Minimum purchase of $10 to use your credit card

[delmar411]

I don't get upset about the minimums. It does cost the establishment a lot of money to process credit card transactions. If it did bother me, I would probably just vote with my feet.

As for the earlier post about making the sandwich and then walking out.....that is plain mean.

I don't use credit cards for purchases under $10. I don't carry much cash....but always have at least $10...

I agree with the bolded part. If you know they charge mins then don't go there. Don't just go and force them to waste product for no reason. It's not like a soda or a newspaper, they can't put back the sandwich they just made for you.

 

[CajunDixie]

I don't think anyone has not understood the other side in this case. We just don't agree. I didn't attack you personally or call you judgemental. You can disagree with my position all you want, but attacking the people stating their opinions really isn't necessary.

I don't think the fees charged to merchants are right--they are too high. For those merchants who have signed a contract, I still think they have to follow the rules. For the merchant here who has no such restriction, I'm happy.

If we have a problem with the way charges are levied, as customers and business owners, we need to object with our wallets and not by ignoring a legal contract. I think that customers are more likely than not to help out a merchant when they understand the issue. Education is important.

I don't think purposely causing a merchant to lose money through product loss is a good idea. If they don't have the sign posted until the register and you didn't know--that's another story. I'd probably pay once and not go back, personally.

They didn't post a sign stating the extra charge where orders are placed and they didn't have to waste the food. They could have waived the fee as it's a violation of the Visa rules.

I apologize in advance, but this is the way I look at...I have one theortical question...what is your credit card limit? Not that I want to know the answer, but say your limit is $5,000. That's 5,000 reasons that you should be asked to show your ID!

(Even though there is protection against fraud it is not easy to clean up the mess it causes, plus the impact it can have on your credit. Credit Bureaus aren't exactly consumer friendly to deal with.)

I've cleaned up a mess before and it happened with me being 4 states away from the person who stole my money. Having them look at my DL doesn't stop anything. What they should have asked to see was my signed credit card. Not to mention I have no desire letting them note my address and DL number.....thus giving the cashier more info about me. Retail has a high turnover of employees and I doubt they are all screened throughly.

You can have a minimum, you can't charge the customer a fee for using a cc.

How about you read the rules before you put misinformation on a thread. Minimums are not allowed.

I don't get upset about the minimums. It does cost the establishment a lot of money to process credit card transactions. If it did bother me, I would probably just vote with my feet.

As for the earlier post about making the sandwich and then walking out.....that is plain mean.

I don't use credit cards for purchases under $10. I don't carry much cash....but always have at least $10...

As I said above no signage and they could have waived the fee. Their fault for breaking the rules and not correcting them.

I agree with the bolded part. If you know they charge mins then don't go there. Don't just go and force them to waste product for no reason. It's not like a soda or a newspaper, they can't put back the sandwich they just made for you.

You people are killing me!!! If they wasted the food it's their fault!!!!! If a store advertises a $5 sandwhich then I expect to pay $5 plus tax. Think about all the advertising we are seeing on TV now...$5 subs, Dollar Menu items, $5 meal, $5 pizza...... Now how would you like to call up and order the $5 pizza, arrive at the restaurant and be told you total is $6.35. Wouldn't that bother you at all? I thought this was the budget board....so it's alright that a business advertises a $5 item then charges us $6.35??!!??

 

[parkers*momma]

They didn't post a sign stating the extra charge where orders are placed and they didn't have to waste the food. They could have waived the fee as it's a violation of the Visa rules.



I've cleaned up a mess before and it happened with me being 4 states away from the person who stole my money. Having them look at my DL doesn't stop anything. What they should have asked to see was my signed credit card. Not to mention I have no desire letting them note my address and DL number.....thus giving the cashier more info about me. Retail has a high turnover of employees and I doubt they are all screened throughly.


How about you read the rules before you put misinformation on a thread. Minimums are not allowed.



As I said above no signage and they could have waived the fee. Their fault for breaking the rules and not correcting them.



