This has apparently been in the pipeline for a while, but I only found out today from my card payment services provider.
After 13th January 2018 you won’t be able to add a surcharge to any card payment; this replaces the existing regulation that you can’t add a surcharge in excess of what the service costs you.
Google "Payment services directive 2” for more info.
Surcharge for credit card payments to go
I absorb the costs anyway as I think taking credit card payments is another marketing tool for attracting guests.
Discounting for other forms of payment amounts to the same thing as surcharging for a card payment, although it may be less obvious depending on how it’s presented.
I don’t accept Paypal, but at a guess (and a completely uninformed one, so don’t quote me!) as you’re not taking a card payment directly it might not apply. You’re using an intermediary (which is why the guest doesn’t have the standard level of card payment protection) who are charging for their services, not a card provider, and Paypal apply their charge regardless of the payment method used by the guest.
It might stir some competition and we could possibly see a drop in card charges as a result. Or they’ll increase the charges for the small fry (us) and reduce them for the big users...
Discounting for other forms of payment amounts to the same thing as surcharging for a card payment, although it may be less obvious depending on how it’s presented.
I don’t accept Paypal, but at a guess (and a completely uninformed one, so don’t quote me!) as you’re not taking a card payment directly it might not apply. You’re using an intermediary (which is why the guest doesn’t have the standard level of card payment protection) who are charging for their services, not a card provider, and Paypal apply their charge regardless of the payment method used by the guest.
It might stir some competition and we could possibly see a drop in card charges as a result. Or they’ll increase the charges for the small fry (us) and reduce them for the big users...