Why can gas stations charge customers for using credit cards when other business are prohibited from doing so?

Question

Why can gas stations charge customers for using credit cards when other business are prohibited from doing so?

Answer 1

evry merchant that accepts credit cards places a charge for that in their pricing they always have and will since that is a charge that comes to them it is passes on

Answer 2

credit card charges for retailers are eating into their profits. As gas prices increased, charge amount increased and retailers pay % of that amount charged to credit card companies while their profit is still the same per gallon as it was 2 years ago(about 10-20 cents/gallon). If they dont charge you for credit card transactions, gas stations will be paying out of their pockets.

All businesses are allowed to charge for credit card transactions but most of them don't because of competition. In NY, businesses deny taking credit cards unless you buy certain amount of items. Its all legal. You'll see more and more businesses charging their customers for paying with their credit cards now because of the recession.

Answer 3

Were are you located ? Report them to your credit card company.  They should not be allowed to do that.  There is a charge that the credit card companies charge the Gas Station (which is what they are tring to get back from you).  But they are not allowed to do that.

Answer 4

The way they get around this is not a surcharge for using credit cards but a discount for using cash. I know this is just an underhanded way of doing business but from what I've read perfectly legal as long as it is spelled out clearly on the pump. Otherwise it is a bait and switch tactic.

Answer 5

It is legal for anyone to offer a discount for cash to offset the cost of using credit cards.