centra the quay waterford

alphapa

was in centra the other day and they charged a girl in front of me 30cent to use her laser card as she didnt spend 10euro!!! i cudnt belive it!!!!!!

Wats_in_a_name

Fair enough imo. Happens in quite a few shops. Many won't even let you use the laser unless you spend more than a certain amount.

ScouseMouse

Proper order.

Min spend a tenner.

kippy

Does this really need to be in the Rip Off Ireland forum?
I see Centra/Mace/Spar etc and automaticilly assume items will be dearer and in fairness in this instance min spend is usually ten.

Cabaal

Lots of small shops have a min spend for Laser in fairness, this isn't anything specific to centra or spar at all,

Ghandee

Ok, so let's say I drop into my local Spar or Centra with my laser card, all I need is a paper and a bottle of water.
Now, The ATM in the SHOP is out of order, so I have a choice, will I go to the next shop that has a working ATM or will I let this lot charge me 30c for a 2€ order?
Charging someone to use their laser card is a disgrace IMHO!

kippy

Gucky wrote: »

Ok, so let's say I drop into my local Spar or Centra with my laser card, all I need is a paper and a bottle of water.
Now, The ATM in the SHOP is out of order, so I have a choice, will I go to the next shop that has a working ATM or will I let this lot charge me 30c for a 2€ order?
Charging someone to use their laser card is a disgrace IMHO!

I believe the retailer has to pick up a charge for every transaction.
They dont appear to mind doing this as long as over 10 euro has been spent. Most outlets have this minimum spend highlighted in the shop somewhere. (Not 100% on the details of this but even if there isnt a charge I believe the equipment for the laser tranactions isnt cheap and it has to be paid for some way)
At the end of the day the choice is yours. Pay 30 cent extra, buy items to the value of 10 euro and not get charged the 30 cents, go elsewhere to get cash........
No one is forcing you to be a customer of that shop.

Oryx

Gucky wrote: »

Ok, so let's say I drop into my local Spar or Centra with my laser card, all I need is a paper and a bottle of water.
Now, The ATM in the SHOP is out of order, so I have a choice, will I go to the next shop that has a working ATM or will I let this lot charge me 30c for a 2€ order?
Charging someone to use their laser card is a disgrace IMHO!

There is a transaction charge of about that amount (30c) for each and every laser transaction a shop puts through. (Credit cards are charged on a percentage basis.) So if youre spending €2 why should the shop lose probably all their profit on what you buy because of the card?

ScouseMouse

Gucky wrote: »

Ok, so let's say I drop into my local Spar or Centra with my laser card, all I need is a paper and a bottle of water.
Now, The ATM in the SHOP is out of order, so I have a choice, will I go to the next shop that has a working ATM or will I let this lot charge me 30c for a 2€ order?
Charging someone to use their laser card is a disgrace IMHO!

What a load of cobblers.

What do you think the bank will say to me when I tell them I shouldnt have to pay their charge as the customer didnt want to pay my charge?

If its a small transaction like €2, I may not even make enough to pay it never mind make a profit (profit pays bills, wages etc etc.)

I would be laughed out of the place !

jimoc

A laser card is not legal tender in this country.
Cash is.

There is nothing forcing a retailer to accept your laser card, just as there is nothing forcing a consumer to purchase the items.

Ghandee

Would I be wrong in saying that everytime I use my laser I already get charged by AIB anyway?
So a shop charging me 30c means I've been charged twice?

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm simply putting myself in the scenario that if an ATM was out of order in the shop and I only had my laser card, why should I pay extra when I could go to the next shop that has a working ATM?

Colonel Sanders

Are card surcharges not supposedly being phased out?

I think it was the Consumer Protection Act?

Or is it a case that this isn't in legislation yet?

ScouseMouse

Gucky wrote: »

Would I be wrong in saying that everytime I use my laser I already get charged by AIB anyway?
So a shop charging me 30c means I've been charged twice?

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm simply putting myself in the scenario that if an ATM was out of order in the shop and I only had my laser card, why should I pay extra when I could go to the next shop that has a working ATM?

