Things that annoy you beyond reason...(Vol 5)

[Frank7]

Halmyre said:

I get caught out like that all the time. I've got ten quid in my wallet which is unusual for me - usually it's a fiver, or less. My wife usually bails me out in those circumstances.

In a not dissimilar vein to that, when I was driving a London Black Cab, sometimes I’d get maybe 4 guys hall me in The City, and ask for e.g. Fleet Street.
On arrival, the fare might be £8, they’d all rummage through their pockets, and sheepishly admit that none of them had £8, then they’d try to rake it up between them in pound coins and change.
I’d suggest that one of them paid by card, and sort it out later, but one bunch of wa*kers, wanted to pay £2 each by card, until I told them that each transaction attracted a 10% loading, which went to the company that rented me the card reader.

[V8mate]

Frank7 said:

I’d suggest that one of them paid by card, and sort it out later, but one bunch of wa*kers, wanted to pay £2 each by card, until I told them that each transaction attracted a 10% loading, which went to the company that rented me the card reader.

In the absence of a fixed charge element, how was 4 x 10% of £2 any different to 1 x 10% of £8?

[Lemming Train]

Frank7 said:

In a not dissimilar vein to that, when I was driving a London Black Cab

[Nimby]

V8mate said:

What kind of places are cash only? (genuinely).

Our nearest Indian restaurant is cash-only. However there's a no-fee ATM inside by the bar.

[Frank7]

V8mate said:

Frank7 said:

I’d suggest that one of them paid by card, and sort it out later, but one bunch of wa*kers, wanted to pay £2 each by card, until I told them that each transaction attracted a 10% loading, which went to the company that rented me the card reader.

In the absence of a fixed charge element, how was 4 x 10% of £2 any different to 1 x 10% of £8?

It isn’t, but it seemed to frighten the life out of them, as if somehow paying individually was a scam.

[ElectricSoup]

Cash only places are all just tax dodging.

[V8mate]

ElectricSoup said:

Cash only places are all just tax dodging.

Exactly. A favourite ruse of Chinese takeaways.

[untakenname]

I remember years back Lidls only accepted cash and debit cards, not sure if the reason for not accepting credit cards was due to charges or the fact that the cards may be declined and so they had to restack all the food at the till?


Something that annoys me is the fact I went out at the weekend and forgot that everywhere would be rammed due to it being payday, usually I go out to eat on the third week of the month when the establishments are empty in comparison as people generally are skint by then.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

untakenname said:

I remember years back Lidls only accepted cash and debit cards, not sure if the reason for not accepting credit cards was due to charges or the fact that the cards may be declined and so they had to restack all the food at the till?

The fees incurred by the retailer are massively less for debit cards than for credit cards

[V8mate]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

untakenname said:

I remember years back Lidls only accepted cash and debit cards, not sure if the reason for not accepting credit cards was due to charges or the fact that the cards may be declined and so they had to restack all the food at the till?

The fees incurred by the retailer are massively less for debit cards compared to credit cards

Aldi and Lidl adopted the position of their German owners when they first arrived here, and that was strictly cash only. German businesses, some to this day, have been very wary of accepting card payments due to the merchant charges.

Whereas credit cards attract a percentage charge to the retailer, debit cards - in the early years - came with a fixed charge: 50p per transaction, for example. This was fine for retailers who had high average transactions, but highly punitive on low transactions, hence many small shops, cafes, pubs etc having minimum spend requirements, to ensure that the merchant charge didn't wipe out the margin.

These days, however, both credit and debit cards use percentage merchant fees (debit cards around a third that charged for credit card transactions) which means that it's fine to buy a newspaper or a coffee using your plastic friend.

[nonsequitur]

V8mate said:

Urban myth. Contactless cards do ask for a PIN from time to time, but there's no such thing as a daily use limit.

just out shopping, will put my card to the test.

[RizzoTheRat]

V8mate said:

Clockwork Cupcake said:

untakenname said:

I remember years back Lidls only accepted cash and debit cards, not sure if the reason for not accepting credit cards was due to charges or the fact that the cards may be declined and so they had to restack all the food at the till?

