🚀 go-pugleaf

 
>  
> Martin Cooley (martinc@freeloader.com) wrote: 
> : Let's assume that it adding a surcharge is either unethical and/or  
> : illegal.  If you want to start "turning in" those that add the  
> : surcharge, you better get busy.  Thousands of violaters are listed every  
> : month in _Computer_Shopper_. 
>  
>   I've been shopping the ads in "Computer Shopper" for quite a few years 
> and have seen the number of places that charge extra for credit 
> drop drastically. ... >  
> 
> : I would much more be concerned with the rantings of someone named  
> : "Memnoch the Devil" than a merchant trying to keep his margin while at  
> : the same time providing a good product at a reasonable price, not to  
> : mention his service in assisting those who are memory illiterate. 
>  
>   If I agreed with your statement that the merchant is simply trying to 
> "provide a good product at a reasonable price", then I wouldn't mind 
> either... 
 
I don't want to get on a rant here, but... 
 
Have you ever run a mail order company?  I do, and I can tell you that YOU are being   
raped by the CC companies.  Why?  Because they force merchants to raise their prices   
to cover the HIGH costs of doing business on plastic. 
 
Part of every merchant agreement I've read (or signed) is the stipulation that cash   
discounts may not be offered.  Merchants pay a "discount" (an ecquivocation, no   
doubt devised by some glue-sniffing attorney) usually somewhere around 2% for every   
transaction.  Some merchants get a better deal for high volume, but it all depends   
on number of transactions, avg. transaction amount, etc.  This means that it costs   
the merchant MORE to sell you his product.  When costs go up, prices follow.  Since   
the merchant has to pay to take plastic he has to pass the cost on to ALL customers,   
CC or cash, unless he wants to jeopardize his merchant account.  Not only does the   
merchant pay to TAKE the plastic, you pay to use it. 
 
CC companies and CC customers have merchants by the short-n'-curlies--just read a   
merchant agreement sometime.  The cost of taking plastic is increased by the number   
of fraudulent transactions, returns, and outright fraudulent charge disputes.  I   
can't tell you how many customers we've had order something, receive and use it for   
months, then call the CC issuer and dispute the charge on the pretense that it   
"...wasn't what I wanted," "...didn't work right," "...never got here" (even though   
we had their signature from Fedx).  They get the m'dise, and we get the shaft.  In a   
few cases we were able to negotiate with the CC issuer and get the money back, but   
in almost every case the customer was off the hook for the money. 
 
CC fraud is RAMPANT, and I'd bet (after my years of experience) that most of it is   
in the form of fradulent charge disputes--to which the CC companies turn the other   
cheek.  Why?  Because they don't care--you and I are footing the bill.  Sure, they   
put on a big PR show every year, whining about CC fraud, but the REAL FRAUD is the   
CC companies!  Until merchants form some alliances and start hard-nosed bargaining   
with the CC companies, we're all going to keep getting _screwed over_ to the tune of   
"VISA, it's everywhere you want to be." 
 
As for me, I have a card, but I only use it when I have no alternative or need some   
hardware or software on-the-fly.  Here in town I use cash or check exclusively.  Out   
of town, it's traveler's checks. 
 
Do I hate CC companies?  Only the ones I've dealt with.  Can the situation be   
improved?  Only if merchants and consumers start asking themselves why Chase   
Manhattan is standing behind them with a big grin, and an economy size jar of   
Vaseline. 


====================================== 
David PC Wollmann 
(918) 438-9085 
(918) 234-3129 fax 
ibmstuff@oknet.com 
======================================