Should businesses pass on the credit card fee to customers?

[Katrina]

When a business accepts a credit card as payment it's 3% that gets charged to them. For decades that was just absorbed into the business, but now they pass that fee onto the credit card paying customers.

Today, I was caught off guard and stopped the transaction and called my husband to bring me a check so I could pay with that instead.

Should businesses pass that fee onto the customer?

 

[zappaDPJ]

I'm pretty sure the majority of businesses in the UK have always factored the fee into their pricing regardless of how you pay.

I do recall in the dim and distant past a couple of retailers attempting to charge me more for a credit card transaction but I believe that practice is now unlawful here.

 

[Cam]

I come across lots of restaurants that do this, especially ones that have the Square payment system. Given how prevalent debit and credit cards are, I don't believe consumers should be stuck paying the card processing fee. It should just be worked into the cost of whatever you're buying.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I think it should be up to the business to cover the fees. They shouldn't make the customer pay the extra processing fees.

 

[Big Jon]

I believe most businesses do this. If they don't directly deduct the credit card fees, trust me they have already included it in the prices of goods.

 

[EmperorTee]

Why do I need to pay more than what I bought? The businesses are the ones taking the payment, surely they have to bear the costs too?

 

[Big Jon]

Why do I need to pay more than what I bought? The businesses are the ones taking the payment, surely they have to bear the costs too?

They don't want to lose some money I guess