@Wavester64 wrote:Around my town and State, many merchants are adopting the policy of adding 4% to the charge of their items (be it food, services, etc.) that the CC paying customer has to absorb because per the merchant, that is the cost they are charged for providing the convenience of using CCs to their customers and they are trying to get that back to sustain business.
Now because of the times we are in, one could argue that this is necessary so that the businesses being hurt have a chance to thrive.
Another argument could be that we the customers have been hit hard due to the pandemic as well, and we are trying to save as much money as we can to get by.
When I post something like this on Facebook in one of my local town groups, most of the replies are all PRO the merchant, that if we the customer don't like it, TOO BAD, PAY CASH & save money. One needs to keep in mind that most of these who reply like this are not into the CC game like we MF'ers are on this forum.
Now I'll ask it here since we are in the CC game to save money. Do you feel its right that merchants add a 4% charge to your total? If you feel its OK, would you feel the same way if there was no COVID?
I mean, yeah, I feel for the businesses, I was a business owner for MANY years and had my struggling times. But as a consumer/customer, where does it end? I mean we as consumers are getting these CCs, or looking for coupons, or buying Groupons to save money, just for the merchants to charge more anyway?
You see what I mean? Curious to see your take on this.
I mean this topic for all - but going to add a few buddies below to get their attention and hear their thoughts on this subject too.
@Gmood1 @Anonymous @Anonymous @M_Smart007 @coldfusion @Anonymous @JNA1 @cashorcharge @AllZero @Anonymous
So check this out.
I went back to a place I was using a CC that they charged me 4% on my bill. I wanted to use a debit card to see if anything changed by going this route. Bought 2 items totaling $15.17. Checked the receipt, and yes, just $15.17, so I was thinking OK, small victory. This particular debit card had a $1 coupon attached to it for this place, so I was thinking at least this worked.
When I get home, I just happened to be checking my account, and I see a charge pending for $15.78! So they still got me! 
Last time at least the charge for using a CC was blatantly on the receipt.
This time it's not on the receipt and they charged the 4% ON TOP OF THE TAX!
Dude, wrong on so many levels.
@Wavester64 wrote:
@Wavester64 wrote:Around my town and State, many merchants are adopting the policy of adding 4% to the charge of their items (be it food, services, etc.) that the CC paying customer has to absorb because per the merchant, that is the cost they are charged for providing the convenience of using CCs to their customers and they are trying to get that back to sustain business.
Now because of the times we are in, one could argue that this is necessary so that the businesses being hurt have a chance to thrive.
Another argument could be that we the customers have been hit hard due to the pandemic as well, and we are trying to save as much money as we can to get by.
When I post something like this on Facebook in one of my local town groups, most of the replies are all PRO the merchant, that if we the customer don't like it, TOO BAD, PAY CASH & save money. One needs to keep in mind that most of these who reply like this are not into the CC game like we MF'ers are on this forum.
Now I'll ask it here since we are in the CC game to save money. Do you feel its right that merchants add a 4% charge to your total? If you feel its OK, would you feel the same way if there was no COVID?
I mean, yeah, I feel for the businesses, I was a business owner for MANY years and had my struggling times. But as a consumer/customer, where does it end? I mean we as consumers are getting these CCs, or looking for coupons, or buying Groupons to save money, just for the merchants to charge more anyway?
You see what I mean? Curious to see your take on this.
I mean this topic for all - but going to add a few buddies below to get their attention and hear their thoughts on this subject too.
@Gmood1 @Anonymous @Anonymous @M_Smart007 @coldfusion @Anonymous @JNA1 @cashorcharge @AllZero @Anonymous
So check this out.
I went back to a place I was using a CC that they charged me 4% on my bill. I wanted to use a debit card to see if anything changed by going this route. Bought 2 items totaling $15.17. Checked the receipt, and yes, just $15.17, so I was thinking OK, small victory. This particular debit card had a $1 coupon attached to it for this place, so I was thinking at least this worked.
When I get home, I just happened to be checking my account, and I see a charge pending for $15.78! So they still got me!
Last time at least the charge for using a CC was blatantly on the receipt.
This time it's not on the receipt and they charged the 4% ON TOP OF THE TAX!
Dude, wrong on so many levels.
@Wavester64 I don't think they're allowed to do that if you ran it as debit. Now, if you ran it as credit, it uses the Credit Card network and it would make sense that it did that. Did you run it as debit or credit? As either can be done with a debit card? If you ran it as debit and they did that, yeah that's seriously wrong, imo.
There's only one place I know of over here in the San Jose area that does this. A taco shop down the street hits you with 3% if you use a card. They have a tiny handwritten notice pasted on the side of their register that I didn't see at first. They do have great tacos, but at $4 each for street tacos, they were pricey to begin with. I found a different place, just as good for $3/taco and no fee. Guess where I go now?
FWIW, I have a friend who is a backyard mechanic that uses Square to accept plastic. He pays 2.7% flat rate for any card transaction.
@ChargedUp wrote:There's only one place I know of over here in the San Jose area that does this. A taco shop down the street hits you with 3% if you use a card. They have a tiny handwritten notice pasted on the side of their register that I didn't see at first. They do have great tacos, but at $4 each for street tacos, they were pricey to begin with. I found a different place, just as good for $3/taco and no fee. Guess where I go now?
Burger King's $1 tacos? 
@Anonymous wrote:
@ChargedUp wrote:There's only one place I know of over here in the San Jose area that does this. A taco shop down the street hits you with 3% if you use a card. They have a tiny handwritten notice pasted on the side of their register that I didn't see at first. They do have great tacos, but at $4 each for street tacos, they were pricey to begin with. I found a different place, just as good for $3/taco and no fee. Guess where I go now?
Burger King's $1 tacos?
LMAO! Noooooo! A little hole in the wall in Saratoga, CA called La Cueva. So far the best Mexican food I've had up here. El Nayarit in San Mateo is pretty good as well, but kind of a drive from where I'm at.