False/Dishonest Advertising

[Onward Allusion]

Let's put it this way. How many of us would even consider buying gas at a gas station where they charge an extra 3% for credit cards. Yeah, was first done when? 20+ years ago? These jokers who call themselves merchants need to get with the times. The % that their bank charges is just a cost of doing business. Either join the 21st century or go the way of the dinos.

Seriously, I do not know of another industry where there's a CC up-charge outside of the guns & ammo merchants. How long do you think Amazon would last? eBay? Peapod?

BTW, I don't really give a crap whether people sending in MO incur another 3% or not. They can do what they want. I just know that my time is worth more than standing in line in the PO and I avoid buying from merchants who up-charge.

 

[Unclenick]

The money order and the cashier's check have become common objects for counterfeiting, and computer printers have gotten so good it's hard to tell you have a counterfeit. Even the banks can't tell. You don't find out until about six weeks after you deposit one, when the bank takes the money back out of your account. Lot's of vendors have ceased to accept them for this reason.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

Now that so many people use plastic and so few people use cash (or checks -- anybody remember those?), I don't think the banks prohibit charging a fee for the use of credit cards any more. There's no point -- they couldn't and didn't enforce it when it was part of their terms of service.

Due to court cases not CC companies not caring.

If i have to choose between losing a few buck in CC fees or driving around town to get postal orders I will certainly take the few dollars in fees. Especially when I am getting 2/3 of it back. I love it when I hear people who normally make $25+ an hour telling me about how they drove 10 miles and wasted an hour to save $10.
Now, if you are buying a $25,000 gun or something...

 

[FITASC]

Let's put it this way. How many of us would even consider buying gas at a gas station where they charge an extra 3% for credit cards. Yeah, was first done when? 20+ years ago? These jokers who call themselves merchants need to get with the times. The % that their bank charges is just a cost of doing business. Either join the 21st century or go the way of the dinos.

Seriously? Called marketing - one gas station that charges the same for cash or credit and the guy across the street has to try and match the neon sign.....SO he posts the cash price that equals the price across the street, but then charges 10 cents or more per gallon when you use a credit card.........happens all the time.

Now, it's not about cash, it's about moving electrons from one account to another.

 

[Onward Allusion]

This is starting to get off topic. No idea where you live so YMMV . . . The last time I'd saw a gas station that posted "cash" price -vs- "credit card" price was at least 10 years ago and that was in the boonies - like way out there in a town with 1,000 pop...

 

[buck460XVR]

While I seldom see a "up-charge" for credit card use, I often see a "discount" for cash. Generally it's about the same 3%. Again, the up-charge just needs to figured in the "OTD" price. No different than ordering something online where you have to also compare shipping and handling charges as well as the selling price to determine which site gives the best deal. Buy a gun online and while the selling price may be lower than your LGS, you still need to figure in the cost of shipping and the FFL transfer fee before you can determine who is really giving you the better deal. Don't like Credit Card up-charges/discount for cash dealers, don't go there, but don't accuse them of being dishonest when they tell you upfront.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...Is this false or dishonest advertising..." Not when the guy says it right up front. A CC guarantees the guy will get his money.
"...the banks prohibit..." Isn't the banks. It's the credit card companies that are for the most part owned by the banks.
Worst thing the CC companies are doing is the 'Gift Cards'. Got one as a gift when AmEx came out with 'em up here. Absolutely nobody, including the banks, accepted 'em.

 

[Mike Irwin]

"If you offer to go in person and pay cash, then you may some claim.
Note that US bills have "This note is legal tender for all debts public and private" on them.
Refusal to take said bills is could well be an issue if someone wants to push it."

Sorry, but that is not correct.

US issued banknotes are legal tender, but there are NO, I repeat NO, Federal laws that mandate that they MUST be accepted.

This is from the Federal Reserve's Website (https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm)

"...There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law which says otherwise."

This seller is well within his rights to determine what forms of payment he will, or will not, take.


And you, as a potential purchaser, are well within your rights to NOT do business with him.

 

[Mike Irwin]

"Let's put it this way. How many of us would even consider buying gas at a gas station where they charge an extra 3% for credit cards. Yeah, was first done when? 20+ years ago? These jokers who call themselves merchants need to get with the times. The % that their bank charges is just a cost of doing business. Either join the 21st century or go the way of the dinos."

There are numerous gas stations in Pennsylvania and Virginia that upcharge for use of credit.

