Dealers charging a fee for using a credit card

The fact is that business gross margins are rapidly shrinking. The CC company zapping you for 3% makes them an unwelcome "partner" and is a defacto tax on your gross sales. 

Let's assume your net profit margin is 10% on a sale. 3% CC fee is a 33% tax on your profit margin!  Totally unfair in my opinion. 

I you don't like paying these fees use your checkbook or better yet cash. Zero 3rd party fess that way.  If it's a online purchase ask the merchant to lower the fee or accept a check via mail. 

Additionally if you have a good card like Capital 1 Sparks Visa you get 2% back on every purchase. That makes the merchant fee a net 1% which is tolerable. 

As many others have noted this is standard practice for many businesses now.  They are required to inform the consumer of these fees.  Many businesses also accept payment via check which does not incur any additional fees.  The customer centric businesses will include this info on their webpage(s) in the appropriate areas. I recently completed a purchase via personal check rather than CC when retailer informed me of the CC fees and payment options sans fees.  Sometimes as consumers it’s incumbent upon us to drill down and educate ourselves. 
Enjoy the music. 

I own and operate a small specialty service company and most of our invoices are fairly large. We’ve been in business for over 40 years and never once asked and always accepted credit cards. Recently saying the past six months I decided to ask my clients if they would mind using a check instead of a credit card. I would say that probably 75% of them had no problem with it and we’re happy to do it. The reality is it’s probably 2 1/2 to 3% right off the bottom line. This for small business like ours can be very meaningful. I do not however, charge anymore or any less depending on the form of payment but most of my clients understand who we are and what we do and I’m more than happy to help us out by writing us a check.

I appreciate them doing that and they appreciate what we do. I’m not sure if people consider a service business especially a small one any differently than a sales business but at the end of the day, it makes a big difference to the business owner like myself

not sure if this is helpful, but it’s been my experience. My best to all, Jerry.
 

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It is the new reality. The credit card processing companies and/or banks charge that 2-3% fee and retailers have to pass it on. Profit margins aren't large, and it would come out of the dealer's pocket. They WILL get their "pound of flesh", but it isn't the retailers trying to screw the customers. It's just business.