I feel I should point out that while this is true of the contracts that
merchants are required to sign in the USA it is not true in the UK.   In
fact in the UK it is illegal for the card companies to impose conditions
which prevent charging different rates for different methods of payment.
This legislation was introduced to protect small businesses.  Other
consumer legislation means that you have to make it clear to customers
at the point of sale what the different charges are.

Trevor Reynolds
Collections Registrar, English Heritage, Room 530, 23 Savile Row, London
W1S 2ET, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7973 3482  Fax: +44 (0) 20 7973 3209

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Wendy Wiener
> Sent: 24 June 2004 19:26
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: charge cards
> 
> Thie policy listed below is in violation of the contract that
merchants
> establish with their credit card processors.  The contract stipulates
that
> establishing a minimum charge amount or adding a fee is not
acceptable.
> If
> the company determines you have violated the contract, the services
will
> be
> terminated.  VISa and MasterCard take this very seriously.  From
VISA's
> perspective, they want their customers (you, the credit card owner) to
be
> able to use the credit card at your convenience.
> 
> And, yes, I will charge my admission costs on my credit card.  If I
take
> my
> family somewhere, the admission can be a good chunk of change.  I try
not
> to
> carry cash, so would prefer to charge everything.
> 
> Wendy Wiener
> The Natural Exploreum of Alexandria
> Alexandria, VA
> 
> >Many stores that I frequent have minimum limits for credit card
charges
> now
> >- anywhere from $5 to $10. Sometimes they will refuse to accept them
> under
> >that limit, and other times there is a small transaction fee of 25
cents
> or
> >so, to help them make up the fee. This is an idea you could try.
> >
> 
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