Credit card surcharge

[csutak40]

I must say that I am disappointed at the new surcharge on credit card usage.     Not as though there is another option.  All the companies I have come across so far that charge a surcharge, do provide an alternative way of paying to avoid it and/or offer to wave it for pensioners.  I suppose, I could have asked a Sydney friend to turn up at your premises and pay you cash on my behalf :-)
This is the first time I have paid for something and haven't managed to avoid a surcharge. What annoys me even more is that there is no warning that you will be charged this fee, until after you've finalised the purchase.
I suppose it is still a good deal, but I am annoyed more for the principle of the thing
I can't help but wonder if you think that the $2.23 would be worth the goodwill you lose from your customers.  It has certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. 

[Paul55]

I must say that I am disappointed at the new surcharge on credit card usage.     Not as though there is another option.  All the companies I have come across so far that charge a surcharge, do provide an alternative way of paying to avoid it and/or offer to wave it for pensioners.  I suppose, I could have asked a Sydney friend to turn up at your premises and pay you cash on my behalf :-)
This is the first time I have paid for something and haven't managed to avoid a surcharge. What annoys me even more is that there is no warning that you will be charged this fee, until after you've finalised the purchase.
I suppose it is still a good deal, but I am annoyed more for the principle of the thing
I can't help but wonder if you think that the $2.23 would be worth the goodwill you lose from your customers.  It has certainly left a bad taste in my mouth. 

Agree with all you say - in fact I started a similar thread last week! However, I did receive the warning on the screen before I went to the payment page - as well as at payment. Doesn't detract from your point of view - which I share. It smacks of gouging and doesn't sit well with me either.

[raymondjpg]

It smacks of gouging and doesn't sit well with me either.

I don't think it's gouging by IceTV, maybe thoughtlessness. Providing an option for direct payment by bank transfer would usually avoid incurring a surcharge.

I have also just incurred a $2.23 surcharge for payment on the four year discounted IceTV subscription, but calculated that while it was annoying it was still a worthwhile deal for me.

I have seen plenty of businesses starting to levy surcharges on credit card payments over the past year. I don't follow the relevant regulations too closely, but I still haven't seen anything change banking-wise to justify this. Someone tell me what is going on please? What I do see year on year is banks racking up billions of dollars in profits. That smacks to me of gouging.

[Paul55]

What I do see year on year is banks racking up billions of dollars in profits. That smacks to me of gouging.

But it's possible to avoid bank fees if you are willing to do some research.

[raymondjpg]

But it's possible to avoid bank fees if you are willing to do some research.

Sure, but think of the consequences for Australian society of banks with no profits if everyone did this. As unthinkable as a society that avoids exploitation of its fellow citizens through tax encouragement of residential property speculation.

It's not just bank fees that pump up bank profits, but the sticky fingers over every transaction done on plastic. That is more difficult to avoid while plastic offers the convenience of not having to get cash, tender it and then check the change to see that you're not being ripped off. I do recall that the Reserve Bank had aspirations to curb some of the banks' excesses in the plastic card area in recent times, but it seems to have spawned some new ways of profit recovery by our financial institutions.

[csutak40]

But it's possible to avoid bank fees if you are willing to do some research.

Sure, but think of the consequences for Australian society of banks with no profits if everyone did this. As unthinkable as a society that avoids exploitation of its fellow citizens through tax encouragement of residential property speculation.

They already make plenty of money investing our money short term while keeping it for days "transferring it" from one account to the other.  We all know that this day and age, they could transfer that money in seconds

It's not just bank fees that pump up bank profits, but the sticky fingers over every transaction done on plastic. That is more difficult to avoid while plastic offers the convenience of not having to get cash, tender it and then check the change to see that you're not being ripped off. I do recall that the Reserve Bank had aspirations to curb some of the banks' excesses in the plastic card area in recent times, but it seems to have spawned some new ways of profit recovery by our financial institutions.

Well, I am yet to pay a cent in bank fees for credit card usage and this (by IceTV) is the first time I have paid a surcharge.  I have and do shop places where there is a well advertised surcharge for credit card usage, but they do provide other options, so I use those
Even Telstra, not known for being charitable, waves the surcharge (as well as providing other options) for pensioners.
In fact, (may be worth investigating) I am not sure if it is legal to charge a surcharge if no other option is offered.
As I said in my first post, the extra charge is not going to bankrupt me, but it is the principle of the thing.

[csutak40]

[

However, I did receive the warning on the screen before I went to the payment page - as well as at payment. Doesn't detract from your point of view - which I share. It smacks of gouging and doesn't sit well with me either.
[/quote]

Hmm.  I have just found this:
Electronic commerce transactions
You need to advise customers on the first page of your website that mentions or shows the credit card brands accepted (minimum 10-point Arial font).
It also needs to be on the checkout page of your website (minimum 10-point Arial font).
I just went back to the page and pretended to make another purchase.  I still didn't see any warning, except if reading the "terms and conditions"
You agree to pay all taxes arising from or relating to this Agreement (other than taxes on IceTV's income).
http://learn.nab.com.au/merchant-information-on-surcharging/
If there is a warning there and I have managed to miss it again, I would love to see a page dump of it - I am now really curious.  Am I this blind?

[raymondjpg]

If there is a warning there and I have managed to miss it again, I would love to see a page dump of it - I am now really curious.  Am I this blind?

What I saw was the notification of a 1.5% surcharge in a drop down box when I selected a credit card option (Mastercard or Visa), and before payment was made.

[BigMick]

@csutak40  Here's how it looked for me - the red text was initially hidden then appeared and changed depending on which card you select in the drop box:


I agree I hate this stuff - I can understand a surcharge if one payment method is a lot more expensive than the others. But the basic costs of doing business, including accepting payments, should be built into the advertised product cost. Like you say it's not like they are accepting other payment options. Soon everything will become like the absolute farce booking an airline ticket is these days... oh, you want wings on your plane? that'll be an extra $5 per passenger....

[Paul55]

But the basic costs of doing business, including accepting payments, should be built into the advertised product cost.

100% right. These surcharges show a poor understanding of customers' psyche.

[csutak40]

@csutak40  Here's how it looked for me - the red text was initially hidden then appeared and changed depending on which card you select in the drop box:

I agree I hate this stuff - I can understand a surcharge if one payment method is a lot more expensive than the others. But the basic costs of doing business, including accepting payments, should be built into the advertised product cost. Like you say it's not like they are accepting other payment options. Soon everything will become like the absolute farce booking an airline ticket is these days... oh, you want wings on your plane? that'll be an extra $5 per passenger....

Thank you for that.  Obviously, I'm not very observant, but I still think it is wrong. 

[Dave]

It is wrong and to provide no other alternative is very wrong.
The only option I saw was between paying 2.5% on Amex or 1.5% on Visa.
Not Happy JAN!

[Denno]

You were all lucky! Mine was $2.24

[prl]

It is wrong and to provide no other alternative is very wrong.
The only option I saw was between paying 2.5% on Amex or 1.5% on Visa.
Not Happy JAN!

The Amex surcharge is now 3%. MC and Visa are still 1.5%.

[Paul55]

The Amex surcharge is now 3%. MC and Visa are still 1.5%.

Maybe IceTV is letting us know who's boss.
The floggings will continue until morale improves!!!!!