Credit Card Charges

[Mr Fish]

If the danger of getting robbed while holding cash to pay for the stuff worries you more than the cost of paying by credit and the surcharge, then use cash loh. If not, then use credit card... It's up to you to judge what are the chances of getting robbed. Simple as that.

The shops are profit organisations, so it's not fair to insist they absorb the charges anyway. If we expect them to pass on all cost savings to consumers, then most prob they won't last long?

Alternatively, think of the issue this way...the shops are offering you a convenient and safe way to pay. Afterall, it's not their responsibility to make sure u dun get robbed on the way to buy stuff from them right? See it as a small fee to guarantee your safety loh. Heh heh...

However, perhaps it is dishonest of some shops to tell you "We'll charge you extra 4% for credit card charges" when they only incur for example 2% extra. Guess what i'm saying is, as consumers, just do our homework and factor in all costs and decide which place is the cheapest loh...

 

[Watcher]

If credit cards are so much a burden, why do shops and businesses want them? To earn the 2%?

I feel that the surcharge is a part of the cost of operating a business. If they want to earn money, they must provide services, sometime with a little cost, sometimes a lot. It is up to the shop to decide if it is worth it.

On the other hand, we the consumers must decide that if the shop decides to pass us the buck or even charge us more, should we think it is worth it. If YOU as a consumer don't think so, walk away. There is no obligation for you to buy. Make sure that the seller knows the reason why they are losing you business.

 

[YSLee]

Tsk.

Profit margins at AP is 3-4%, and that is gross, not net. When they absorb CC charges I doubt they'll be able to provide their current standard of service or pricing (or both). If you don't want to pay the extra charges, you can buy your stuff at Harvy Norman, no extra CC charges for sure. :devil:

D100 $3488 - 1GB Flash $300, you'll need at least 2 nets card to pay them that's why. The longer you hold cash on yourself you gain the interest.

Wot, hold cash on 0.75% interest PA? Here's a better way to hold on to cash: DON'T BUY.

 

[Stoppable]

I think cc users really don't mind the retailer passing on the cost of the cc charges to us. But to take an extra on the surcharge is taking advantage of the situation.

Anyway, the convinience of cc goes both ways. Imagine if everyone paid with cash, everynight when they close shop it will take alot of time just to count them, then bring them to a cash deposit machine and deposit. Some may have to leave the cash at the shop because it may not be safe, but is the cash safer in the shop? I wonder....

Anyway, charging above the actual surcharge will kill cc usage. Defeats the government's aim for a cashless society..

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by Stoppable

Anyway, charging above the actual surcharge will kill cc usage. Defeats the government's aim for a cashless society..

Oh no! AP's terrible practices are defeating the Gahmen's aim. Quick! Report them to the Gahmen!

BOYCOTT SHOPS THAT CHARGE LOW PRICES AND CHARGE ABOVE THE CC SURCHARGE!

BUY FROM SHOPS THAT CHARGE HIGHER PRICES BUT DON'T CHARGE YOU EXTRA FOR CC USE!

everyone now 'go harvey, go harvey, go harvey norman'

 

[zekai]

when i was an insurance agent, if my client pay premium by credit card.

I actually absorb 2%. Meaning 2% deducted from my commission.

My client never knew about it, maybe they think my insurance company absorb, haha. It was actually me.

just extra information

 

[newuser]

Originally posted by vince
Lets see EOS1Ds = $12800..nets limit $2000, cheque take 2 days to clear and CP oni accept if super regular. So how? Walk around with $13K cash and hope you don't get robbed? Or, zzzaapp! sign and write cheque for full amount later to card company?

EOS10D = $2650...nets limit, still $2000...so grab cash...ATM card max out per say I think is $2000... still $650 short hmm...bugger the hassle and zzaaap sign again...

Not everyone lives on credit. Some use it for convenience. Don't be so quick to judge.

For such a larger purchase, sometimes the amount even exceeds the credit limit of the credit card.

Some of us got large bank accounts but low pay.

The alternative solution is to use a Debit card. Since a debit card deducts directly from the bank, the amount of credit is the amount of money you have in the bank.

So signing for $10K or more is not a problem, If you actually have that amount in the bank.

Only downside is though the debit card works like a NETS in a sense it don't "borrow money", it still needs to pay the surcharge like a regular VISA or MASTERCARD.

I used my cards to pay for my schools fees as they don't charge me the 2% and I get to earn points for my card. So I never pay via cheques.

I feel either the card issuer or VISA/MASTERCARD/AMEX should crack down on these merchants charging the customer when they pay using their cards.
Otherwise, who will want to use their cards anymore during payment?

 

[Watcher]

Originally posted by zekai
when i was an insurance agent, if my client pay premium by credit card.

I actually absorb 2%. Meaning 2% deducted from my commission.

My client never knew about it, maybe they think my insurance company absorb, haha. It was actually me.

just extra information

Precisely because you wanted to give good service, right? That is the point: the merchant has to consider if the 2-4% is more important than the service. If zekai can absorb the 2%, why can't the other shops, keeping at the same price, absorb it? Mind you, he is a sole proprietor with far less revenue than the shops in question.

If extra service cost more, does it mean that if I step into the shop and talk long long with the shop assistant(s), I must pay more $$$ for my product just because I take up more of their time, vs me just grabbing and paying for a product? Time == money right?

Sacasm is the sign of a weak mind.

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by Watcher
Precisely because you wanted to give good service, right? That is the point: the merchant has to consider if the 2-4% is more important than the service. If zekai can absorb the 2%, why can't the other shops, keeping at the same price, absorb it? Mind you, he is a sole proprietor with far less revenue than the shops in question.

