EFTPOS transaction fees

Hi Lifehacker, I was recently charged a $2 fee to use my EFTPOS card to pay for something. This merchant charges a $2 fee for all cards — even if using your savings account. Is this legal? I have payed fees for credit cards in the past but never for EFTPOS purchases. Thanks, Overcharged

Dear Overcharged,

Obligatory:

As we've noted previously, smaller businesses often carry a heavier burden for accepting electronic payments due to the lower scale they offer banks, which can often lead to higher costs being passed on to customers.

With that said, charging a fee for all EFTPOS purchases is pretty unusual. Usually, the fee only applies to purchases under a specified amount. (You can bone up on the ins-and-outs of EFTPOS transactions here.)

If this particularly irks you, the obvious solution is to take your business elsewhere. Either that, or ensure you always have plenty of pocket shrapnel on hand.

Cheers Lifehacker

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