XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books   
   From: lcraver@home.ca   
      
   On Mon, 12 Aug 2013 00:39:46 -0600, Greg Goss  wrote:   
      
   >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.   
      
   You're describing the Canadian situation.   
      
   I confess that as a merchant I really really really hate the current   
   VISA campaign encouraging people to use their card for small purchases   
   since the discount rate the merchant pays goes up as their average   
   sale gets smaller. And I pay several thousand dollars each month for   
   my credit card processing so believe me I pay attention.   
      
   As a merchant what _most_ drives me crazy is that there is no   
   indication on my copy of the credit card sales receipt that indicates   
   what type of credit card it is since there are 4 or 5 catagories each   
   with their own separate fee schedule.   
      
   This prevents the merchant from effectively audinting their fees to   
   ensure they are being correctly charged. The power of the banks is   
   such they can get away from doing this. It's the equivalent of me   
   giving my customers an un-itemized bill and I don't need to explain   
   customer reaction if I did that! (Even if I was unfailingly correct   
   and the banks DO make mistakes and lots of them)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)