Minimum purchase for debit/credit cards

[tollbaby]

This is an article by an investigative journalist on the subject.

[Rapscallion]

We used to impose a minimum in our place. Sure, it was against the rules of the merchant contract, but it's not just a small percentage of the transaction. They had a minimum charge - about thirty pence, or the price of a mid-priced newspaper at the time. The convenience store across the road had a policy of accepting card payments even for newspapers. They lost out financially on many, many sales.

Not sure if they have that minimum in the US. I don't know if they even have it these days in the UK. I wouldn't have worried about 4% on a £100 sale, since it's nice and large and can be absorbed, but most of the stuff we sold was small value (loose foods for the most part) and we couldn't afford to lose money on a transaction.

Rapscallion

[katie kaboom]

A bunch of the food places in the mall i work at have a minimum amount you have to spend to use a credit or debit card. and there's a store called the newstand where the owner won't take plastic for anything less than a $5 purchase. which sucks for me, cause i don't always have cash on me. i can't say i blame these businesses though. they do what they have to do.

[Dreamstalker]

I've seen places that require a minimum purchase amount ($10 or so) to use plastic, but I have yet to see surcharges applied.

[tollbaby]

most of the stores near my place, their surcharge is PROGRAMMED into the machine. Like it'll ask you if you accept the transaction with the $.50 fee tacked on. *grumble* and I never use my card for under $5.

[DesignFox]

I may excuse certain business for imposing a minimum amount for card purchases, but I don't excuse the dollar or fifty-cent fees. F*** that. I shop somewhere else if I don't have cash.