paying by credit card now more ripoffs

[boa]

I pay most things on credit card. Pay off each month not a problem. When credit card premium pay cash or decline. I have noticed of late that some businesses have charged me the rounded up price. Okay for cash but not for card if the price is 19.99 that is what I expect to be charged. On credit. if cash no problem. It is not about the money just doing the right thing and not having some one take advantage.

[101RRS]

I have noticed that as well - is actually illegal and they can be prosecuted but who is going to instigate action for the few cents.

Garry

[Richard93Vogue]

x2. I use the card for everything and expect no rounding when using the card but this is no longer the norm for some sneaky operators. Might only be a few cents to the individual but when they are doing it to loads of people it becomes quite profitable for the operator. Quite annoying.

[Mick_Marsh]

That's been happening for years.
The worst I encountered was an electronics store that rounded up each individual item. After the shop assistant had finished totaling the bill, I pointed out his error and walked out of the shop without paying and leaving the stock on the counter. I made the purchase from a different store.
You can always cancel the transaction and get the shop assistant to enter the correct amount.

[87County]

......

. :)

[Ausfree]

Never took much notice of that, I will now. Thanks for the headsup!!!:)

[Pickles2]

"Rounding" may be annoying but it ain't as bad, or as costly, as the absolute rip off, of traders charging an extra % just because you are using a card.
Stayed at a motel a few months ago for a few days, so the bill was not small, so I cracked it big time when I got charged extra. Didn't make any difference, they still charged it.
Pickles.

[Meken]

"Rounding" may be annoying but it ain't as bad, or as costly, as the absolute rip off, of traders charging an extra % just because you are using a card.
Stayed at a motel a few months ago for a few days, so the bill was not small, so I cracked it big time when I got charged extra. Didn't make any difference, they still charged it.
Pickles.


The traders are not making any money from the surcharge- they are charged those fees by the bank to receive payments by credit cards

[101RRS]

The traders are not making any money from the surcharge- they are charged those fees by the bank to receive payments by credit cards

Yes but traders normally charge more.

[Aaron IIA]

I don't mind a surcharge for credit card payment. I pay using cash instead. But when they don't accept cash, and only take a credit, it gives you no option to avoid the extra fees.
Aaron

[V8Ian]

Legally no-one can refuse cash, it's legal tender.

[AndyG]

V8Ian beat me by 10 minutes! , but then how do toll operators get away with it, presumably they should take payment at the point of sale, the bridge or tunnel.

And as for a receipt :o

[Aaron IIA]

Legally no-one can refuse cash, it's legal tender.

That is what I thought. But there are more and more places that are cash free. Childcare centres and university union fees are two that come to mind. Internet purchase of aeroplane flight tickets are also annoying. Surcharge if you pay by credit card, but there is no other option.
Aaron

[Meken]

That is what I thought. But there are more and more places that are cash free. Childcare centres and university union fees are two that come to mind. Internet purchase of aeroplane flight tickets are also annoying. Surcharge if you pay by credit card, but there is no other option.
Aaron


Try buying in person I bet they'll have a larger surcharge on that... Just like that banks - have you seen how much it costs to carry out a transaction in the branch these days?

[Aaron IIA]

My point is, why have a credit card surcharge if there is no other option? Just include the associated credit card costs in the main advertised price. You don't see other costs of running a business added onto the advertised price.
Aaron

[slug_burner]

The traders are not making any money from the surcharge- they are charged those fees by the bank to receive payments by credit cards

Are you sure about that? The cost of the bank's/credit card fee is a tax deduction, a cost of doing business and accepted as such by the ATO. A real ripoff if there is no cash accepted. There are very few businesses that have a manned reception that will not accept cash, something that the ATO probably does not like as it has been known that not all cash goes through the books.

[Meken]

Are you sure about that? The cost of the bank's/credit card fee is a tax deduction, a cost of doing business and accepted as such by the ATO. A real ripoff if there is no cash accepted. There are very few businesses that have a manned reception that will not accept cash, something that the ATO probably does not like as it has been known that not all cash goes through the books.


Okay a tax deduction so they can knock off 30% of the surcharge against the saved tax....

[V8Ian]

That is what I thought. But there are more and more places that are cash free. Childcare centres and university union fees are two that come to mind. Internet purchase of aeroplane flight tickets are also annoying. Surcharge if you pay by credit card, but there is no other option.
Aaron

Debit card or direct debit.

[discotwinturbo]

Was reading in the AFR a month or so ago. RBA was forecasting that from 2020 currency will no longer be printed and on its way to being phased out in the following 5 years.

We have been conditioned to use plastic fantastic which may be the only option in the near future.

Brett...

[V8Ian]

My point is, why have a credit card surcharge if there is no other option? Just include the associated credit card costs in the main advertised price. You don't see other costs of running a business added onto the advertised price.
Aaron
Card transactions save businesses money. The bank cost far outweighs the cost of counting cash, tallying day's takings and someone physically taking the money to the bank. That's before we consider dishonesty and genuine errors.

[slug_burner]

Okay a tax deduction so they can knock off 30% of the surcharge against the saved tax....

Yes the cost of the use of the credit card is not taxed, just like the cost of electricity is not taxed for a business. Yet we don't see coin operated electricity meters in hotels and motels or electricity surcharges on the accommodation costs. That is because electricity is considered to be a cost of doing business.

[slug_burner]

Card transactions save businesses money. The bank cost far outweighs the cost of counting cash, tallying day's takings and someone physically taking the money to the bank. That's before we consider dishonesty and genuine errors.

And for business holding a lot of cash, security on premises and armoured vehicles to transport the cash.

[Hoges]

I got involved with some refugees(legally arrived, model citizens etc in case someone reading this gets edgy! ) and last week we went to immigration to pay for visas. The bill came to $8,750 :eek: lmmigration only accepts the two major credit cards..1.xxx% surcharge so about $87. Well what the heck Joe needs the money. Fast forward 48hrs and needed to book swmbo on interstate flight to visit daughter. Fare was $139 plus credit card fee of $7.50... previously when grandkids were involved the credit card fee was applied to each seat although it was a single transaction:mad: I notice the other airline.. the one which has never been laid upon in the biblical sense:angel: but seeks to ....seduce the hapless traveller into accepting insurance, $13.50 thank you , as the default online option:eek: i.e you need to be awake and uncheck the little box if you don't want to contribute to their little rort...who said ned kelly was dead?

[3toes]

Ratchet pricing is so common in the on line world. Search engines seek the 'lowest price' and so business has devised ways to achieve this without lowering their price. There are unfortunately too many people out there who take the first one on the search as the best deal. They work on the basis that once you are in their web site and have had all the 'extras' added to the price to bring it back up to what they actually were going to charge you for it all along you will be too exhausted to leave and start it all over again with someone else who is also using the same pricing technique.

[Meken]

Well don't get me started with "free" apps that have in-app purchases required