[Food] Card Payments - some still charging

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Balders

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2013
533
As a small business owner selling high ticket priced, low margin business, my profit margins are highly influenced by how people pay. Bank Transfer is free, debit cards attract a certain fee to process, double that for credit cards and I don't take Amex as the processing fee doubles again (not great considering our main sponsor!) People think that cards that give points and or cashback are paid for by their card issuer, but most of it is picked up by the retailer in inflated processing fees. A large payment by Amex could impact my profit margin by 30-40%.

I'm all for transparency, but I would price differently if I knew the majority of my business was by bank transfer and probably pack it in if the majority of business would be paid for on Amex. At the end of the day, the cost of points/cashback has to be picked up somewhere along the chain......
 




Anger

Anger

Well-known member
Jul 21, 2017
1,123
I didn't know that they aren't allowed to charge the extra.
Sutton United's snack bar charged me the extra 50p a few months back.
I think they probably lost about £30k that week as the attendance was pretty low, so I'm happy to donate to the cause.
 


Westdene Seagull

Westdene Seagull

aka Cap'n Carl Firecrotch
NSC Patron
Oct 27, 2003
21,838
The arse end of Hangleton
Balders said:
As a small business owner selling high ticket priced, low margin business, my profit margins are highly influenced by how people pay. Bank Transfer is free, debit cards attract a certain fee to process, double that for credit cards and I don't take Amex as the processing fee doubles again (not great considering our main sponsor!) People think that cards that give points and or cashback are paid for by their card issuer, but most of it is picked up by the retailer in inflated processing fees. A large payment by Amex could impact my profit margin by 30-40%.

I'm all for transparency, but I would price differently if I knew the majority of my business was by bank transfer and probably pack it in if the majority of business would be paid for on Amex. At the end of the day, the cost of points/cashback has to be picked up somewhere along the chain......
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That might be because you're using the wrong card processor. I did a massive project for a DCA who took cards over the phone and we hooked them into a payment management company that charged no more than 15p per transaction regardless of amount of payment ( Amex excluded who really are a bunch of thieves ). There are plenty of payment services around that charge per transaction rather than a percentage.
 


B

Balders

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2013
533
Westdene Seagull said:
That might be because you're using the wrong card processor. I did a massive project for a DCA who took cards over the phone and we hooked them into a payment management company that charged no more than 15p per transaction regardless of amount of payment ( Amex excluded who really are a bunch of thieves ). There are plenty of payment services around that charge per transaction rather than a percentage.
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Unfortunately I have a Franchise so card payments are handled centrally and knowing our industry and rates others get, our buying group gets as good as can be got in our Industry.
 


Super Steve Earle

Super Steve Earle

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
9,160
North of Brighton
PascalGroß Tips said:
I bought a ticket for Weller at the Brighton Centre a couple of weeks ago. Clicked on the link from Brighton Centre website which of course took me to Ticketmaster. Looked at all the fees involved and thought sod that. A return on the 700 bus was less than half the fees Ticketmaster were going to charge.
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Just booked 2 tickets for Eric Idle at the Brighton Centre for September. £150 for the pair of tickets and £25 across three different handling/servie and booking fees on Ticket master.
 




PILTDOWN MAN

PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
20,353
Hurst Green
As an antique seller we are now almost always card machine, years gone by folding money was key. But in truth as we make up all our pricing along with the barter process the customer always pays for our charges :ROFLMAO:
 


Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
64,911
The Fatherland
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Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
64,911
The Fatherland
Cheaper to go to the WhitebaityM machine and withdraw some cash.
 




Official Old Man

Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
9,619
Brighton
Card machines these days are very cheap to use. I pay 0.03% on almost all cards used which are mainly debit taps.
SumUp charge 3% with no other fees.
Many card machine suppliers charge a 'transaction' fee per transaction, sometimes up to 8p. If you're paying this change companies now and haggle.
 




Beach Hut

Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
72,633
Living In a Box
Still get "taxed" with a Tesco credit card when abroad as pending charges are higher when they become an actual charge
 




dazzer6666

dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
57,960
Burgess Hill
Beach Hut said:
Still get "taxed" with a Tesco credit card when abroad as pending charges are higher when they become an actual charge
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Daddies_Sauce

Daddies_Sauce

Falmer WSL, not a JCL
Jun 27, 2008
914
{cough} Ravens Bakery.... 10P surcharge for using cards (or 10p discount for cash as they say).
 








Official Old Man

Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
9,619
Brighton
Daddies_Sauce said:
{cough} Ravens Bakery.... 10P surcharge for using cards (or 10p discount for cash as they say).
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This is illegal and if caught they will get a hefty fine. Discount for cash is as illegal as a surcharge as it's the same thing.
Perfidious Albion said:
it was after 2018 when a cafe refused to let me pay by card for a £2 soft drink. They had a minimum amount for cards .
I guess they can still do that.
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Yes, minimum card transactions are legal. Obviously if the trader is paying a transaction fee plus a percentage plus maybe a fee to send the money to their bank, each transaction could cost up to 30p so selling something with a profit of £1 before vat isn't worth it.
 




wellquickwoody

wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patron
Aug 10, 2007
14,089
Melbourne
Albion in the north said:
Nice to hear that. I have a small shop and have the most competitive card processing company. We dont have a minimum spend as we like to encourage people to come to the shop (although some take the piss when buying just a pack of Rizla with a card), you also find that it is a childs first endeavour in to independence and paying themselves by using a card however our fees are between £400 and £500 a month.
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How many transactions is that for? Is that just card transaction fees, or your overall bank charge per month? Just a polite genuine question.
 




Herr Tubthumper

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
64,911
The Fatherland


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