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Dealers charging a fee for using a credit card

I’m wondering if this is the new trend of dealers charging customers anywhere between 3 and 4% fee on the total sale if paying by credit card?   I was going to buy a brand new item online for 5K, but stopped dead in my tracks when I found I was going to have to pay a 3.9% fee for using my Mastercard!  The fee would have been almost $200.00!   Since this dealer has mostly online sales, it sounds like a big money grab to me. Between the 5K price, add $275.00 for shipping and 200 for paying by CC plus sales tax of $300.00, it would have cost me $5775.00.  I cancelled before I clicked send.  I called the dealer and was told that is the cost of doing business on the internet, so I basically told them to pound sand. 
 

Two weeks ago, I had all new brakes and rotors replaced on my 2020 Tucson with only 22K miles on it.  The bill was $1375 and I paid with my card.  When I got the statement, there was a CC fee of $37.00 added to the bill.  I went back to the Hyundai dealer and was told all businesses do this and he pointed to the sign.  I told them I saw the sign but paid with my DEBIT CARD, not a CC.  I was told it didn’t matter.  When I asked how many transactions were in cash, the service writer told me one out of fifteen pay in cash.  This makes me sick to my stomach.  
 

I would like to hear from others who have dealt with this. 

stereo5
stereo5's avatar
stereo5 OP
6,719 posts
 

You know what, I’m done.  It’s the same old same old.  People don’t read the entire story, then say  “you should have offered cash, what are you complaining about, if I don’t like it don’t buy it, I should have known better since there was no cash option, etc”.  I didn’t ask what else should I have done, I said I didn’t like it and was wondering what others thought.  Some of you are very quick to jump to conclusions.

 I hadn’t bought many big ticket audio components since my spending spree from October 2017 to February 2018 so I had no idea merchants were passing the buck onto the consumer.  I have dealt with Audio Classics exclusively since 2017 and in December of 2020 during Covid I purchased a pair of JBL L100 Classic speakers.  I did not pay a CC fee at that time.  I also purchased a SVS sub for the JBL’s direct in 2021 and did not pay a CC fee.  I will think twice before I start any new posts going forward. 
 


 

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parkergetdean
1,087 posts
 

in defense of the responses @stereo5 I don't think it's all specific to your case, but people comment on using credit cards IN GENERAL

parkergetdean
1,087 posts
 

@analog_tiffer I am not enabled to send messages but got yours, appreciate it, same to you! And Merry Christmas to you and all the kind people here. 

kennyc
2,978 posts
 

Increasing trend, unfortunately.

I also find it irritating when they ask for tips merely for cashiering the transaction, that’s is part of the job and not an additional service worth rewarding.

Last vent - don’t like “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” which is much more meaningful and fits better. Feels like social programming.

I’m saddened for those on tight budgets struggling to cope with higher inflated prices.  

77jovian
473 posts
 

It’s part of the merchants’ cost of doing business, and has been around for a lot of years, absorbed by most merchants.  Charging separately for it is a price increase, but the merchant can make it look like he’s not increasing his price.  No different than if he “kept his price the same” but began to charge for his building rent.

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