I happened to drop into one of those "dollar stores" this morning. The place had a sign up at the register saying "Sorry, we no longer accept MasterCard. Cash, check, debit, and Visa are accepted."

I inquired about why they don't take MasterCard and the clerk said that MasterCard took away their account because they had a minimum purchase and fee and how MasterCard also fined them $1000 and got their boss fired by the owner.

I was thinking to myself that this was a great thing (because now they don't have a minimum/fee for Visa) and the incompetent fool who tried to make a minimum and surcharge is now GONE as well.

Goes to show that the merchant who does not follow the rules is the merchant who is going to lose money (fines) or maybe even lose their ability to take a certain card.

Rather than bask in another's misery and misfortune, one would hope that it was a repeat offense, and that M/C gave a warning previously, so they at least had a chance to correct the situation. Granted the manager should know to start with, but giving a chance to fix it is always good form. Now, if they were warned and the manager still refused to change, then I'd have no sympathy for them or him.

Two questions this brings up:

1) Only this store, or the entire chain?

and

2) Do the big names get treated similarly?

...AND soldiergurl74 WILL SAY PROVE IT

good news!!!

This is an independant Dollar Store not one of the big chains like Dollar Tree or whatever.

And yes the big names get treated similarly (ask GEORGE about Subway)

Funny enough, Dollar Tree only takes cash checks and debit cards here, no CCs.

Same at the Dollar Tree here... which is why I went to the other store (I knew Dollar Tree did not take credit cards and went to a different dollar store.)

I went to a dollar store like near OCEANSIDE CA

THEY TOOK CREDIT CARDS or I WOULD HAVE NOT BOUGHT ANYTHING

The Dollar Tree here where I am has a min. purchase of like $7.00 before you can use a debit.

Same with in my area, they take atm debit cards w/ $7 min purchase but ours take Visa/MC w/ no min so I ususally use the one w/ Visa logo

We have a dollar general store and it only takes Discover. Our Family Dollar doesn't take CC's.

EVEN A MINIMUM CHARGE WITH A DEBIT???

hmmmm

The Dollar stores in my area that take debit cards have a min unless it has Visa/MC logo on it.

I don't use debit.

Stores can surcharge and set minimums for debit, though. But not for Visa/MC/AmEx.

Kind of a coincidence that you happened upon this situation and the clerk knew about the "fine" right after I asked you for proof.

I call b.s.

While I understand your calling b.s., it would be much more helpful if you could post what BBQ would need to do to demonstrate the reality of the situation. Would him PMing the store contact info to you so you could call and inquire be enough? Or would he need to find another local CB member to go into the store and discuss it? What about a photo of the sign?

None of the above. I don't consider him to be a reliable source on the subject, because I have seen him bring up scenerios that happen to reinforce points that he is trying to make.

If someone else had mentioned an instance of a business actually receiving a fine, it would carry a lot more weight.

I don't have an actual scenario of a fine being issued to a merchant, rather I know that a merchant (a local beer/wine store) that used to have a min purchase requirement sign up and once I complained he said he's always had that sign up and had no intentions on removing it....I told him "we'll see about that"...

well me being me, made a complaint to my card issuer and revisted the store occasionally....it took about a month or so, before I saw the sign had been removed .....

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SIGN WE GOT FINED $1,000 ON THE REGISTER or FRONT DOOR or AN AD IN THE NEWSPAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I understand that you don't trust him. I'm asking for a way for you to verify the information yourself. If you walked into the store and they told you about the fine, then would you believe him?

THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY WON'T TELL YOU EITHER!!!!!!

THIS IS NOT LIKE THE RAGMAGS

THERE IS NO PUBLIC RIGHT TO KNOW!!!

YOU ARE APPROACHING IT FROM THE STOCKER-PAPARAZZI SIDE OF THE ISSUE

Is that like a photographer who works the night shift at Walmart?

Based on his posts, BBQ doesn't strike me as the kind of individual who likes to give people a chance to fix a problem. If he did, his first response would be "Talk to the establishment and see if they will fix the problem"... Not... "Call Amex/MC/Visa and do a ChargeBack!"

I COULDN'T GET THE CORRECT CONTRACTION TO WORK

1 entry found for PAPARAZZI.
pa·pa·raz·zo Audio pronunciation of "PAPARAZZI" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (päp-räts)
n. pl. pa·pa·raz·zi (-s)

A freelance photographer who doggedly pursues celebrities to take candid pictures for sale to magazines and newspapers.

TO STOCK--AS IN FOLLOW WITH-OUT PERMISSION

AS IN A CRIMINAL STOCKS A VICTIM

You ever stalk the shelves at work?

JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE...

I'M ONLY 99.44% PERFECT

...AND SPELLING IS NOT BEST SUBJECT

THE TOO OF YOU ARE GOING TWO THE STORE ON THE BUS. YOU ALSO SEE YOUR FRIEND ON THE SAME BUS SITTING TO SEATS BEHIND YOU.

You are correct.My debit has a Visa logo on it and they still say $7.00 before using it.Yesterday at a gas station I went in to buy a Pepsi 1 with my Visa debit only.I get to the register and they tell me that the purchase has to be $3.00 or more in order for me to use it.I went to another store because I didn't feel like walking all the way to my car to pull $1.14 out my purse and going all the way back and standing in line again.

If they don't want your business go someplace that does!

Must... resist... urge...

THAT WAS A SET-UP FOR THE SPELLING POLICE

TAKE THE BAIT IF YOU WANT

No no no..it was bait for the grammar police, not the spelling police! You spelled all the words correctly!

I knew you would.

I'd say big names definitely get treated differently.

http://www.utexas.edu/opa/news/03newsrelea...card030403.html

A 1.75 percent convenience charge on credit and debit card payments for tuition and mandatory fees will be assessed.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I LOVE THAT WORD!!!!!!!!!!

THE FEE IS A CONVENIENCE FOR WHO???