Credit Cards are one of the many problems with this country. EVERYONE has to pay for the people using credit cards because it's the cost of doing business. It's just like paying your employees, paying your business taxes, utilities, materials, etc. I don't understand the ignorance of people of why they despise the super rich so much for not paying their fair share of income taxes, yet they will gladly hand over money to the multi-billion dollar a year credit card companies. Morons!

Welcome to the Club, Frogger. I did too.

wcloli..- or theprice IF you bought a car wash in small print that doesn't show from i-90. Fell for that one!

Wisconsin gas stations do that too. I was't illegal to give a discount on cash transactions. It was only illegal to charge more than the posted price for credit transactions. The biggest problem is that a lot of merchants could not give a cash discount because it violated the terms of their merchant agreement with their credit card processor. Some chains require use of their credit card processing system in order for a retailer to be branded, so the retailer/merchant has no choice in the matter. Overall, I don't see this as initiating a big change. The only place I can really see it having an affect is with merchants that do not currently accept credit cards. Now that they have the option to do so without incurring the cost of it, I wouldn't be surprised if some started accepting them.

Some Illinois gas stations display their per gallon price (cash) for unleaded at the top of their sign with the next price 5¢ higher (credit card) price below. Deceiving?

Since store prices are already inflated to offset the credit card charge I would not shop at a store that charged to charge. I would however shop at a store that offers 5% off my cash purchase.

I recall that several years ago many merchants would reward cash customers with a 5% discount for using cash. Why can't we return to that policy? Maybe businesses would be wise to not charge the extra 4%. Does some of the 4% go back to support our state tax base? Maybe the story should merit further newspaper investigation shouln't it?

Yes, I would consider shopping at a store which didn't charge the fee vs one that does if the same product were available.

This ranks right up there with having to wait in line for twenty minutes to give them your money because out of fourteen registers they only have four open !

I think most merchants accepted these transactional fees for a long time because there were pretty standard and you could shop around a bit to control the costs you paid for your services, however as several commentors have pointed out they use cc for the "points"....do you think your cc company is "giving" you these awards? NO the merchant is charged for these, so in addition to the fees the merhcant is charged by their bank and by your cc company to process the transaction they are now being charged a % to pay for your points. So if the merchant charges to 3% and you think it's worth it because you get 2% please remember that 2% was already your money and you just paid yourselrf.

We're all paying for it anytime anyone uses a credit card to buy something. Merchants are already factoring those costs into the merchandise pricing. That's a big part of the reason the cost of things seems to keep going up. As fees are raised, merchants have to raise their prices, regardless of whether there was a cost increase on the actual item. Unless a merchant intends to remove the credit card fee factor they currently use and lower their prices, which would be a lot of work quite frankly, I don't see this as having a large impact. It does make me wonder if Woodmans will start accepting credit cards and charging a separate fee for it so it doesn't have to be factored into the cost of all goods sold.

It has been said that charging people or giving a better price for something if you pay cash or have to finance it is discrimination. I am surprised this law passed.
I agree this 3% is the price of doing business. You should not charge people for it. If you must then put it in the price of the product as you do with all of the other business expences.

I worked in a store downtown back in the 70's that wouldn't take charge cards for the very reason that the credit card companies not only wanted their fees from the merchants, as part of the terms of their contract, they would not allow the merchants to pass on that fee to the charge customers only. In effect, customers good enough to pay cash were subsidizing the purchases of those who used credit cards.

Now, businesses can offer consumers a fair choice, pay cash now, for less, or put it on your credit card, for a fee.
I normally just use my credit card for Internet purchases or large ticket items that exceed my checking account balance.

I guess the CREDIT CARD COMPANIES just aren't happy with charging you, the consumer, a measly 15 to 23% (or more) interest on outstanding balances. They have to go after the merchants and make "them" look like the bad guys.
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If you look into this further, the retailers and merchant associations are against the settlement (and passing on the fees).
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With the exception of online purchases and a few other uses, we stopped using credit cards a long time ago...

I usually pay cash except for gas, and larger ticket items (gas), so I'm not sure how this will effect me.

This has been S.O.P. for decades for many business, online and catalog order. This is not anything new. What one has is the choice to spend their money at a place that does not do this. Then one can just compare prices and see if they are making the charge sort of undercover without saying so. Many do that, they just charge more and don't "charge" you for the C.C. surcharge. All in the game, lots of fun to dodge around and find the best price. Sometimes I just go with the firm that doesn't charge the C.C. surcharge just because hearing it annoys me.

Be assured, you will pay that fee whether they announce it to you or not. Some businesses just have better prices on goods. Businesses don't stay in business because they love you.

This is common at many gas stations in parts of CA. They charge 50 cents or a buck per transaction to pay via credit card outside.

When I travel out of the country I make sure to use a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees because why pay more if you don't have to? Same applies here.

Also, regardless of all this, this is something the business should account for into their prices. Last time I checked my receipt I didn't have to pay a 33 cent fee because they had to buy a cash register to ring me up.

The real problem is how banking is done with credit/debit cards. Most business have to pay a fee to their bank, merchant accounts, payment gateways, and any type of equipment rental. It's just another way for somebody to get a cut. There is no technical or administrative impedance for more expensive transactions, so why do banks charge a percentage? Because they can. Don't get me wrong, the infrastructure still costs money and it needs to be paid for, but it's certainly something that is being overpaid for.

If stores I shop at start doing this I won't stop shopping there. I just won't use my credit cards to purchase items. The only reason I use my credit cards so often is because I get points for stuff. I don't need to use them.