when credit and consumerism gets a little too carried away...

[vi edit]

I was at target today picking up a couple things, and the place was friggin swamped. The shortest checkout lane was about 3 people deep. Anywhoo, I picked the one with three people because they only had one or two items a piece

Person 1 - A bag of halloween candy, approximate value $2.00 - pays with a check card

Person 2 - A picture frame, approximate value ~ $7.00 - pays with a check

Person 3 - A bag of M&M's, approximate value $.50 - Pays for it with a check card

There was under $10 of value in these three items, yet none were paid for with cash. Don't people carry any green on them anymore?

Instead of having 20 item or less "express" lanes, they should have "cash only" lanes. Things would move twice as fast since you won't have some person having to show their ID's because they are trying to purchase a Snickers bar with a check!

BTW - does anybody know what it costs a store to make a credit transaction? Is it a flat rate per month, is it per "swipe", or is it based upon a percentage of total sales?

Just wondering if they loose more money on a $.50 credit card transaction than they make.

 

[Aquaman]

I agree. Were I live they have express lanes (12/18/22 items) but cash only. Even with this you get dicks that have more items & who want to write cheques :| Real pisser :|

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Cknyc]

I pay for everything with my check card. I dont really carry more than 20 dollars in my pocket. I get 6% interest on my checking balance. Its too expensive to hold cash.

 

[kranky]

I'm sure big stores pay less, but a small business I know takes credit cards, and the fee they pay is 25 cents plus a little under 2% of the sale. There's also a monthly fee that isn't much. The fee nearly doubles when it's a phone or mail order (versus physically swiping the card). Debit cards are about 50 cents per transaction. If they have to call in for an authorization it's a dollar.

So that bag of M&Ms could be a total loss.

 

[Zab]

The banks love it. They are making money on almost every transaction when you use your bank card. And on credit card purchases they take a percentage.

 

[Wedesdo]

they do have cash only lanes at some of the stores i go to

 

[compuwiz1]

I use the check card for everything. I can go check my balance online. No writing checks or balancing a checkbook here.

 

[Russ]

<< Instead of having 20 item or less &quot;express&quot; lanes, they should have &quot;cash only&quot; lanes. >>



Agreed. There's nothing more frustrating than a line full of dillweeds that don't have the sense to carry enough cash to get done and get the hell out of the line.

What's even worse here is that the welfare crap is now done with a card and, invariably, I'll end up behind some leech who's got a cart that consists of 50% non-qualifying items that have to be sorted one at a time.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Gatsby]

Ahh After my check card got slammed.. everything goes on credit.
Hmm kinda great when you hand an amex over for a 2 dollar charge.
Of course the balances are paid on time and in full. thats a must for someone who needs more credit.

Gatsby

 

[Damaged]

Yeah. Cash only will just encourage Grandma' to go there then take 10 minutes to locate 73 fscking cents in change so that she doesn't have to break a dollar. See, you just can't win that one.

 

[Buddha Bart]

frankly I like to keep everything I can on my credit card.

bart