AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[oz_mark]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Lol - the 10% is probably to make up for the taxes they would have probably "avoided" if cash was used, because we all know what EFTPOS really costs - next to nothing! Haha

Actually, as I understand it, the banks pay the retailers to process EFTPOS withdrawals.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Probably the high number of chargeback requests they get. I presume your mate had to show his driver's license and get it copied or some other similar method of proving he authorised the transaction?

Quite likely true for credit card transactions, however my message was mainly referring to EFTPOS (ie cheque and savings accounts) which is PIN-only, and is extremely difficult to dispute when compared to credit with a signature. A normal EFTPOS transaction cost is a flat fee (normally between $0.05 and $0.65), regardless of purchase amount. Credit cards cost a % (and often in addition to the fixed txn fee).

So, my post was mainly suggesting that if someone was paying on sav/chq accounts (and being charged the 10% when it only costs a fixed number of cents), it wouldn't be a long shot to suggest that this may be a result of now having to declare this income to the ATO (both the business and their employees - as there's now a record of the transaction), as opposed to cash-in-hand which would be much less likely to be declared (although really they should anyway)

Taxis on the other hand - not really the driver's fault (blaim Cabcharge lol)

Actually, as I understand it, the banks pay the retailers to process EFTPOS withdrawals.

EFTPOS "purchases" cost the retailer a small amount, as mentioned above. I don't deal with "cash out" though, so I'm not sure whether the merchant gets something for it or not. I just know that it doesn't cost anything extra to add on to a chq/sav transaction

 

[Chicken]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I don't deal with "cash out" though, so I'm not sure whether the merchant gets something for it or not.

There is no difference between cash out or a sale. As long as it is SAV or CHQ, the merchant pays between 5c - 20c a transaction. Merchant does not get any goodie for giving out cash

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Getting a little off-topic but it's relevant to the 10% cabcharge fee for credit cards...

Had a $150 taxi fare after a big night out and dropping various people off home. Pulled out the Amex to pay and the cabbie said hte machine is not working so he would write down the numbers on the manual form to "process later"

I signed a blank cabcharge form and staggered to bed.

Woke up a few hours later and remembered the dodgy cabbie.

Rang Amex and cancelled the card straight away, and they said nothign had been processed yet.... Saved myself $150, AND probably alot more in other stuff this guy would have purhcased using my credit card numbers.

 

[auriga]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Getting a little off-topic but it's relevant to the 10% cabcharge fee for credit cards...

Had a $150 taxi fare after a big night out and dropping various people off home. Pulled out the Amex to pay and the cabbie said hte machine is not working so he would write down the numbers on the manual form to "process later"

I signed a blank cabcharge form and staggered to bed.

Woke up a few hours later and remembered the dodgy cabbie.

Rang Amex and cancelled the card straight away, and they said nothign had been processed yet.... Saved myself $150, AND probably alot more in other stuff this guy would have purhcased using my credit card numbers.

Isn't this jumping to conclusion, and robbing the poor driver?

 

[straitman]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Isn't this jumping to conclusion, and robbing the poor driver?

That thought also crossed my mind but I agree that there is quite an element of risk also in leaving the situation as it was. I am sure lovestotravel would have paid up if they followed him up. :mrgreen:

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Isn't this jumping to conclusion, and robbing the poor driver?

credit card fraud taxi drivers - Google Search

You tell me

I always pay taxis with Amex and pay the surcharge as my work pays for the fares so I don't care if it's a 40% surcharge.

But I draw the line at signing a blank voucher cause his "EFTPOS is down" when he sees a nice shiny Plat Amex.

From memory it's a requirement of the taxi to have a working EFTPOS machine.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I have started a thread to continue the Taxi discussion

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...rge-working-eftpos-terminals-taxis-19154.html

 

[Moody]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I have started a thread to continue the Taxi discussion

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...rge-working-eftpos-terminals-taxis-19154.html

Interesting thread. Some good information on how to avoid unauthourised transactions, but nothing really new for the seasoned taxi-goer. It unfortunately degenerated into personal abuse and was subsequently closed by a moderator. I would normally let these things die a natural death, but in this case I agree with Serfty's actions apart from one small point.

I would have changed your login ID to "lovestothieve".

 

[Mal]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Am currently in Brighton, UK.

Like is the trend I've seen over here, various places do surcharge for Amex/Visa etc or implement minimum spends.

A funny sign I did see was similar to "We havn't increased our prices for 10 years, and to keep it that way we no longer accept credit cards".

Interesting spin on things.

When I think about it, everyone is getting squeezed by credit card companies - annual fees increase, benefits drop, points get devalued, merchant fees increase, forex fees increase. I presume this is all to factor in the cost of points that we earn, the fraud that occurs and the administration of it all.

Such a shame that credit cards have gone this way.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Hopefully that doesn't happen here!

Happy to pay 1-4% to pay via CC if needed, but to not have the option at all is simply :evil:

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

From what was said by everyone in the other thread, I can understand the view of both sides.

Taxi drivers in the thread admitted to sometimes "pretending" that their EFTPOS was down to receive cash in hand or to process a manual voucher through another non-cabcharge system. Obviously, we won't know which was the case here, however it sounds like lovestotravel was somewhat tipsy/drunk at the time, and the driver seems to have taken advantage of that fact - by giving him a blank form to sign, and in the state that lovestotravel was in, he/she probably would not have known any better.

