Charges for using credit cards?

Just started noticing this around town, a TON of small businesses here are now charging 5% to USE a credit card. Many of the gas stations also don't tell you, but the price increases after you put your card in. Is this something I'm just now noticing?

I rarely have cash and I understand that it costs the businesses money to have a machine, but sometimes you just have to get with modern times.

does that include debit cards? and good morning to you

GOOD MORNING. LOL, been a while on that.

And yes, it includes debit cards...

Just started noticing this around town, a TON of small businesses here are now charging 5% to USE a credit card. Many of the gas stations also don't tell you, but the price increases after you put your card in. Is this something I'm just now noticing?

I rarely have cash and I understand that it costs the businesses money to have a machine, but sometimes you just have to get with modern times.

Its a combo. Its mostly the charge of Visa and Mastercard and then the lesser merchant services of a bank imposing fees to process electronic transactions. Most people assume the processing of trillions of electronic purchases should be as free as universal health care. The business is forced then to pass the rising cost to the customer. Remember all the legislation against credit card companies in the pass year? this is likely affect, remember just because laws changes companies' bottomlines do not.

Its a combo. Its mostly the charge of Visa and Mastercard and then the lesser merchant services of a bank imposing fees to process electronic transactions. Most people assume the processing of trillions of electronic purchases should be as free as universal health care. The business is forced then to pass the rising cost to the customer. Remember all the legislation against credit card companies in the pass year? this is likely affect, remember just because laws changes companies' bottomlines do not.

See, I've been wondering about this kind of information. Many of the businesses also have these giant signs up saying, "CREDIT CARD COMPANIES ARE KILLING US!"

It's just a little off-putting and I understand they have costs, but maybe I'd rather see it in the price where it's something that's just hidden, rather than right in my face. :P

See, I've been wondering about this kind of information. Many of the businesses also have these giant signs up saying, "CREDIT CARD COMPANIES ARE KILLING US!"

It's just a little off-putting and I understand they have costs, but maybe I'd rather see it in the price where it's something that's just hidden, rather than right in my face. :P

i agree. I think 5% is excessive, mostly mom and pop shops are the people charging it. Its just so damn hard to carry cash these days.

See, I've been wondering about this kind of information. Many of the businesses also have these giant signs up saying, "CREDIT CARD COMPANIES ARE KILLING US!"

It's just a little off-putting and I understand they have costs, but maybe I'd rather see it in the price where it's something that's just hidden, rather than right in my face. :P

If I pay cash why should I have to pay for the cost of people who use a credit card?

This is a direct result of all that legislation passed to reform credit card companies and banks. Enjoy. Wait until you buy a new house and everthing that is associated with your closing has also gone up because of those same laws.

i agree. I think 5% is excessive, mostly mom and pop shops are the people charging it. Its just so damn hard to carry cash these days.

I have no problem carrying cash so please send me any money you have trouble carrying. I'm guess the 5% they are charging is on a small purchase and not a larg one.

But I think over the years that the number of people who pay with a credit card has gone up exponentially. In the end, I kind of think that it's the responsibility of the store to take care of the charges if they want repeat customers. There are places we don't eat at here specifically because they don't take credit cards.

Call it laziness or call it whatever you like, but I don't want to have to run to the ATM to take out twenty bucks to pay for my dinner.

It's not an issue of not liking to carry money, it's just an electronic age where my check is automatically deposited, my bills are automatically paid and my bank sends checks to anyone else who doesn't take cards.

i agree. I think 5% is excessive, mostly mom and pop shops are the people charging it. Its just so damn hard to carry cash these days.

Absolutely. I needed a new cable for my bass and I do like to support local business, so I went to the music store, and sure, I don't mind paying a few extra bucks to do that. But now with these 5% fees, they are REALLY not making it easy to support them. I can get it online for a quarter of the price... :(