I will clarify some things as some of you are missing the point completely. I understand that merchants have to pay a percentage to the card companies. I understand and appreciate that some merchants offer advantages for paying with cash (ie: a cash discount). After all, a business would not be in business if it didn't pass off some of the costs to customers and yield profits.
However, the issue that I take is when companies advertise the difference in the cash and credit card price deceptively. For instance, I take no issue when a gas station advertises a cash and credit card price clearly on their sign and don't attempt to only advertise the cash price or mislead customers. I do take issue when gas stations advertise a price on their sign, make no note on the sign that the price only applies to cash purchases, and then when I swipe my credit card at the pump and look at my receipt, I see that I got charged $0.10 more per gallon. I'm sure that the armchair generals and know-it-alls on here will say that they always ask the gas station teller or that I should know which gas stations price cash and credit differently, or that the screen at the pump that only works half the time should have told me the credit card price, etc, but the merchant is the one who should be clearly communicating the price before any purchase. Got it, I've learned some of these lessons the hard way and have grown accustomed to looking for fine print or verifying that money that I am about to pay is what it should be.
My point is that whether it's a gas station or online gun store or other company, the price (both cash and credit card) should be clear; devious methods such as having the cash price in a font size that's three times as big or only displaying the credit card price at checkout is not the right way to do it.
3% as I said before is not much and at the end of the day, I'd rather pay an additional 3% to a merchant that is not deceptive in their pricing.
Since you now know that some retailers charge an additional fee for use of a credit card, and you now know that the terms and conditions may include a higher price if you use a credit card.
Simply look closely to see if there's an additional credit card fee and QUIT WHINING!
Take personal responsibility for making your own purchases and quit trying to make it someone else's fault that the cost isn't displayed exactly the way YOU think it should be.
buckhorn_cortez, I have a few points:
1. I, as the customer, should not have to play Sherlock Holmes and "look closely" to see if there's an additional credit card fee. That should be clearly advertised.
2. I am definitely not whining. I am, however, voicing my dismay over deceptive pricing practices in the hopes that other THR members who were not aware of this will be on the lookout so they don't end up paying more than what they originally anticipated. Yes, I know merchants have been charging more for credit card purchases for years, but I have seen an uptick in this practice and in many cases, in a devious manner.
3. I do take personal responsibility for my own purchases and I am offended that you would imply otherwise. If I lacked personal responsibility for making my own purchases, I would not be aware of the price differences or even care to bring it up. Secondly, I am certain that the majority of people would agree with me that they would rather see cash and credit card prices clearly displayed and not have to read any fine print. More power to you if you enjoy being an uniformed customer or having to read fine print or finding that your cart total has increased because you opted to pay via credit card during checkout. Personally, I like to know what I'm paying from the very beginning.
4. Do not every say, imply, or insinuate that I lack personal responsibility again. If there is one thing being a U.S. Marine and deploying to Afghanistan has taught me, it is personal responsibility.