Using your credit card could cost you

A settlement reached with credit card companies will now allow merchants to charge customers an additional fee to use a credit card as opposed to paying with cash or check. Art Lieberman, who has a credit card processing company for campgrounds, summarizes it:

Retailers have long desired to charge customers who pay with plastic rather than cash. These charges would defray the transaction costs to retailers which, of course, increases the costs of goods and services since these charges are passed on to consumers. But Visa and MasterCard had banned the practice and part of their rules required that retailers follow those rules or lose the card services altogether. It was permitted to discount prices for cash, but they may not add charges for credit card transactions.

The settlement allows just that, though the fees may not exceed their actual costs. Also, those fees cannot be charged when you use a debit card. The rules will not affect users of Discover and American Express.If you get a cash reward for using your credit card, that  could be negated by the additional fees when making a purchase.

It may pay for RVers to shop where they can get cash back or to bank at a national bank where they can get cash without the fee to pay for RV park stays and fuel. (Fees, fees, fees!)

The ruling hasn't gone into effect, but could very soon. The question is whether merchants will charge the additional fee or continue to absorb it. Time will tell. You can read more of Art Lieberman's explanation at RV Daily Report. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Comments

[Jelane Kennedy]

While traveling in Utah last year a cafe in Cedar City we visited was charging an extra fee for using your credit card. They had a tiny sign posted near the cash register, that I did not see.

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

I just noticed something on the Web where the price included a 3% credit card fee. It does cost a merchant more to take a credit card. I am surprised when I ask a store owner if he'd/she'd prefer a check over a credit card and they say it doesn't matter.

Jaimie