Businesses charging credit card swipe fees

[Geoff738]

This has just become legal in Canada, except Quebec. I haven’t seen any businesses doing it yet.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[burtonfan]

That's nothing. Some areas in the US are charging people for pumping water from their own wells. What's next? Charging you for cutting firewood from your own land? An oxygen tax? A fee for collecting rainwater in a barrel?

Where does it end? Eventually, we'll be fee'd to death.

 

[Danb541]

As has been mentioned, it's legal for companies to add a surcharge when customers pay with a credit card, unless there is a state law against it.
Some local gas stations have a cash price and a higher price if you pay with a CC, same with some stores and restaurants.
I don't particularly like it, I have a business and I don't charge extra for that, just figure it's part of the cost of doing business but that's the way it is.
No need to get upset about it, if you don't like it shop somewhere else IMO.
That's all

I‘m feeling like a broken record… As I think I’ve said numerous times already. It’s legal in Oregon if it’s posted. It wasn’t posted and I wasn’t told. That’s the rub, not the surcharge itself. Paying an extra 4% is not the problem. The problem is not being made aware of it. It’s sketchy business practice and illegal. Which is why I no longer go there and I’m not upset about it.
The day it happened(a year ago) It did rub me the wrong way though. I moved on.

 

[omahaaudio]

Try one more time. Hint: all the words have meaning, not just the ones that you interpreted incorrectly.

Your insistence on an incorrect interpertation does not render mine incorrect.

 

[omahaaudio]

A fee for collecting rainwater in a barrel?

They got there first...

"Colorado and Utah are the only states that are currently heavily regulated to keep homeowners from harvesting and using the rain that falls on their property"

Rainwater Harvesting Laws You Need to Know About

4perfectwater.com

 

[imwjl]

That's nothing. Some areas in the US are charging people for pumping water from their own wells. What's next? Charging you for cutting firewood from your own land? An oxygen tax? A fee for collecting rainwater in a barrel?

Where does it end? Eventually, we'll be fee'd to death.

Where is that and what is the basis?

Owning property in different places, being neck deep and already done with well redeveloping one of them, and understanding the watershed, sewer/setpic (including storm sewer), township, and other matters such as percentage that is permeable I understand it all. This also includes the recent permitting and getting a high cap well at a property. Also a watershed where we now have to drill into a lower aquifer.

Where my in-laws lived private well but municipal sewer and the storm sewer obligation had fees but it makes sense.

Feel free to send a PM with this being a tangent but me being very curious.

Thank you.

 

[pixeljammer]

it is also illegal NOT to accept credit or debit card payment under any circumstances.

Is that true? I googled around, and cannot find anything that says this.

 

[flathd]

Are you sure there is no sign anywhere?
Or posted on the menu?

I was going to ask the same question. I went to lunch with relatives, a table of 8. I noticed on the bottom of the menu " There will be a gratuity charge of __% for tables of over 6 people". When we got our checks everyone balked about the gratuity charge, except me and one other person that saw the notice. Of course the menus were gone when we received our checks, so the waitress had to explain the gratuity charge to everyone that didn't see it.

 

[Nick Fanis]

Is that true? I googled around, and cannot find anything that says this.

Of course it is.
Also locals have to spend 60%-70% of their net declared income (30% of their gross income) by credit or debit card.
All this in the fight against tax evasion that bankrupted Greece a decade ago.
Most Greeks,including me,haven't used cash in years....

One Country’s Grand Plan to Promote a Cashless Economy: Fine the Laggards Who Pay with Cash

Beginning in 2020, Greek taxpayers are required to spend 30 percent of their annual income with credit cards or digital payment platforms. They must show receipts on these digital transactions—or pay a fat fine.

www.google.com

Are credit cards widely accepted in Greece? | Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel

www.intrepidtravel.com

Credit and Debit Cards Acceptance

Greek lawyers are obliged to implement POS systems by 27.07.2017. Offenders assessed a fine of 1.500€.

www.nomikosodigos.info

 

[Skydog1010]

My landlord is charging for bank account payments. Go figure!

 

[421JAM]

Your insistence on an incorrect interpertation does not render mine incorrect.

I’m not sure how I can misinterpret my own words.

The only way your interpretation makes sense is if you were a former customer of every business in the world.

You aren’t. Therefore it doesn’t.

It’s plain and clear that I was referring to a business he was regular customer of, but no longer is.

Merry Christmas. I can’t remember why I cared about this topic.

 

[omahaaudio]

I’m not sure how I can misinterpret my own words.

And yet somehow, you have.

Have a happy new year!

 

[mycroftxxx]

Van's Pig Stand used to have the CC charges built in to prices. If you paid in cash you got a discount.

(my emphasis)
Off-topic, but that name is a blast from the past! My dad and I used to eat at the one in Shawnee many, many years ago. The last two times I was in OK (for funerals, unfortunately) the restaurant of choice was Earl’s in Edmond, and that was damned fine BBQ.

On-topic, I’m curious if this bar the OP described had a CC swipe point-of-sale terminal or a CC chip terminal? I find it disconcerting how many restaurants are still using swipe terminals, and wonder if high credit card fees are associated with that; weren’t the chip terminals supposed to drastically reduce CC fraud and thereby reduce processing fees? Either way, I agree with the OP that not having a sign clearly posted about the extra surcharge is customer-belligerent.

 

[Danb541]

(my emphasis)
Off-topic, but that name is a blast from the past! My dad and I used to eat at the one in Shawnee many, many years ago. The last two times I was in OK (for funerals, unfortunately) the restaurant of choice was Earl’s in Edmond, and that was damned fine BBQ.

On-topic, I’m curious if this bar the OP described had a CC swipe point-of-sale terminal or a CC chip terminal? I find it disconcerting how many restaurants are still using swipe terminals, and wonder if high credit card fees are associated with that; weren’t the chip terminals supposed to drastically reduce CC fraud and thereby reduce processing fees? Either way, I agree with the OP that not having a sign clearly posted about the extra surcharge is customer-belligerent.

I’m not sure what type of cc terminal was used. I never looked, just handed my card.

 

[Tonetele]

I've lost over $6,000 on scams . So I changed all bank accounts, numbers, passwords etc. on the advice of the Bank manager , as well as branches. BTW her advice was never let someone even swipe your card. I put my PIN into every device and if the salesperson objects I cancel the sale, start again or walk away ( aftersale is cancelled ). Your PIN is your last point of self-protection.