If you are AIB, you should be getting free banking. I know there are stipulations about how to get it, but I, personally, dont pay bank fees on my accounts.

The shop however, pays a fee on every card used so has to bear this in mind when deciding to charge a fee. I am not sure if there is legislation banning this but if there is, its not used.

Handling fees can be applied as required though.

cson

It's actually a little strange compared to the USA where you can buy virtually anything with a card. As another point; I remember reading where it's more efficent for a retailer [like Aldi] to have customers use laser as the volume of sales they get thorugh makes laser a cheaper option than the equivilant cash costs.

BoB_BoT

the reason the likes of aldi or lidl prefer laser is to have less cash on hand. Less security risks, lower insurance costs, and less costs of handling cash, i.e. lodging fees, security transport companies etc.. It's worth a lot more to aldi to pay 30 cent than to not handle cash.

Out of interest, does laser use dial up, or have they updated to work over broadband yet? If it's dial up, does that not incur another cost to the shop offering laser.

gerrycollins

BoB_BoT wrote: »

Out of interest, does laser use dial up, or have they updated to work over broadband yet? If it's dial up, does that not incur another cost to the shop offering laser.

it depends on the shop. most if not all supermarkets have it on broadband but most smaller clothes and shoe shops leave it on the dial up with the phone.

Was in a shop once where the manager was dealing with quiet an irate customer on the phone so much so that I couldnt pay for my goods with my laser card.

ps on site secuirity is now a major issue. im aware of a premises that got broken into and all that was taken was teh bank pc which might have contained credit card numbers if it were before they batched down for the night

ScouseMouse

I have a pink terminal which looks after billpay, phone credit and credit/laser cards.

It does run on broadband. This costs me about 25 quid a month (I think), while the terminal itself costs 15 euro per month in rental, and then I pay a fee to the bank everytime someone pays with a laser or credit card.

It never feckin ends.

There is a reason some shops have a minimum spend on cards. I insist on 10 euro but bus tickets and small lottery plays dont even give me enough to cover the fees so I insist on cash only for them.

Its a no brainer really.

gerrycollins

superscouse wrote: »

I have a pink terminal which looks after billpay, phone credit and credit/laser cards.

It does run on broadband. This costs me about 25 quid a month (I think), while the terminal itself costs 15 euro per month in rental, and then I pay a fee to the bank everytime someone pays with a laser or credit card.

It never feckin ends.

There is a reason some shops have a minimum spend on cards. I insist on 10 euro but bus tickets and small lottery plays dont even give me enough to cover the fees so I insist on cash only for them.

Its a no brainer really.

your broadband cost you €25 a month? whats the €15 for. I had those guys in the other day claiming that fo me to get that pink machine was free other than any line/broadband costs.

ScouseMouse

gerrycollins wrote: »

your broadband cost you €25 a month? whats the €15 for. I had those guys in the other day claiming that fo me to get that pink machine was free other than any line/broadband costs.

I cannot remember exactly how much the BB costs, but Alphyra brought in a rental fee for the pink machine itself. This is the 15 euro fee. When it needs rolls, they send them out free though.

rubadub

Gucky wrote: »

why should I pay extra when I could go to the next shop that has a working ATM?

Possibly for the convenience of not having to go next door. You make your own mind up, go next door or pay up. The retailer has to pay fees, if he pays YOUR fees then he will probably increase other prices and charge ME more for my cash transaction. I do not really want to be subsidising peoples laser cards.

gerrycollins

superscouse wrote: »

I cannot remember exactly how much the BB costs, but Alphyra brought in a rental fee for the pink machine itself. This is the 15 euro fee. When it needs rolls, they send them out free though.

well when he comes back he will get a kick if he is lying to me about the rental. I doubly asked him "what cost do iI incur for getting your machine" and he said all I pay is for my BB interesting

ScouseMouse

gerrycollins wrote: »

well when he comes back he will get a kick if he is lying to me about the rental. I doubly asked him "what cost do iI incur for getting your machine" and he said all I pay is for my BB interesting

If you really want to get him, pm me your fax number and I will send you the invoice. You can hit him with it.

I know I have one around here somewhere.