WAGGA businesses are split between charging customers to use EFTPOS, with one shop labelling it “greedy”.
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With physical money becoming increasingly rare among some consumers, some businesses have maintained a surcharge for the service, while others absorb the costs.
Wagga’s Forum 6 Cinema charge a flat fee of $1 per EFTPOS transaction.
Manager Craig Lucas said providing the convenience of electronic payment came at a cost to the business – with banks charging for equipment rental and use.
While a debit card charge can be small, Mr Lucas said some credit cards could cost up to two per cent or more per purchase.
“We could have increased the prices instead we chose to apply a surcharge,” Mr Lucas said.
Rather than apply a surcharge to some cards – Mr Lucas said a flat fee was the easier and meant it only affected customers using their debit or credit card.
Among Fourm 6 customers, there is a 50-50 split between customers who pay with cash and those who use EFTPOS.
Mr Lucas said the cinema held off from implementing EFTPOS until it was fast enough and could integrate with the ticketing system.
“With pay-wave it’s almost instantaneous.”
The Trail Street Coffee Shop is among one of the city’s businesses which does not charge for using debit or credit cards instead absorbing the cost.
“We have a reasonable rate to use EFTPOS from our bank,” manager Lachlan Robinson said.
The business pays to have a single EFTPOS machine in the shop.
Mr Robinson said charging customers to use the EFTPOS machine would see the business make more than it cost to provide it.
“It’d just be greedy to.”
If the Trail Street Coffee Shop was charged more, however it would different.
“If we had to pay more to use it, it would seem reasonable to have a surcharge.”
Wagga Business Chamber manager Michelle Bray said EFTPOS could be an invaluable tool for businesses but the cost of the service had to be mitigated.
“EFTPOS facilities provide a great deal of convenience for customers and for business, it means increased sales, security and a positive cash flow,” Ms Bray.
“Unfortunately while small businesses are being charged fees for their EFTPOS machines, ultimately this cost will be passed on to the consumer in some form.”