Gas "Upcharge" For Credit and Debit Cards

[Agent Fred]

Sigh. In the last six months, virtually every gas station in my neighborhood has gone the route of charging MORE per gallon for using credit and debit cards. This make s me SO angry!

With gas being so expensive nowadays, I just don't usually have enough cash on hand to fill the tank, and my debit card is far more convenient. I think many people are the same way. Honestly, they know this, and they're just gouging the consumer. Creeps.

[mandiees]

Yup, I have been feeling the pain of this lately too - some stations near my home are just outright refusing cards at this point.

[LissaValerian]

I haven't seen this ... seriously? I thought the price on the pump was the same regardless of whether you paid CC or cash? ... How do they do that? How can I tell it's being done besides going and getting the same amount of gas and paying differently?

I live in Florida, are the state laws different about that or what?

[Agent Fred]

I've heard two reasons for it, Lissa:

1) Credit card transactions charge fees, and they want to recoup those costs.

2) Paying cash forces the customer to go into the store, and once there, they're more likely to buy a Slurpee or something.

Both are ridiculous, IMO. Every business pays those fees, but I don't see WalMart charging me 3% more for goods if I use my card.

[DianaR]

Originally Posted by Agent Fred

I've heard two reasons for it, Lissa:

1) Credit card transactions charge fees, and they want to recoup those costs.

2) Paying cash forces the customer to go into the store, and once there, they're more likely to buy a Slurpee or something.

Both are ridiculous, IMO. Every business pays those fees, but I don't see WalMart charging me 3% more for goods if I use my card.

More often than not, it is the fee for running the credit car that the station is trying to recoup. If more regulations are enacted for the credit card industry, I bet those fees will be deemed unacceptable.

[Orrymain]

That hasn't happened in my neck of the woods, but I remember when ARCO gave discounts for using cash. They did pretty well with that for a long time.

[BrendaMarie]

I haven't seen that happening either. Although it does make sense for them not to loose any more money than they're already loosing.