Description
The Fresh Stop is now chargeing a min 10 bucks to use your debit card. by visa law that was passed in Aug 2010. no store or place that allows visa or debit is allowd to charge a min charge. and when ask to the owner he said oh well. what a jerk i would stop going and take your business somewhere else.
22 Comments
tbeckcampbell (Guest)
I have gone there for years. The sign has always been up....it's nothing new. However, they generally are flexible on the dollar amount. I have charged less than $10 a number of times. But I am a friendly, regular customer.....maybe a smile and small chat goes a long way?
Business are charged a flat fee plus a percentage of the sale. If the sale is less than a certain dollar amount, they actually lose money on the sale.
So, basically by forcing a small business to uphold the Visa/MasterCard agreement, you are forcing them to raise their prices to stay in business.....and ultimately taking more money out of your own pocket.
Your choice.....but you might want to rethink your position if you expect small businesses to continue to exist and thrive.
An alternative to keeping small businesses like this alive and well, try just grabbing one or two extra items to meet the "minimum"....that's more in keeping with supporting small, local businesses who take the time to recognize faces that walk in the door.
mad_as_hell (Guest)
You need to remember that it is illegal. And, some people can't afford to just add a couple of things to bring the total up to ten dollars. If Fresh Stop wants to take debit cards they need to follow the law, otherwise, just take cash. What they are doing is unfair to other small businesses that follow the rules.
Ridley Park Resident (Guest)
Yes it is illegal but I like The Fresh Stop and want them to stay in business, so it's worth it to me to spend $10 when I go there. The only thing else to do, would be to ask the owner to call his bank & ask about the law. Don't know if he'd do it, though.
Ridley Park Resident (Guest)
Correction to my previous post. This practice is not illegal, just a violation of the contract that they signed with Mastercard/VISA, this is from their web site:
Merchant Rules Manual, Page 2-22
9.12.3 Minimum/Maximum Transaction Amount Prohibited
A merchant must not require, or post signs indicating that it requires, a minimum or maximum transaction amount to accept a valid MasterCard card.
Card Acceptance and Chargeback Management Guide for Visa Merchants
Dollar Minimums and Maximums – Page 10
Always honor valid Visa cards, in your acceptance category, regardless of the dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing minimum or maximum purchase amounts is a violation.
mad_as_hell (Guest)
Ridley Park Resident, Listen to what you are saying. You say that because you like going there it's okay if they are acting illegally. When does doing the right thing, even if it might mean losing something that you like, become important in this society? All someone needs to do is to get in touch with VISA and he will lose the right to take debit cards. Personally, I don't go there anymore, they are overpriced and have a lousy attitude. I go to Eddystone Produce on Chester Pike, they're much nicer to deal with. For those of you who like going to the Fresh Stop, you might want to clue him in that he could lose his debit card privileges if someone gets mad enough and turns him in.
mad_as_hell (Guest)
So, okay, it's not illegal, but he could still lose his privileges if he continues. And, it's wrong to sign an agreement and then break it. For those of you who really like going there, be a real friend and let him know that you would respect him more if he honored his signed agreements. That's what would be the appropriate thing to do.
dhmom (Guest)
my business just as well has a $5 min charge,if not we get charged.it Is NOT illegal. Just remember they are a small mom and pops produce, coming from a mom and pops business that does add up so yes I think its completely okay with that min. charge.
mad_as_hell (Guest)
It's against the agreement that you signed. Doesn't anyone get that it is wrong to sign an agreement and then just break it. I have a small (very small) business myself. When I agree to terms with someone, I follow the rules I agreed to. Look at this world that we live in that everybody thinks it okay to lie, cheat or steal. What are we teaching future generations. Just make it cash only if you think that you will lose money otherwise!
Momma (Guest)
The store is charge a fee for every transaction, so if you but $1.50 of merhandise, he still has to pay a fee. He can't stay in business if he has all those small purchases and loses money on each one. Go to the bank and get cast.
oldmagoo (Guest)
Just go to produce junction and not this overpriced place that rapes you for money and low quality product. BOYCOTT!!
Angry (Guest)
He replied to me that, " It's our policy" I wasn't from the area and my order totaled almost $8 and I could not use my card and had no cash. I needed to take my business elsewhere because of it.
oldmagoo (Guest)
hey momma, learn how to talk english. GO TO PRODUCE JUNCTION, THERE BETTER QUALITY, CASH ONLY!! So no arguments
C (Guest)
Hi everyone thanks so much for your input on this. I work for Visa/MasterCard and it’s sad to say that this is wrong, just like if he was to charge you his .25 cent fee that cost him to run this machine for each transaction. Having this machine in his store and a courtesy to his customers and well as making more money on his part, most people today don’t care cash, due to the Visa/MasterCard laws that allow you to charge 1.00 to above on your debit/credit cards. It’s going to come to down to him being audited, and if it’s still going on then they will lose their machine, and never be able to accept debit or credit cards again. Everyone have a good day, and stay cool.
Former customer (Guest)
If customers don't like this policy don't shop at the Fresh Stop. There are other stores to shop at nearby!
shopownertoo (Guest)
@#$% get audited, I'll make sure of it, unless the owner does the right thing. When he no longer accepts visa, then there will be no arguments about this. As for those who defend this practice, I guess you don't care about the rules of business!! he accepted the rules and signed off on them knowing how Visa works. Now he just decides to not follow his contract. I guess we should all go through life with this attitude huh. Screw the rules right!! Yea, I'm with ya if that's the way it's gonna be.
shopownertoo (Guest)
Funny how he said "it's our policy". I guess this dude could care less about the policy he signed off on with Visa. Only his "Policy" matters I guess. What a pitiful excuse for a business owner. When Visa takes his machine away, I hope when he's crying to them, they say "sorry, It's our policy"!!
mad_as_hell (Guest)
Thank you, shopownertoo, that was exactly the point I was trying to make. He is obviously not an honorable person, and I personally don't do business with people like that. For all those people who think that it is okay for him to renege on his agreement with VISA/MasterCard because he's a small business, consider all the small business people who do follow the rules that they agree to and support them. They deserve it.! Our world is only as good as we make it...
thunder (Guest)
Give this little guy a break your killing this guy who is competing against the large stores in the area who sell produce at a lost so you buy other things there!
Just look at the physical side of his business and you can tell he is struggling to survive don't kick a dying business over such a trivial issue!!!
mad_as_hell (Guest)
Thunder, you are wrong! He signed an agreement not to charge a minimum amount and what he's really doing is forcing people to spend more than they can or want to, while he breaks the rules that let him take VISA in the first place. There are plenty of produce stores in the area, and they don't sell their produce at a loss, they take cash and some have atm machines. On top of that, he has a nasty attitude and has a filthy store.
thunder (Guest)
wow you need to relax this is not that big a deal
i served a year in vietnam and learned not to sweat the little things they will make ya into a unhappy person just talking outload have a grrrt day
nuts4delco (Guest)
Stop shopping here
Closed nuts4delco (Guest)
I don't have to shop here.