General Discussion

usedtobedemgurl

(1,771 posts)

60. Yes, it was still early. No coffee! Lol.

Tue Jun 24, 2025, 10:32 AM

Jun 24

I said they are not supposed to and you said without a sign. I did not finish my complete thought. They are not supposed to….without a sign. From my experience, about 60% do not have signs of any kind. About 2% have hidden, or hard to find signs. The rest of the businesses are pretty straight forward about it.

I use cards, for points, for most of my regular transactions. It is only since I took my job that I noticed those sneaky surcharges on quite a few of my purchases. It should always be plainly stated.

I remember one store where I asked why the card purchase was greater than the cash purchase. They nodded to a sign on the wall. I have to include those signs in my reports. I took photos. The sign said nothing about discounts or extra charges.

Another time, I asked why the card purchase was so much more. I was pointed towards a sign about surcharges on card transactions. Yeah, but they charged extra for the item and did a surcharge! So, if I was buying the small bottle of olive oil, and it was $5, the card transaction charged $6 PLUS the fee on top of that! Not the card companies problem, since they had a sign out about fees, but to charge that extra? Not good. There were people behind me, and I knew I was being reimbursed, so I did not make a fuss. I guess the lesson is you always have to pay attention.

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3.5% to 4% fee for paying with a credit card everywhere [View all] edhopper Jun 23 OP

As a former retailer Mosby Jun 23 #1

The retailer? Nah.... The customer. NT Happy Hoosier Jun 23 #3

Do you get a different price using cash? Mosby Jun 23 #6

Nope. Happy Hoosier Jun 23 #8

Pretty sure "everywhere" isn't really "everywhere" onenote Jun 24 #70

your experience is the same as mine. NT Happy Hoosier Jun 24 #71

Yes. My auto mechanic, most restaurants, and one grocery store AllyCat Jun 23 #18

Debit transaction fees aren't a percentage. Did you know that? Mosby Jun 23 #21

That's entirely dependent on processor and how good of a deal a company can get with them. Larger company, better deal. Lancero Jun 24 #31

Yeah, well most still charge anyway. AllyCat Jun 24 #36

Small businesses like restaurants are doing it all the time in our area mcar Jun 24 #48

Joe T Garcia's, a very large and iconic restaurant in Fort Worth only takes cash yellowdogintexas Jun 24 #56

Gas stations still do that, but mostly the smaller chains. yellowdogintexas Jun 24 #57

My mechanic does too. NH Ethylene Jun 24 #27

Where do you live? I see that literally nowhere, except ONE place locally Happy Hoosier Jun 24 #44

I live in rural western Massachusetts. intheflow Jun 24 #47

My mechanic does, too. Alice B. Jun 24 #74

Some places charge more for using credit cards iemanja Jun 24 #26

At my fav Mexican restaurant & 1 grocery store, yes. SheltieLover Jun 24 #32

So, this is kind of my job. usedtobedemgurl Jun 24 #39

It isn't that they aren't supposed to charge more for card transactions... FBaggins Jun 24 #55

Yes, it was still early. No coffee! Lol. usedtobedemgurl Jun 24 #60

When I took my car Delphinus Jun 24 #40

Yup Conjuay Jun 24 #50

Except they consider debit cash. Mosby Jun 24 #65

Yup Conjuay Jun 24 #51

Yes, at some places. Rincewind Jun 24 #52

I have never experienced that in 60+ years living in Phoenix metro. Mosby Jun 24 #66

Pilot, Flying J, Travel America, routinely show cash vs. credit pricing on their fuel price signs. hatrack Jun 24 #58

Isn't it debit vs credit though? Mosby Jun 24 #63

The consumer does pay them FBaggins Jun 23 #10

If the store isnt charging the customer a processing fee, then the store is paying the fees Mosby Jun 23 #12