You people are killing me!!! If they wasted the food it's their fault!!!!! If a store advertises a $5 sandwhich then I expect to pay $5 plus tax. Think about all the advertising we are seeing on TV now...$5 subs, Dollar Menu items, $5 meal, $5 pizza...... Now how would you like to call up and order the $5 pizza, arrive at the restaurant and be told you total is $6.35. Wouldn't that bother you at all? I thought this was the budget board....so it's alright that a business advertises a $5 item then charges us $6.35??!!??

Delmar was referring to the poster who said if it was them, they would INTENTIONALLY go in and order the sandwich and when again, told there was a minimum, to walk out the door (knowing there was a minimum BEFORE they ordered) causing the business to lose product. That was their remedy to the problem. Should a person do this...to be vindictive...that isn't very mature IMO.

As for our shop, we have it (minimum) posted on the door upon entrance and at the register. And I even double checked our contract...it does NOT state we can't request a minimum...only that we can't charge the customer a fee for using thier CC.

 

[MKCP5]

They didn't post a sign stating the extra charge where orders are placed and they didn't have to waste the food. They could have waived the fee as it's a violation of the Visa rules.



I've cleaned up a mess before and it happened with me being 4 states away from the person who stole my money. Having them look at my DL doesn't stop anything. What they should have asked to see was my signed credit card. Not to mention I have no desire letting them note my address and DL number.....thus giving the cashier more info about me. Retail has a high turnover of employees and I doubt they are all screened throughly.


How about you read the rules before you put misinformation on a thread. Minimums are not allowed.



As I said above no signage and they could have waived the fee. Their fault for breaking the rules and not correcting them.



You people are killing me!!! If they wasted the food it's their fault!!!!! If a store advertises a $5 sandwhich then I expect to pay $5 plus tax. Think about all the advertising we are seeing on TV now...$5 subs, Dollar Menu items, $5 meal, $5 pizza...... Now how would you like to call up and order the $5 pizza, arrive at the restaurant and be told you total is $6.35. Wouldn't that bother you at all? I thought this was the budget board....so it's alright that a business advertises a $5 item then charges us $6.35??!!??

Have you thought about a decaffeinated coffee?

 

[eliza61]

How about you read the rules before you put misinformation on a thread. Minimums are not allowed.


My parents restuarant must be special the contract says no fees it says nothing about not being able to set a minimum charge but thanks for the tip. I'll make sure they learn how to read.As I said above no signage and they could have waived the fee. Their fault for breaking the rules and not correcting them.



You people are killing me!!! If they wasted the food it's their fault!!!!! If a store advertises a $5 sandwhich then I expect to pay $5 plus tax. Think about all the advertising we are seeing on TV now...$5 subs, Dollar Menu items, $5 meal, $5 pizza...... Now how would you like to call up and order the $5 pizza, arrive at the restaurant and be told you total is $6.35. Wouldn't that bother you at all? I thought this was the budget board....so it's alright that a business advertises a $5 item then charges us $6.35??!!??

I guess I'd feel the same way I do when the banks charge me $3.00 to use my debit card. I either chose to pay it or not. Last time I checked I still had that option.

 

[ajk912]

These small business owners complaining about high prices need to use paypal. 30 cents flat fee plus 3%- I just did a $14 transaction and was charged 82 cents. Especially for the one who said it it's a one horse town and they pay $375 a month carrying costs for 9 customers..uh..paypal!!!

 

[iggbees]

i couldn't believe when i went to a shell station the other day and used my credit card only to find out that they charge .10$ more a gallon if you don't use cash. i mean, seriously? is the credit card fee really killing them that much? needless to say, i've learned where NOT to shop for gas. their loss.

 

[daughtersrus]

You can have a minimum, you can't charge the customer a fee for using a cc.

I'm jumping in this very late so this may have already been addressed.

According to VISA, they may not set a minimum purchase, at least in the US.

From the VISA web site...Minimum Purchase
Visa merchants are not permitted to establish minimum transaction amounts, even on sale items. They also are not permitted to charge you a fee when you want to use your Visa card.


As for the business owners, no one is forcing them to accept credit cards at all. If they choose to accept them, they need to abide by the agreement that they sign.

 

[daughtersrus]

i couldn't believe when i went to a shell station the other day and used my credit card only to find out that they charge .10$ more a gallon if you don't use cash. i mean, seriously? is the credit card fee really killing them that much? needless to say, i've learned where NOT to shop for gas. their loss.

