A publication, shared more than 150,000 times in three days on Facebook, details the fees that a merchant must pay for the payment by credit card of his customers.
These amounts, in addition to arousing reactions, question Internet users on the obligation or not, for a merchant, to accept payment by card.
The amounts shown on the post appear realistic, and merchants are under no obligation to accept electronic payment.
“Sorry, I don't take the card.
A phrase that every customer has heard at least once in their life.
There are those who curse, arguing that it is forbidden to refuse payment in any form, and others who search their pockets for a note or a few coins.
To often end up going to the vending machine.
If the subject divides, a publication, shared more than 150,000 times in three days on Facebook, tries to explain why certain businesses refuse or limit payment by bank card by detailing the various costs of an electronic payment for the merchant.
Taken up on various social networks, this photo divides Internet users who debate the reality of these figures, and the right for a merchant to refuse the use of electronic payment.
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In the publication, the Internet user advances the costs of using a TPE (Electronic Payment Terminal).
On the whole, these costs coincide with the tariffs applied by the various organizations concerned.
The rental, estimated between 25 euros and 45 euros per month, and the cost of the monthly subscription falls within a range that has been confirmed to us by the various companies that provide these services, which for the sake of commercial confidentiality ask not to be mentioned: between 10 and 100 euros per month for the rental (depending on the frequency of use and the amounts collected).
However, these prices can be negotiated between the merchant and the lessor.
Three types of fees
For the per-purchase fees listed, it's a bit more complicated.
They are divided into three parts.
The interchange fee, network fees and bank margin.
The interchange fee is set by the card networks (CB, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.).
It is a commission that the merchant's bank pays to the customer's bank, a “compensation” for the use of its service.
This commission is capped at 0.20% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards.
Note that if the merchant and the customer have their account in the same bank, this commission disappears.
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The network fees correspond to the fees that are levied by the card networks to guarantee payment to the merchant from the moment it is validated by the banks.
If the TPE indicates "Payment accepted", this means that the network has ensured the solvency of the customer, and that the merchant will receive his payment no matter what.
It is this service that is billed.
The conditions and amounts of this service differ according to the network used (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) but also the card model (Premier, Gold, etc.).
In general, these amounts remain very modest compared to the payment, rarely above 0.02% of the amount or less than one penny.
These first costs are fixed and incompressible.
Only cash cannot be refused by a merchant
Remains the margin of the bank.
The latter is most often negotiated between the merchant and his bank, if the former has the necessary negotiating power (flow frequency and volume of activity).
This margin can vary enormously and generally ranges between 0.2% and 1.5% of the payment amount.
The figures presented in the Facebook publication therefore seem realistic.
But that does not prevent some Internet users from rising up against the refusal by some merchants to pay by credit card.
However, the law stipulates that a merchant has the right to refuse payment by credit card, or to set a minimum purchase amount if he indicates it visibly in his business, generally either at entrance or at the cash desk.
This is also the case for checks.
On the other hand, a merchant cannot refuse payment by cash.
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