No. Ms. Toad Jun 23 #15

That's not how stores set margins. Mosby Jun 23 #22

Hmm . . . you just said exactly what I said. Ms. Toad Jun 24 #25

Yes and no...I may be an outlier, but... Maeve Jun 24 #46

It doesn't matter how you rationalize it - Ms. Toad Jun 24 #68

Since I didn't raise my prices when I started taking credit, I have problem seeing it that way Maeve Jun 24 #69

When you choose to raise prices, or how much profit you choose to make, isn't related to who pays the bills. Ms. Toad Jun 24 #72

In my experience in the States in recent years DFW Jun 24 #54

That is where I've seen it most - Ms. Toad Jun 24 #67

"The store is paying the fees" is no different than "the customers are paying those fees" FBaggins Jun 24 #43

You're suggesting stores just eat the fee? Happy Hoosier Jun 24 #45

I am not seeing this in my South Florida neighborhood. Not in restaurants, supermarkets, nor general shopping. Intractable Jun 23 #2

Me neither. One shop here charges a card fee. Happy Hoosier Jun 23 #5

I don't buy much. markodochartaigh Jun 24 #29

And some businesses won't take cash. Pinback Jun 23 #4

In South Florida, the pot dispensaries will only take cash. Intractable Jun 23 #7

They have no choice dsc Jun 23 #20

Came here to say this. AllyCat Jun 24 #37

local sports venue went card only cadoman Jun 24 #53

Its getting very common in maryland thatdemguy Jun 23 #9

We just bought a new washer/dryer and it was 3.5% more if paid for with credit card. Greybnk48 Jun 23 #11

yup. more and more. mopinko Jun 23 #13

Some retailers (I'm talking like even grocery stores) are surprised or annoyed by cash, RockRaven Jun 23 #14

It's mostly showing up in restaurants. Ms. Toad Jun 23 #16

Since it is my job to report on stuff like that.... usedtobedemgurl Jun 24 #41

The gift shop at Prairie Creek in Redwood National Park only takes plastic, no cash. PufPuf23 Jun 23 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author Silent Type Jun 23 #19

It's rare in the places I shop Fiendish Thingy Jun 23 #23

My dentist. My home health aide agency. About half of repair persons who come to the house. marybourg Jun 24 #24

My dentist as well. Abolishinist Jun 24 #30

I see this with small business invoices ecstatic Jun 24 #28

Had new roof installed & contractor would've charged 3.5% for me using card SheltieLover Jun 24 #33

Thanks for the tip about the gel pens. raccoon Jun 25 #79

Yw. I'd never heard of check washing & read article that named pen SheltieLover Jun 25 #80

Thanks. I know a woman this happened to! Somebody washed her check(s) and used it. I don't recall the outcome. raccoon Jun 25 #81

People will only put up with so much canetoad Jun 24 #34

We hate them. It's also a reason why I never use Act Blue DFW Jun 24 #35

Perfectly happy for you to do what you wish... Happy Hoosier Jun 24 #62

It's really common here in Detroit bif Jun 24 #38

After my husband's death, I closed the Credit Card accounts. ProudMNDemocrat Jun 24 #42

I don't think they do that with debit cards. Kaleva Jun 24 #49

Another reason to limit purchases to only those necessary. OrlandoDem2 Jun 24 #59

There is still the thing that a small business usually ends up not reporting some of the cash sales since the only LiberalArkie Jun 24 #61

They're charging the consumer dlilafae Jun 24 #64

There's another reason, quite apart from the fee aspect, that we dislike credit cards. DFW Jun 24 #73

Some stores do a cash discount, some to a credit surcharge and others don't do either. TheBlackAdder Jun 24 #75

Because that is what the credit card companies charge the retailer. If they pay cash they don't have to lostincalifornia Jun 24 #76

Most businesses for not charge a fee for paying by card Jose Garcia Jun 24 #77

3% in restaurants here. piddyprints Jun 24 #78

Not sure, but I think I can use my debit card with no fee. CTyankee Jun 25 #82

Debit card edhopper Jun 25 #83

Oh, I know that and protect it very closely! I don't travel around much and take precautions even at home. CTyankee Jun 25 #84