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20 euro minimum spend on fuel when paying with card

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  • 28-05-2012 5:32pm
    #1
    physioman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭


    I went to a petrol station today and filled up with 10 euro. I went to pay for the fuel using my laser card and the lady behind the counter said that I couldn't pay with my card unless I spent 20 euro. I've been to other petrol stations where the minimum is 10 euro and I thought that was the case with all stations. I stated to her that there were no signs up stating 20 euro minimum payment with card. She basically said in so many words tough! Can they do this? Any consumer rights in my favour here?


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    #2
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    What was she going to do if you told her you had no cash and only €10 left on the card?


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    #3
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,389 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Far as I know they can do what they want in this situation, they'll happily take cash, so they're not forcing you to buy a certain amount, on a separate note, €10 is only about 6 litres of fuel.


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    #4
    niallb
    Registered Users Posts: 2,720 ✭✭✭niallb


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Far as I know they can do what they want in this situation, they'll happily take cash, so they're not forcing you to buy a certain amount, on a separate note, €10 is only about 6 litres of fuel.

    Which is almost a full tank on a 50cc motorcycle,
    and will get you home from 50km away even in a 3 litre SUV.


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    #5
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Its their fuel they can set whatever conditions on a sale they want to. Not sure of the laws on not advertising limits or restrictions on a post pay transaction though.

    Did they have a cash machine in the garage? Could have gotten money out of that and paid.


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    #6
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,845 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Profit margin for the forecourt on fuel is tiny

    Charges on a Laser are fixed at 15c IIRC.

    If they're making 1% on the fuel and you pay by laser for a tenner, you've just cost them money; 1.5% and they've made no margin at all but at least its not a loss.


    They should still sign it, and well; but that's the logic behind it.


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    #7
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,238 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    Ha if that had been me it would have been a right sticky situation as I never carry cash! I usually expect to have my Laser card refused for anything under a tenner; a €20 limit however is just massively taking the piss. Its also extremely unusual, and given how many people would put fuel on their card then I would say the station is obliged to inform you with signs at the pumps to say that they have a minimum spend of €20 when paying with cards. The sound like a bunch of clowns tbh.


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    #8
    Mylow
    Registered Users Posts: 802 ✭✭✭Mylow


    MYOB wrote: »
    Profit margin for the forecourt on fuel is tiny

    Charges on a Laser are fixed at 15c IIRC.
    If they're making 1% on the fuel and you pay by laser for a tenner, you've just cost them money; 1.5% and they've made no margin at all but at least its not a loss.


    They should still sign it, and well; but that's the logic behind it.

    Plus terminal fees (€25 per month service charge and €27 per month terminal fee)


    Looks like Laser card is going to disappear in coming year to be replaced with a visa/mastercard debit card. The charges are even higher on these debit cards than Laser, I saw figures from Elavon of 2.4 to 2.7% :-( Minimum spends in low margin business will probably be €30. Or possibly like in UK and Germany, the retailer can add these charges if displayed at the till.


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    #9
    Redsoxfan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,258 ✭✭✭Redsoxfan


    Was there an ATM in the service station?


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    #10
    physioman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭physioman


    There was no atm in the petrol station and it is local to me. Her attitude was terrible. I knew they were tight but that was just taking the piss. I understand they have fees for cards but why not display 20 euro minimum and there wouldn't have been a situation. The only way to demonstrate is to hit it where it hurts, in there wallet. I won't ever go back to it.


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    #11
    Terrontress
    Registered Users Posts: 3,888 ✭✭✭Terrontress


    once, when driving a hired Focus car in Spain, I filled it with a full tank of Diesel. When I presented my credit card they asked for my passport for an additional form of ID, which I didn't have. I told her she was welcome to the diesel back. What could she do other than sell me the diesel? Name the garage, I'd love to go down and stick a fiver in, hand the laser over and then point to the sign on the door.

    As for the costs of Laser, for every time you've put in a tenner I'm sure you have put in €50s taking it down to 0.3%, €80s etc. On top of this the garage doesn't have to pay Brinks as much to take cash away, don't have the risk of losing as much in a raid, don't have to count it and store it, plus it is all built in to the margin on
    the fuel anyway. Anyone who pities any business for the costs of accepting Laser is a fool.


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    #12
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    Anan1 wrote: »
    What was she going to do if you told her you had no cash and only €10 left on the card?

