It is common practice here for retailers to pass on the credit card commission to the customer, particularly so in travel agents. Surely this contravenes the retailer
I’m not sure if this is still true, but many computer shops along Badeh Rd. used to give a discount if you didn’t ask for an “official receipt.” And they’d charge extra for using a credit card.
I know last year some of the major credit cards started complaining a lot about this, and was looking for some way to stamp down on it, but I haven’t heard anything since.
Travel agents said they simply couldn’t pay the extra 2.5% themselves, as that would completely wipe out any profit they made (somehow I’d doubt they’re making less than 2.5% profit on each purchase; how would they stay in business? But I’m no expert…)
In the paper about a year ago. You report them to the bank, you get a refund for the difference and the shop can lose their licence. I guess the shops just get around this though by being more open to bargaining if you use cash. Basically this means that if you’re bargaining and can’t get as cheap a price becuase you’re using credit, they’e technically breaking the rules, but you can’t really proove it. On the otherhand if it’s fixed price and you get charged extra, you can report them (or at elast threaten them with it.)
Bri