While it would have been extremely unlikely that his/her card would be transacted on fraudulently, the possibility was still there, and he/she used common sense and (seemingly at the advice of Amex) cancelled the card (ie got a new one with a different number, expiry and 4-digit verification code), to avoid this possibility. Having said this, lovestotravel should still contact the cab company to complain about the driver, and also to make alternative payment arrangements (as the driver will no doubt have his name from the imprint, and drop-off address from GPS or sat tracking records).

So, what we've (or some of us) have learned from this:

1) If you need to use card, check with the driver that the electronic terminal is in full working order before starting the journey
2) If you (for some unknown reason) can't find one with a working terminal, or if the network goes down after being picked up, always check that Cabcharge manual forms are completed in full (including amount in words and drawing two straight lines to the left and right of the amount's digit value), before signing

PS: I don't really intend on re-starting the arguments that went off in the other thread. Just stating what is obvious about the situation

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Back on topic AGAIN as some people can't let things go

Two shops that recently started accepting Amex near me have now taken down the Amex signs.

I asked one of the owners why, and he just muttered about Amex stuffing him around, and not doing what they said they would.

Will ask the other business when the owner is around during the week.

While it is great that Amex goes on about how many new business they sign up, I would be interested to know how many drop out as well!

I did notice that a KFC near me put an Amex sticker on the door recently, but others on here have said that some Mc Donalds and Red Rooster have stopped accepting the card.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

I did notice that a KFC near me put an Amex sticker on the door recently

Last time (before the other night) that I visited my local KFC, they didn't take Amex (which was quite a while ago). Went there the other night - they didn't have any logos up, but I thought I'd try the Amex anyway. Luckily enough, that store seems to take it now Just had to sign instead of use my PIN - but I'd rather have to sign than not be able to use the card at all

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

This is not solely Amex but yet another CC fee imposed by another company.

Air New Zealand to introduce Card Payment Fee in Australia - Cheap Flights, Airfares & Holidays - Air New Zealand Official Site - Australia

For tickets issued in Australia on or after 15 September 2009, the applicable CPF is:

• AUD$3.00 for Domestic New Zealand fares (NZ GST inclusive)
• AUD$4.00 for Tasman and Short-Haul Pacific Islands fares
• AUD$10.00 for all other International fares

These are applied on a per person, per one way journey basis.

 

[anat0l]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

This is not solely Amex but yet another CC fee imposed by another company.

Air New Zealand to introduce Card Payment Fee in Australia - Cheap Flights, Airfares & Holidays - Air New Zealand Official Site - Australia

For tickets issued in Australia on or after 15 September 2009, the applicable CPF is:

• AUD$3.00 for Domestic New Zealand fares (NZ GST inclusive)
• AUD$4.00 for Tasman and Short-Haul Pacific Islands fares
• AUD$10.00 for all other International fares

These are applied on a per person, per one way journey basis.

Oh man, that has got to suck.

One of the ticks NZ had going for them for the Trans-Tasman market was the lack of a credit card fee for ex-AU flights. What a shame.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Yep :evil:

What makes me wonder is why airlines simply charge a flat $10 fee for international fares, they must pay the CC companies per transactions and not a % of each transaction.

EG: I could book AKL-NAN or something cheap for $300 and be charged $10 CC fee.

OR

I could book AKL-LHR for in J for $6000 (roughly) and still be charged $10.

 

[serfty]

Of course, booking SYD-NAN on Qantas.com.au will generate a $25 CC fee!

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

For tickets issued in Australia on or after 15 September 2009, the applicable CPF is:

• AUD$3.00 for Domestic New Zealand fares (NZ GST inclusive)
• AUD$4.00 for Tasman and Short-Haul Pacific Islands fares
• AUD$10.00 for all other International fares

These are applied on a per person, per one way journey basis.

Could this be avoided by booking via their NZ website, and changing currency? Is that no longer be possible?

If it's not, it *may* still be cheaper to charge in $NZD, depending on what percentage the $AUD fee would represent lol

And I received some (potentially) good news from Queensland Transport today, in response to my message pointing out the benefits of accepting Amex for them (business/corporate cards to consolidate expenses, many are without defined credit limits, etc etc), and by pointing out transport-related expenses that can already be paid on the card (tolls, go card etc) - seems to have worked

Firstly I would like to apologise for the delay in replying to you in
regard to your suggestion that Queensland Transport accept American Express Card as a payment option.

I am pleased to advise that introducing American Express as a payment
option is being investigated by Queensland Transport and we are currently
negotiating with American Express. Unfortunately we do not have a firm
timeframe of when this may be introduced.

At least they're looking into it - much better than what they used to say (ie. stop whinging and just pay by Visa/MC) lol!

 

[edman]

Re: AMEX not accepted or surchage

Probably the high number of chargeback requests they get. I presume your mate had to show his driver's license and get it copied or some other similar method of proving he authorised the transaction?

Nah nothing, which is why I'm sure the practice is designed to get as much cash as possible so they can declare what income they wish