    This is a good point. What if? I appreciate its legal tender but if you can stick a laser sign onto your window why not stick a 20 euro minimum spend. I would have offered her the card, if she refused then its her tough and left and repaid the tenner at my convenience.


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    #13
    slimjimmc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭slimjimmc


    You should have asked her for €20 cashback and handed her €10 for the petrol:D


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    #14
    physioman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭physioman


    The petrol station is near Ballincollig. We'll call it james roberts. Locals will know who it is!


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    #15
    event
    Registered Users Posts: 16,003 ✭✭✭✭event


    MugMugs wrote: »
    This is a good point. What if? I appreciate its legal tender but if you can stick a laser sign onto your window why not stick a 20 euro minimum spend. I would have offered her the card, if she refused then its her tough and left and repaid the tenner at my convenience.

    unlikely you'd be allowed to do that.

    if you couldnt pay OP, id imagine they'd have drained the petrol out of it, simple really


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    #16
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,238 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    event wrote: »
    unlikely you'd be allowed to do that.

    if you couldnt pay OP, id imagine they'd have drained the petrol out of it, simple really

    No they wouldnt; not for a tenners worth and especially not if the OP is local and is familar to the station. Ive forgotten my wallet on occasion and only realised after I have filled up; most places would take you at your word that youll come back if they know who you are.


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    #17
    SniperSight
    Registered Users Posts: 1,295 ✭✭✭SniperSight


    Out of curiosity, is it a general minimum or just fuel? My own shop has no minimum limit for any card transaction, but my local has a €15 minimum regardless of what you buy. So I suspect this isn't just a fuel issue but a general policy some shops have and others don't.


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    #18
    Boskowski
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,361 ✭✭✭Boskowski


    Just fill the bloody car up man. Don't people realize whether you fill up for a tenner 5 times a week or for 50 once, its still 50 Euro. The difference is you've only gone once to the stupid gas station.

    Probably going to be called a minted snob now or something...


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    #19
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    Boskowski wrote: »
    Just fill the bloody car up man. Don't people realize whether you fill up for a tenner 5 times a week or for 50 once, its still 50 Euro. The difference is you've only gone once to the stupid gas station.

    Probably going to be called a minted snob now or something...

    Not everybody has the fifty. It could be pay day Thursday!


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    #20
    run_Forrest_run
    Registered Users Posts: 6,398 ✭✭✭run_Forrest_run


    Boskowski wrote: »
    Just fill the bloody car up man. Don't people realize whether you fill up for a tenner 5 times a week or for 50 once, its still 50 Euro. The difference is you've only gone once to the stupid gas station.

    Probably going to be called a minted snob now or something...

    a minted yank snob perhaps...gas station:rolleyes:


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    #21
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    what sort of car caan you fill for €50...?:rolleyes:


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    #22
    shedweller
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭shedweller


    corktina wrote: »
    what sort of car caan you fill for €50...?:rolleyes:
    It might be a €50 per week fuel bill.....so put €50 in on payday.
    Job done!


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    #23
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    event wrote: »
    unlikely you'd be allowed to do that.

    if you couldnt pay OP, id imagine they'd have drained the petrol out of it, simple really

    You find me the garage owner that will drain my car for the sake of 15 cent and I'll give you a good Youtube video :)


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    #24
    Statistician
    Closed Accounts Posts: 256 ✭✭Statistician


    corktina wrote: »
    what sort of car caan you fill for €50...?:rolleyes:

    A Micra isn't too far off this.

    (Top tip: Put a house brick in your fuel tank and it will cost less to fill it with fuel)


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    #25
    Terrontress
    Registered Users Posts: 3,888 ✭✭✭Terrontress


    event wrote: »
    MugMugs wrote: »
    This is a good point. What if? I appreciate its legal tender but if you can stick a laser sign onto your window why not stick a 20 euro minimum spend. I would have offered her the card, if she refused then its her tough and left and repaid the tenner at my convenience.

    unlikely you'd be allowed to do that.

    if you couldnt pay OP, id imagine they'd have drained the petrol out of it, simple really

    It's not simple at all. How would they drain it out? How would they be sure they get the correct amount back? Where would they store the drained fuel? They can't just open the big tanks and pour a tenner's worth back in.

    I used to work in a garage when I was 17 and we had no siphon. We had a duplicate form to be filled in when people couldn't pay and our copy got sellotaped to beside the till, out of sight of customers, until it was repaid.

    But in this case I'd say a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and any garage letting a customer with a valid form of payment disappear is managed by an idiot.


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