[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by charlie1

Have you ever wondered why you see more companies going to Credit/Debit Card only payments. Turns out that it is more cost effective in the big picture. The company does not have to worry about keeping cash/change, employee theft, counting and balancing cash throughout the day, etc. Using only charge cards generates immediately your proceeds and almost automatically deposits them into the bank each day. All labor needed to take cash are significant cost and problems for the company but is assumed to be normal. Unfortunately, some companies still live in the past and insist they are losing all the money paid to fees. they need to look at the bigger picture! (including usually an increase in sales!)

Totally agree! Cost of doing business. Just price your product or service accordingly so you arrive at the profit you want. I can’t gripe about the fee if it is buried in the cost of the product.

[DBChris]

Went to Sumter Tire in Wildwood for a battery "to go". I knew the cost of the battery and the final cost was higher. I looked at the bill and they had a line item for "shop supplies". I questioned the woman and she basically told me it was for credit card fees. Never again.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by DBChris

Went to Sumter Tire in Wildwood for a battery "to go". I knew the cost of the battery and the final cost was higher. I looked at the bill and they had a line item for "shop supplies". I questioned the woman and she basically told me it was for credit card fees. Never again.

According to a Sumter Tire invoice, they charge a 4 percent fee for "shop supplies misc", which they describe as "costs and profits to the motor vehicle repair facility for misc shop supplies or waste disposal". I am not sure the woman you spoke with actually told you the truth. I think the 4 percent fee would be charged regardless of your payment method.

[Haggar]

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

Is it legal to charge a credit card surcharge in Florida?

Florida has a law prohibiting credit card surcharges, but that law was held unconstitutional by federal courts. Therefore, merchants in Florida may add a surcharge to credit card purchases.

§ 501.0117 Declared Unconstitutional

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court ruling and found that Florida's no-surcharge statute regulated speech and violated businesses' commercial speech rights, and thus was unconstitutional.

Be aware that no surcharges can be imposed if you are using a debit card.

Merchants are not supposed to make a profit on this practice - but the merchant may include the costs of processing the charge which includes not only their fees but their rental of equipment and other related costs. In reality most merchants are adding 4% for credit card fees and making a small profit on each transaction.

[Arctic Fox]

Businesses pay a lot less in fees when they accept a Debit card than a Credit card (usually 1% rather than 3%), so often their surcharge on a Debit card is lower.

[rothbear]

I have a very small craft business....very small....only me. I started taking Square about 6-7 years ago and find that it does increase sales volume. Although Square keeps increasing their fees I will still keep them as they don't charge a monthly fee. I have had many times when the customer asks "Do you accept cards?" and when I say that I do, they will purchase more items that they originally planned to buy. I even purchased one of their chip/tap readers so I can keep doing it.

I also don't charge an add on fee to anyone using them. I don't like them, so I don't charge them. We were at an antique store last year and I wanted several items. We are people who carry little cash and charge everything and pay it off each month. When we got to the register and discovered that they were charging 4% for CC, I put everything back except for 2 pieces. They lost sales and a customer for doing that. 4% is making an extra profit. I know because with being a low volume seller even I don't get charged that much.

[MrFlorida]

You always have the option to pay cash or check.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

You always have the option to pay cash or check.

Only if you happen to be carrying enough cash or a check at the time. I don't because I use a credit card.

There are businesses I haven't returned to because they charged a credit card fee. They probably don't miss me; I know I don't miss them.

[Birdrm]

Originally Posted by roob1

What is your take on surcharges and convenience fees applied to credit card sales in Florida? Just paid one today, and noted that Sumter County applies surcharge to tax bills paid by credit card. If I read the info linked, it appears illegal. Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine.

I looked at the options and noticed that writing a check and paying for a stamp was the cheapest way to pay each month!

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by roob1

What is your take on surcharges and convenience fees applied to credit card sales in Florida? Just paid one today, and noted that Sumter County applies surcharge to tax bills paid by credit card. If I read the info linked, it appears illegal. Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine.

The charges are now legal. While you may not get a discount if you use a credit card, sellers pay 1.5 to 3.5% to the card company. That’s like a mandatory discount on your bill, except that you don’t get it. It’s for the convenience of getting to use a card today and pay later rather than having to tote around a lot of cash. I don’t like the charges, but in some businesses, the profit margin is pretty slim.

Meanwhile, when you get your monthly bill for the Amenities Fee and trash, water, and sewage, have you ever paid that bill online using a credit card? The company that handles that charges a LOT for that convenience. Unless you are out of town, write a check and put it in an envelope and put it in the slot for Villages payments found at every Villages Postal Station when you pick up your mail. That saves you the price of a stamp (around $7.50 a year, just in postage).

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Totally agree! Cost of doing business. Just price your product or service accordingly so you arrive at the profit you want. I can’t gripe about the fee if it is buried in the cost of the product.

I like the way some gas stations deal with the issue. You pay full price for gas using a credit card, but if you get their card, that is linked to a bank account, the gas is at a discounted price reflecting no credit card service fee. Consumers paying with cash or direct debit shouldn’t be penalized with a credit card service fee. If there is no discount, I always use a credit card so I get rewards points or travel points, otherwise I use cash.

[Golfer222]

went to Palmers once a week before the surcharge- havent been back since- not the money but rather the principle

[Quickdraw]

Originally Posted by roob1

What is your take on surcharges and convenience fees applied to credit card sales in Florida? Just paid one today, and noted that Sumter County applies surcharge to tax bills paid by credit card. If I read the info linked, it appears illegal. Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine.

Florida Statute 501.0117 was held unconstitutional in the case of Dana’s RR Supply v. Fla. Attorney Gen., 807 F. 3d 1235 (11th Cir. 2015), so this law has not been effective for the past 8+ years.

[pdp07]

My choice is to not go to Palmer's. Most busineses make more money by accepting credit cards, regardless of the fees. When it hurt's enough they will drop the fee. If they don't lose enough business the fee will remain. It is that simple.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

Meanwhile, when you get your monthly bill for the Amenities Fee and trash, water, and sewage, have you ever paid that bill online using a credit card? The company that handles that charges a LOT for that convenience. Unless you are out of town, write a check and put it in an envelope and put it in the slot for Villages payments found at every Villages Postal Station when you pick up your mail. That saves you the price of a stamp (around $7.50 a year, just in postage).

...or sign up for automatic payment from your bank account