The fees incurred by the retailer are massively less for debit cards compared to credit cards

Aldi and Lidl adopted the position of their German owners when they first arrived here, and that was strictly cash only. German businesses, some to this day, have been very wary of accepting card payments due to the merchant charges.

Whereas credit cards attract a percentage charge to the retailer, debit cards - in the early years - came with a fixed charge: 50p per transaction, for example. This was fine for retailers who had high average transactions, but highly punitive on low transactions, hence many small shops, cafes, pubs etc having minimum spend requirements, to ensure that the merchant charge didn't wipe out the margin.

These days, however, both credit and debit cards use percentage merchant fees (debit cards around a third that charged for credit card transactions) which means that it's fine to buy a newspaper or a coffee using your plastic friend.

Do the Germans use credit cards much? They seem pretty rare in NL where most people use debit cards (annoyingly maestro rather than Visa or MasterCard) all the time, if Germany's similar it may make sense that Aldi/Lidl didn't bother with credit cards as standard.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

RizzoTheRat said:

Do the Germans use credit cards much? They seem pretty rare in NL where most people use debit cards (annoyingly maestro rather than Visa or MasterCard) all the time, if Germany's similar it may make sense that Aldi/Lidl didn't bother with credit cards as standard.

Last time I was in IKEA I noticed that they had dropped credit cards and only accepting debit cards (and cash). Presumably due to the disparity between credit card charges and debit card charges.

Also, some online retailers (and, ironically, HMRC when paying various taxes online) will charge a surcharge for using a credit card.

[V8mate]

RizzoTheRat said:

Do the Germans use credit cards much? They seem pretty rare in NL where most people use debit cards (annoyingly maestro rather than Visa or MasterCard) all the time, if Germany's similar it may make sense that Aldi/Lidl didn't bother with credit cards as standard.

It's much improved in the last 3 years, but before that not many shops accepted credit cards, so there was little point in having them for much other than buying fuel. But the High St there competes with online, just like here, so they had to get with the programme! And fee re-structuring has helped that. Even Aldi Germany accepts all cards now!

[anonymous-user]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Last time I was in IKEA I noticed that they had dropped credit cards and only accepting debit cards (and cash). Presumably due to the disparity between credit card charges and debit card charges.

Also, some online retailers (and, ironically, HMRC when paying various taxes online) will charge a surcharge for using a credit card.

Our vets gives a 10% discount if you pay by debit card, rather than credit card or cash. With the prices vets charge, that`s a nice saving !

[loudlashadjuster]

RizzoTheRat said:

Do the Germans use credit cards much? They seem pretty rare in NL where most people use debit cards (annoyingly maestro rather than Visa or MasterCard) all the time, if Germany's similar it may make sense that Aldi/Lidl didn't bother with credit cards as standard.

They're far more common than they were a few years ago, at least with the uptake of V-Pay etc. (Visa debit, can't be used online) everywhere now has EPOS terminals so they can accept cards. It wasn't so long ago that you couldn't take that for granted in Germany.

[V8mate]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Last time I was in IKEA I noticed that they had dropped credit cards and only accepting debit cards (and cash). Presumably due to the disparity between credit card charges and debit card charges.

Must have been a temporary issue.

Their website says:
In store - We are pleased to accept all major credit and debit cards including VISA, VISA Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Delta and American Express. You can pay using your payment card, or we accept Apple Pay and Android Pay. We also accept IKEA Home Card, IKEA Gift Cards and cash*. We do not accept cheques.

[227bhp]

People that post up 'Interested' on items for sale on FB.
dheads.

[V8mate]

227bhp said:

People that post up 'Interested' on items for sale on FB.
dheads.

I think, when you browse ads, if you click in the field to respond, the FB app offers three or four 'suggested responses' and that's one of them.

I fear it's a 'stupid people doing what they think is the right thing because the internet told them to' scenario.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

V8mate said:

Must have been a temporary issue.

Their website says:
In store - We are pleased to accept all major credit and debit cards including VISA, VISA Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Delta and American Express. You can pay using your payment card, or we accept Apple Pay and Android Pay. We also accept IKEA Home Card, IKEA Gift Cards and cash*. We do not accept cheques.

Maybe it was a trial and they decided to start accepting them again. I haven't been for a couple of years now. But it was no temporary glitch - there were official signs all over the place and everything.