XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books   
   From: droleary@4usenet2013.subsume.com   
      
   In article ,   
    Greg Goss  wrote:   
      
   > YourName@YourISP.com (Your Name) wrote:   
   >   
   > >> Most of our shops have signs up stating no card transactions under $10.   
   > >> Some even have a $20 limit.   
   > >   
   > >I never seen a sign like that here in New Zealand. I have seen signs in   
   > >some food retailers (fast food, local bakery, etc.) that won't accept   
   > >credit cards and/or cheques for payment.   
   > >   
   > >I did once try to buy something that was "on sale" at something like NZ$2   
   > >using my credit card and they said they "coudn't" process the transaction   
   > >at the sale price on a credit card, but would  "have to" use the ful price   
   > >instead ... probably quasi-illegal, but I was in a hurry and didn't have   
   > >time to bother arguing about it with them, so I just put it back (I didn't   
   > >have any cash).   
   >   
   > The contract between the retailer and the card company here has all   
   > sorts of language abouyt always charging the same price for card   
   > purchases.  Of course in the negotiating process, before a price has   
   > been established yet, he can ask you if you're gonna use a card.  For   
   > a while gas stations had a "discount for cash" but that seems to have   
   > disappeared.   
   >   
   > Our debit cards are not visa/mastercard, and allow the merchant more   
   > flexibility.  So I often see signs "no Interac purchases under $5",   
   > and even occasionally a small surcharge (oin the order of $0.25) for   
   > interac use.   
      
   The future of money is another fun thing to ponder.  How long will it be   
   before companies themselves decide to insulate themselves from the   
   nonsense of banking?  It might make sense, for example, to have a   
   company form a subsidiary that handles *all* credit card transactions at   
   the most favorable level (e.g., $20 minimum), which is applied to a   
   company "gift card" that can be processed without extra fees.  It's   
   certainly done online already with various "points" systems.   
      
   --   
   iPhone apps that matter:    http://appstore.subsume.com/   
   My personal UDP list: 127.0.0.1, localhost, googlegroups.com, theremailer.net,   
       and probably your server, too.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)