I was in Philly the past few days and it was violation city at this one market. http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/

This one place was really bad.


http://www.famouscookies.com/

I noticed the sign with the minimum and decided to debate it. I asked for a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie. About 45 seconds later the lady was telling me my total was $4.20(for one cookie..). I handed over my Chase card and the lady said cash only. I informed her that the visa/mc/amex/discover logo was being displayed on their cash register. She said $10 minimum. I told her it was a violation of the stores merchant agreement. She looked at me funny. I asked her to just charge me an additional $5.80 and write CC fee on the receipt. She looked at me really strangely and said the owner is over there in the burgundy polo.





What?

$4.20* 0.029%+.30= .42 fee

$4.20
-0.42
$3.78 for one cookie is cutting into the bottom line?



Want to report him? Do it online with MasterCard. Copy and Paste.
http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/c...violations.html
_____________
Comments: The merchant imposes a $10.00 minimum to use a Credit or Debit MasterCard. The owner is aware of this violation.

Merchant Name: Famous 4th St. Cookie Company- Reading Terminal Market

Address 1: 51 North 12th Street

City: Philadelphia
State: PA
Zip: 19107

In order to make a MasterCard purchase, the merchant/retailer required a minimum or maximum amount.
A merchant/retailer displaying the MasterCard decal in their window refused to accept my MasterCard card.

Wait for it...

I have qualms with the blatant encouragement of complaint filing by people who have no clue where the establishment is located and have never been impacted by the actions of the establishment.

Quite frankly, it is the mass-hysteria and open solicitation that will serve to water down the entire whining...err complaint process. Maybe V/MC will decide to remove the ability to complain online and make people actually write in to complain...

And yes, as Uncle Leo points out, I am sure the copy-n-paste bot will be along shortly...

...and I bet he hopes that people won't flush the toilet or use the trash can or call him on the phone

People worry so much about that fee..IF THAT TAX DEDUCTABLE FEE IS WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKING A PROFIT and CLOSING DOWN...THEY NEED TO LOOK INTO ANOTHER LINE OF WORK

Funny thing is they have an 800 number. Talk for 10 minutes and that will probably exceed the cost of a CC fee.

I called Chase, they x-fered me to VISA and I filed a report.

VISA is sending me a letter when they send the merchants bank one.
__

I will say I did have a wonderful experience at the philly airport. I bought some poptarts for .89 swiped my Discover and the cashier said instantly you are all set unless you want a receipt .

I ALWAYS want a receipt

What if you get charged by error $42.00 instead of $4.20 (computer imput error)

Could you PROVE you only got ONE cookie???

I bet the $3.00 is the "PROFIT" on that cookie

(although they have other expenses other than the credit card fee itself)

I did see the screen and it said total $0.89. It was automatic, like wally world.

If I were overcharged, I'd call my CCC. Sign the paper saying I wasn't lying, done.

In this case, that "tax deductable fee" is 10% of the total purchase price. That's more than double the profit margin of the company you work for.

So you think the merchant could loose money? $3.78 for one cookie?

? Maybe I am just up too late. This thread is confusing.

One side note for the business. Not everything is "TAX" deductible.

How can something that is a "COST OF DOING BUSINESS" (as in a fee to process credit cards) not be tax deductable???

Are tax laws. You might want to know this much. You might be able to take some deductions off the federal, but there is a lot you can not take off the state. I was not referring to just the "Fee" was referring to other business expense. One deduction that is not allowed at least on Federal, is telephone. If you really run a shop, you should know this.

Local "protection" money in rough neighborhoods.

Like I do taxes for the store



Do I see something between the lines there???

It helps explain why you don't grasp the real tax implications for small store owners...

And a tax deduction that the owner *MIGHT* get next year does NOTHING for helping the store owner pay the bills and make payroll THIS month.

Imbecilic owner must be retrained at once. You do not use credit/debit cards just to buy new suits. Immediately call 1-800-VISA-911. Make sure that sign comes down and they never attempt a minimum again.



Also call 1-800-300-3069 and do the same. The nerve of that creep making-up his own prohibited policies.. That crook must be stopped!

IF THE FEE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKE or BREAK...find another line of work or take only cash and suffer with lower sales