They don't seem to be going out of business.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

When Cosco and Aldis decide they are losing too much sticking in the fight...

 

[KyJim]

Though I don't see the option for online sales, I almost always choose the option to pay as "debit" rather than as "credit" when using my Visa bank debit card. Merchants are normally charged less this way and whatever affects their bottom line is eventually passed along to its customers. My one exception is when I pay for gasoline at the pump. There have been too many credit card skimmers put on the pumps for me to pay as a debit card.

 

[JoeSixpack]

In general I try to always pay with a REAL credit card, Assuming there is no cost in doing so.

There are often perks you won't get with bank cards even if ran as credit.

1. Credit card companies seem to be MUCH more vigilant on fraud transactions.
I know bank cards are co-branded visa, mc, etc.. but I still feel like a true credit card catches crap much more often for what ever reason.

2. Credit card isn't playing with your money.. unlike bank cards that will tap your checking account as a source.. the credit card is all credit.. I find them easier to work with because of this.
This buffer between you and your actual money is very useful.

3. At least in my experience you get extra perks like cash back with credit cards, Discover I think has price protection as another example.
Some credit cards have virtual numbers you can also use once time, Bank cards generally do not offer any of those perks.

4. You're building your credit score, buying stuff and paying off your credit card on time the CC company will normally report this activity which helps your score.

5. Grace periods are great, I recommend you only buy what you can pay off over the short term.. ideally every month but at most every 3 months.
Don't live on your credit cards (buying without having means to pay) unless it's an emergency.. Having said that you can play with the grace periods and this can free up cash temporarily.

1 trick I sometimes use is when I don't have cash on hand but I know I will buy X date.
(This may vary with CC company)
But lets say my billing cycle starts on the 1st, and it's due say the 28th
If I buy an item on Jan 5th for example.. It's to late to be on that months billing statement.
This means it wont come due until next month.. Feb 28th.. giving me nearly 2 months of interest free grace period.

A neat trick, Just use it wisely.

I nearly never use my bank card for purchases, I try to funnel as much of my expenses thru my credit card as a buffer + rewards.

You can also layer paypal on top.. so Paypal -> Credit Card -> Bank
This can sometimes give you a extra layer of protection, plus paypal often has "deals" that you can only get with paypal.. example this month they sent me a 5 off 15 (anywhere) promotion.

Of course it's pretty much standard if you buy on ebay.
The CC works as a buffer between paypal <-> bank
Plus some credit cards will do free currency conversions which can be helpful.

Paypal is not gun friendly but I have bought gun parts and ammo just fine with it.

 

[GLK]

This is starting to get off topic. No idea where you live so YMMV . . . The last time I'd saw a gas station that posted "cash" price -vs- "credit card" price was at least 10 years ago and that was in the boonies - like way out there in a town with 1,000 pop...

Cash vs credit price happens all over the highly populated state of FL every day at nearly all Marathon and Mobil Exxon stations. Additionally nearly every gun shop I've done business with in the last five years or more charges a cc surcharge. Cash is still king, well at least for a while longer.

 

[FITASC]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Onward Allusion View Post
This is starting to get off topic. No idea where you live so YMMV . . . The last time I'd saw a gas station that posted "cash" price -vs- "credit card" price was at least 10 years ago and that was in the boonies - like way out there in a town with 1,000 pop...
Cash vs credit price happens all over the highly populated state of FL every day at nearly all Marathon and Mobil Exxon stations. Additionally nearly every gun shop I've done business with in the last five years or more charges a cc surcharge. Cash is still king, well at least for a while longer.

Don't forget the BP stations all run by our friends from India...
Kangaroo (now Circle K) does not, nor does Walmart, Costco, Sam's. It all depends on WHO owns the station - if it is part of a corporate group or independently owned - the same with a lot of gun dealers. Some build it in, so the cash guy helps offset the cost, some prefer to offer a discount for cash (IIRC, credit cards forbid the upcharge to use a credit card, so merchants offer a discount for cash). Most merchants in this business, in order to look more price competitive, advertise their lowest price (cash) and then say it is a discount and you need to add the 3-4% for using a credit card.
When profit on guns is as low as it is, 3-4% coming off the top can make the difference between making and losing money for some dealers.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Dang, this is eye opening. Seriously, I do not see up-charges and this is in IL/IN/WI areas. I've been to at least a couple of dozen cities in the last 10 years in a dozen States and I didn't seen the price diff. Granted, aside of Nat'l Park areas, these were all metro areas...