Refusing payment by credit card?!

[Hedy]

I wonder if state laws superced the cc company. We were shocked when we were in California on vacation and everyone asked for our ID..I asked why, and was told it was the law. Stores don't ask for ID in NY, and I thought it was a law, since it was news a few years ago, when they stopped.



Wow, I find this really interesting that someone who knows nothing about me or others on this board, would make such a snarky remark, with the "I thought not".

I know I have the money to cover what I purchase. And yes, of course I keep the receipts. Why on earth would you assume not? This is a Disney board, not a credit card board, where you have to slap hands of those who don't use cash. I prob have about $3-5 in my wallet right now. I saw prob, because I haven't opened my wallet in weeks, except to take out my credit card LOL.

Seriously. Why should I carry cash (and get nothing) when my credit and debit cars (cc's paid in full each month) get me rewards? Why turn down free money?

 

[powellrj]

I know most people won't agree with me, but I really value my local small businesses and I do anything I can to help them stay in business because I really don't want my town to be taken over by large chains.

I shop at our local music store because I am dealing with someone I trust. While they don't "forbid" credit cards for small purchases, they explain to people how much it costs them when you charge a $1 string or a couple of dollars worth of guitar picks. Once I knew how expensive it is for a small business to process a charge, I always try to pay for small purchases in cash.

If I lose a couple of reward points because I paid cash for an ice cream cone, I would rather do that to help keep the small local guy in business than to have him close because he can't compete with Dairy Queen.

Sure they can raise their prices to cover the cost of the credit card purchase, but I would rather them keep the prices low and I will in turn thank them by using cash.

Like I said, I know most people won't agree with me, but I will do whatever it takes to help the little guy compete.

 

[mtblujeans]

.....and they were really rude when they expressed the degree to which they did not care.

 

[undertheradar]

The cardholder has zero liability (or almost zero) in the event of fradulent charges. Which is why it's far safer to use credit cards than debit cards.

Is it possible to rent a room at the Marriott with cash and refuse to show ID?
If not, then what they are really doing is requiring ID to rent a room (perfectly within their rights), not requiring ID to use a credit card for a purchase.

I'm not sure why you're still arguing this. The merchant agreement is very clear. Just because some stores violate their agreement doesn't mean they are "within their rights".

I also don't know why you keep insisting that "Visa/MC does not dictate business policy". Any merchant is free to make the decision not to accept credit cards, but if they choose to accept Visa/MC, then they must abide by the rules related to Visa/MC transactions.

I'm not arguing, I'm providing the counter to your statement. Visa/MC DOES NOT DICTATE BUSINESS POLICY. State and Local laws supercede the cc agreement. There are areas here in CA that do not accept ccs at the pump, the buyer must go inside and provide ID to purchase. This is due to fraud and the merchants are well within standards of business to require it. The credit card companies do not protect the merchant and many merchants have instituted policies that protect themselves from fraud.

I am not sure why you are still arguing this, as the Visa/MC merchant agreement is not a failsafe. Years ago the credit card issuers provided rental car "protection" for card holders. The loophole was that the card holder's insurance was primary, with the credit card issuers providing secondary coverage. The problem was many card holders refused to provide insurance information if the rental car was damaged or destroyed. The rental car agencies were forced to wait while the credit card companies denied responsibility and created the business practice that the rental car agencies refused to accept the credit card "protection" due to lack of coverage. The rental car agencies were waiting an average of 6 months for payment for damage, an impossible period of time to keep a vehicle out of operation. Many of those cases required suing all parties involved to get the damages due the rental car agencies. This is an example of the credit card issuers attempting to dictate policy and the refusal of the industry to accept it.

As for the hotel industry, a cash paying customer is required to provide ID as well. The ID is required to obtain the room as well as if paying for the room with any form of payment. Numerous times people would arrive with someone else's credit card and be shocked that they were not allowed a room. If the ID did not match the name on the cc, the customer was denied the room. I could go on and on, but it goes to reason that the ID requirement is a business standard to protect both the card holder and the merchant. I would question any business not protecting itself by requiring ID.

 

[seashoreCM]

Years ago the credit card issuers provided rental car "protection" for card holders. The loophole was that the card holder's insurance was primary, with the credit card issuers providing secondary coverage. The problem was many card holders refused to provide insurance information if the rental car was damaged or destroyed. The rental car agencies were forced to wait while the credit card companies denied responsibility and created the business practice that the rental car agencies refused to accept the credit card "protection" due to lack of coverage. The rental car agencies were waiting an average of 6 months for payment for damage, an impossible period of time to keep a vehicle out of operation. Many of those cases required suing all parties involved to get the damages due the rental car agencies. ..

The renter is responsible for the accident and the car company can come after the renter personally. The credit card rental car coverage protects the renter (card holder), not the rental company.

But the rental company may not refuse to rent out the car if the renter meets the qualifications according to the company's rules and declines the company's own collision coverage (CDW, LDW, etc.) published as optional.

Rental companies face a similar delay if the renter does not have the coverage on his car back at home and also does not pay promptly.

 

[Tazicket]

If I lose a couple of reward points because I paid cash for an ice cream cone, I would rather do that to help keep the small local guy in business than to have him close because he can't compete with Dairy Queen.
...
Like I said, I know most people won't agree with me, but I will do whatever it takes to help the little guy compete.

Probably not super relevant at this point, but the business was a large chain- not a small local place.

Like you, DH and I are all for supporting the local places. We just happened to go to a large chain that night.

 

[rparmfamily]

LOL, this is still going on...

Well, if it's a large chain I wouldn't go back unless they have something you HAVE to have.

 

[Tazicket]

LOL, this is still going on...

Well, if it's a large chain I wouldn't go back unless they have something you HAVE to have.

I know! I'm a little surprised that it's still here, too. We won't go back. There's plenty of other places in town to get ice cream that take cards.

 

[disneysteve]

I know most people won't agree with me, but I really value my local small businesses and I do anything I can to help them stay in business because I really don't want my town to be taken over by large chains.

I understand, respect and agree with you to an extent. However, I often wonder, what happens when your local small business succeeds and grows. Do you stop shopping there because they've gotten too big? Sam Walton started with one five and dime in Arkansas and every other large chain you can think of started with one store. They all started as small businesses. At what point is a small business no longer a small business?

Irrelevant to the original thread, so sorry for going OT. Just one of those things that makes me think.

 

[KirstenB]

I know most people won't agree with me, but I really value my local small businesses and I do anything I can to help them stay in business because I really don't want my town to be taken over by large chains.

I shop at our local music store because I am dealing with someone I trust. While they don't "forbid" credit cards for small purchases, they explain to people how much it costs them when you charge a $1 string or a couple of dollars worth of guitar picks. Once I knew how expensive it is for a small business to process a charge, I always try to pay for small purchases in cash.

If I lose a couple of reward points because I paid cash for an ice cream cone, I would rather do that to help keep the small local guy in business than to have him close because he can't compete with Dairy Queen.

Sure they can raise their prices to cover the cost of the credit card purchase, but I would rather them keep the prices low and I will in turn thank them by using cash.

Like I said, I know most people won't agree with me, but I will do whatever it takes to help the little guy compete.

I feel exactly the same way! We live in a very small county west of Richmond. We don't have any big box stores, the closest thing we have to them is 2 Food Lions! Anyway, I do try to carry $20 in cash, so I can pay for small items out of that. I want our mom n pop restaurants and convenience stores to thrive. We've been very grateful for the service they provide, especially during storm season.