Supermarket Tantrums

[Evil Queen]

This part I know, but as the debit cards are different in that they pull from your account, rather than being, well, credit cards, I wanted to know if the rules of the Visa/Mastercard merchant agreements were the same for them.

Sorry, I didn't understand the question. Yes, the rules are the same.

[Auto]

I don't have a debit card. Only a credit card.

When I try to pay with a CC where the amount is less than what the store considers its minimum amount, I tell them to just up the charge to that minimum.

Then as I am literally leaving the store, I'm on the phone with the CC company to dispute the charge.

In EVERY instance, the CC card refunds me the amount of the up-charge and in a handful of cases, they're refunded me the entire charge. (Usually that's when Subway tries to charge me more than my sandwich costs.)

I've stood my ground when the clerk refuses to up the charge to the store minimum while also refusing to run the transaction at the face amount. The clerk must think I'll just pay with cash if he waits me out. But I never carry cash.

Sorry, but I'm not paying more just so the store doesn't have to pay the CC more.

[Broomjockey]

Sorry, I didn't understand the question. Yes, the rules are the same.

's okay. I only knew because I asked a while ago >_< Thanks

[Andara Bledin]

First, debit vs credit in the US. The rules are not the same.

For a debit (you punch in your PIN), there can be a fee, and there can be a minimum.

For a credit (no PIN, but you sign a slip), there cannot be a fee. Not only is it against the merchant agreement with the card providers, but in several states, it's also quite illegal. California is one of those states.

In those states, if a merchant charges a fee for the use of a credit card, you can demand it be refunded. If the merchant refuses to refund it, you then file a complaint and the merchant must refund the fee, and at some point, they will also have to pay penalties as well, based on number of days (I can't remember what starts the count), that is paid to the card holder.

And yet, Visa/MC in their merchant-fucking glory say you can't have a minimum amount or charge extra for using their cards.

See above. In many states, it's illegal for a merchant to charge a fee.

^-.-^

[SuperB]

The way I word it is any purchase under $2 has to be cash. We get a lot of the barely adult crowd wanting to buy those .25 cent laffy taffy sticks and charge it. Doing so is costing us .28 cents plus the percentage.

No Freakin Way!! Those customers I don't need or want.

We're just getting a new debit set up so anything under $3 will be either cash or debit with the charge I have to pay per transaction passed on to the customer.

Why anyone would think a business should lose money on a transaction is beyond me and Visa/MC can kiss my arse.

[CorDarei]

...We're just getting a new debit set up so anything under $3 will be either cash or debit with the charge I have to pay per transaction passed on to the customer.

didn't people earlier in the thread say this is illegal?

Why anyone would think a business should lose money on a transaction is beyond me and Visa/MC can kiss my arse.

then don't accept credit as a form of payment... look at mcD's and other places who have done it for so long.

[Emrld]

when you sign up to use a credit card and or debit will send you information about that specific card
each and every cards rules can be different
there are state and local laws that also have to be looked at
so it can't be said flat out if the rules are the same or different

my card if used as debit charges me a fee - same card used as credit no fee. Yes, the money is still pulled automatically out of my checking acount either way.

[Broomjockey]

didn't people earlier in the thread say this is illegal?


then don't accept credit as a form of payment... look at mcD's and other places who have done it for so long.

Actually, if you look again, they said it's illegal for credit, but SuperB is doing it for DEBIT. Which Andara specifically said isn't illegal.

[SuperB]

Yep. For debit you can charge a fee. And I intend to. As for the minimum, if it weren't such a constant problem it wouldn't have come up but it is a constant problem and so we have a minimum. Like I said, 25 cent customers who don't care if it's costing me money I don't want.

[Kogarashi]

And this is why I generally don't complain when stores do have a minimum purchase amount. Illegal or not, I can see why they do it and I'd rather they set a minimum than just arbitrarily charge me an extra fee. At least with a minimum, it's my choice whether or not to actually meet that minimum and charge it. With the fee, they often don't warn you.

When I sell stuff online (eBay or elsewhere), I tell credit card customers to contact me first before they try to pay to my PayPal. I've got my own account set up that doesn't take CCs, because the last time I upgraded to do so, PayPal charged me a fee on every transaction regardless of whether it was CC or not. So I downgraded again and upgraded Hubby's PayPal instead. Anyone who wants to pay me with a CC can send it to Hubby's account instead of mine.

[Andara Bledin]

You are actually allowed to have two separate PayPal accounts.

One would be your personal account, which can't accept credit cards and has a transfer limit, but doesn't have any fees.

The other would be either premier or business (two different types of account), which can accept credit cards, but also pays a fee on every transaction.

^-.-^

[Kogarashi]

Well, good to know. Thanks, Andara.

Of course, considering Hubby never needs to use his PayPal account anyway, it's almost officially mine (all it needs is an e-mail switch).

[Andara Bledin]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that when you list on eBay, you are not allowed to accept PayPal and not accept credit card payments (actually, I don't think you can advertise PayPal and not accept credit card payments, no matter the location). But you are allowed to have your eBay account attached to your personal PayPal account, and require that anyone wishing to use a credit card for a PayPal purchase contact you for the "professional" PayPal account information.

^-.-^

[Peppergirl]

I've stood my ground when the clerk refuses to up the charge to the store minimum while also refusing to run the transaction at the face amount. The clerk must think I'll just pay with cash if he waits me out. But I never carry cash.

Did it occur to you that the clerk is likely just doing their job, and is most likely NOT in control of whether or not he/she takes the card at face value or rounds up or whatever? As we all know, many workers are instructed to do annoying things to KEEP THEIR JOBS, so why take it out on them? If you don't like the policy, complain to a manager.

[Kogarashi]

And Auto's example there is one where it would be a contest of stubbornness, because I wouldn't dare do anything that would jeopardize my job just because some customer doesn't like the minimum and wants me to do something I can't do on the register. I get paid to stand there. They don't.

But that's a moot point anyway because Wal-Mart, last I checked, doesn't set minimum purchase amounts.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that when you list on eBay, you are not allowed to accept PayPal and not accept credit card payments (actually, I don't think you can advertise PayPal and not accept credit card payments, no matter the location). But you are allowed to have your eBay account attached to your personal PayPal account, and require that anyone wishing to use a credit card for a PayPal purchase contact you for the "professional" PayPal account information.

^-.-^

I'll make sure to not forget that. It's what I already do, and it annoys me when buyers don't pay attention to that note on the auction, in the payment details, and on the invoice I send, so I have to refuse the payment and contact them again to tell them what's what.