If AP sold their cameras at the same price as Harvey Norman, I'm sure they will be 100% willing to absorb the credit card surcharge. Rather than absorb 2% credit card surcharge for credit card paying customers, why not give 2% discount to ALL customers? (general example, insurance agents may not be allowed to give discounts by their company... details differ)

hypothetical, old price example:

Shop A charges you say $3800 for a DSLR and absorbs credit charge surcharge = GOOD service

Shop B charges you $3500+4% credit card surcharge ($3640) for D100 = BAD service.

 

[Watcher]

Originally posted by erwinx
If AP sold their cameras at the same price as Harvey Norman, I'm sure they will be 100% willing to absorb the credit card surcharge. Rather than absorb 2% credit card surcharge for credit card paying customers, why not give 2% discount to ALL customers? (general example, insurance agents may not be allowed to give discounts by their company... details differ)

hypothetical, old price example:

Shop A charges you say $3800 for a DSLR and absorbs credit charge surcharge = GOOD service

Shop B charges you $3500+4% credit card surcharge ($3640) for D100 = BAD service.

Then why don't AP be like CP? All prices the same, regardless of payment method? The simple reason is that they want to compete on price. This is the price (pun intended) that they have to pay. The products have a Recommended Retail Price too, if you compare it to the insurance agent example, although, admittedly there is less leeway for the agent than for AP/CP. Zekai could have told the client that 2% surcharge will be levied, but why did he not?

As I had said, it is the merchant's duty to inform the buyer that the surcharge will be applied if the merchant does not want to absorb it, it is then the buyer's choice on whether to go ahead with the transaction in spite of the surcharge.

Story: I went around looking for a LCD screen at Sim Lim recently. A new shop was selling a LCD screen up to $80 (about 10%) cheaper and even willing to absorb Visa charges. Why would the other shop price it so high and not absorb the charges?

 

[RuthBaby]

i thot tt was a norm practise whenever u buy stuffz? ;p

 

[Stoppable]

Originally posted by Watcher


Story: I went around looking for a LCD screen at Sim Lim recently. A new shop was selling a LCD screen up to $80 (about 10%) cheaper and even willing to absorb Visa charges. Why would the other shop price it so high and not absorb the charges?

This would be one of the Good shops that we should patronise. Mind telling the rest of us what shop this is?

 

[Watcher]

Originally posted by Stoppable
This would be one of the Good shops that we should patronise. Mind telling the rest of us what shop this is?

It is a new shop on 4th or 5th level, when you come up the escalator, walk in the same direction. At the first LEFT turning.

 

[Bean]

Taxi compancies charge 10% on top of the taxi fare if you decide to use credit card.

Unreasonable? I think so.

 

[newuser]

Originally posted by Bean
Taxi compancies charge 10% on top of the taxi fare if you decide to use credit card.

Unreasonable? I think so.

Not only that, it's only for above $15.

I have seen some cabs write that in black markers inside the cab.

I wonder if the $15 and above rule applies to all cabs or only that taxi driver only.

What if a foreigner gets into a cab at Changi and alights at a hotel and it's less than $15, he will not be allowed to pay via card and he does not have local currency yet. will the driver, charge $15 for the journey?

 

[baobei]

Originally posted by newuser
Not only that, it's only for above $15.

I have seen some cabs write that in black markers inside the cab.

I wonder if the $15 and above rule applies to all cabs or only that taxi driver only.

What if a foreigner gets into a cab at Changi and alights at a hotel and it's less than $15, he will not be allowed to pay via card and he does not have local currency yet. will the driver, charge $15 for the journey?

I think its the cab company policy, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Watcher]

Originally posted by baobei
I think its the cab company policy, correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct. Only Citycab has this limitation. Comfort has no such limitation.

 

[zekai]

actually dun have this $15 min.
that time the driver dun let me use say must be above $20 then can use cc.

I told him my father is a taxi-driver you want to bluff me!

He then "tolong" with me coz its a lot of trouble to him as he get the money after a month or so...

So I went home upstair to give him the cash that i am short of.

 

[newuser]

Originally posted by zekai
actually dun have this $15 min.
that time the driver dun let me use say must be above $20 then can use cc.

I told him my father is a taxi-driver you want to bluff me!

He then "tolong" with me coz its a lot of trouble to him as he get the money after a month or so...

So I went home upstair to give him the cash that i am short of.

I kind of suspected it's not the company's policy as the Minimum $15 is written using a black marker on the "We accept the following cards.."sticker.

He wrote it in English and Chinese.

If it is a company policy, shouldn't the rule be printed on the sticker and pasted on itstead of using a black marker?

Anyway, I find the $15 min, too high, cos not many places in singapore you travel to cost more than $15.

If he state $10, still reasonable. As some companies, like supermarkets, do state a min of $10 for credit card payment.

Sometimes I enclosed $20 in my Cashcard (my NTUCLINK) just in case, one day I hop into a cab and forgot to draw money, at least I will have $20 inside the cash card to pay.

Since Cash card have no surcharge unlike Credit Card, it's better too.

 

[Watcher]

The Citycab one is real; it came out on the papers. That is why I switched. I travel a lot on cabs for my company and where I work (Science Park I), I sometime run out of cash (about $50-60 of cabfare a week! ).

As I don't want the hassle, I switched from a Citycab supporter to a frequent Comfort user. All Comfort cabs have the machine to handle the transaction and they CANNOT reject a request to use a card. Of course, my company not happy, but it is only during rare occasion, once or twice a month only so...