I wonder if some states have laws against this. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and I don't know any gas station that gives discounts for using cash.

We do have several that will give you a discount only if you use their credit card. These are the ones that get me. They advertise a low price on the signs at the street but until you get really close, you can't read the small print that says only if you use their credit card. Cash or other credit cards are charged the higher priced listed below.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I wonder if some states have laws against this. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and I don't know any gas station that gives discounts for using cash.

We do have several that will give you a discount only if you use their credit card. These are the ones that get me. They advertise a low price on the signs at the street but until you get really close, you can't read the small print that says only if you use their credit card. Cash or other credit cards are charged the higher priced listed below.

Things have been like tht in NJ the past few months. In the past there was never 2 different prices.. one for cash and one for credit. Now almost ever gas station I go to says that.

 

[Kathi OD]

Which I am sure is contributing heavily to the death of the dollar menu. I guess as a society if we expect that kind of convenience (not having to carry cash at all) then we should expect prices to go up.

not to mention the charge for the previously free condiments that many on this board have been lamenting.

 

[nosoupforyou]

Since it's listed in the VISA policy (in writing) that merchants are not allowed to state a minimum charg, just save your receipts and then dispute the charges with VISA. VISA will have to take off those charges or change their policy.

 

[eliza61]

Since it's listed in the VISA policy (in writing) that merchants are not allowed to state a minimum charg, just save your receipts and then dispute the charges with VISA. VISA will have to take off those charges or change their policy.

I think that's why op was peeved, she said she contacted visa and her cards financial institute and they would not do any thing.

This looks like one of those issues where the banks are deciding they rather po the consumer rather than the businesses.

Unfortunately I see this as a bit of a non issue, only because once again we are too hooked on credit and convienence.
People don't carry cash anymore so business are not going to return to "cash only" payments. Any time Mcdonalds starts taking cards you can forget about it.
Businesses (my families restuarant included) are going to recoup the high charges by either imposing fees or setting minimun $$ amounts (flame away, it is what it is).
Highly doubt that visa/mastercard is going to start enforcing its so called policy.

Sort of like disney and ticket prices. We can complain all we want about how high they are getting and how downhill the quality is going but until we actually stop visiting..... The power is really with the consumer. If you don't like the policy you can object with your pocket book.

 

[jlima]

My son's high school uses a 3rd party to collect tuition; and they charged an extra 3% if I used a cc to charge the tuition. I though it would be a great way to pick up Disney Visa rewards points, but not if I have to pay 3%.

 

[dzneelvr]

I had to research this issue when 2 small retail stores within the organization I manage began to see HUGE increases in the credit card charges from the carriers appear on the monthly payables. The card companies are increasing the per transaction fee and if you are a business owner who has a majority of lower-end purchases (thus increased transactions), you are simply making a viable business decision to pass the increase on to the card holder. Either a per transaction fee or a minimum purchase would do. We chose the minimum purchase because the contracts already set out would not allow us to do the per transaction fee. We totally understand that it is not as convenient for the buyer, but using the card costs the store money and it really needs to be put back on the buyer because they are deciding to use a card and not cash. Our minimum is currently $5 but that may go up. Welcome to the credit crisis!

 

[daughtersrus]

I think that's why op was peeved, she said she contacted visa and her cards financial institute and they would not do any thing.

I think that she said that she called them. If she were to file a complaint in writing to the dispute address on her statement, they would have to investigate it as a charge back.

Of course doing it this way would be more for the principle of the matter since it's going to cost her pretty close to the 50 Cents in postage. But, if the merchant gets enough charge backs for this reason, they may decide to abide by the contract that they signed with Visa. It going to cost them money to reply to Visa regarding the dispute.

 

[daughtersrus]

I was at a very large craft show last week. There was one booth that had a sign saying that there was a $5.00 fee for any credit card purchases under $30.00. Guess what, no one was in their booth. The average price of their items was under $30.00 so you would have to purchase multiple items if you wanted to use your card. My friend commented on their sign as we walked by and several women said that since they decided not to purchase from them because of this.

We did purchase something from the booth across from them and that seller said that she noticed very little sales at that booth.

They were new to this show so I think that if they decide to come back next year, they might re-think their credit card policy.