or they won't be in business very long if they didn't. I realize the card companies have a cost of doing business too......but seems to me the ones we should be upset with and sock it to are the credit card companies not the retailer.

So I hate to say this ( because I am bad too), but use less plastic, more cash the whole world would be better for it, and it would cost less in the long run.

suzi_f
12-31-2007, 09:27 AM
So I hate to say this ( because I am bad too), but use less plastic, more cash the whole world would be better for it, and it would cost less in the long run.

But, have you seen the Visa commercial that is telling you that it's bad to use cash & it messes up the whole system. Even tho I never have cash & use my debit card for just about EVERYTHING, I find this commercial disturbing.

JBgreendawn
12-31-2007, 10:36 AM
you know what made me mad?
i have placed 3 orders now with stamping bella (which is in Canada) and im in the states...
the first two times i used my personal mastercard from at home. the third time i was at work, and i used my debit card from my grocery checkbook.
i got my bank statement
my BANK charged me 1.68 as a SERVICE charge for that transaction...