[net.consumers] dumb credit card surcharge ban

btb@hogpc.UUCP (B.BURGER) (04/05/84)

> 1.  No business is going to lower existing prices if
>     surcharges are allowed.  I know, prices won't rise
>     as fast, etc.....

You yourself debunk this argument, so why make it?  Or
do you really believe businesses will accept lower
profits from cards than cash?

> 2.  Businesses don't have to take credit cards!  If
>     people who want to pay cash stop patronizing places
>     that markup to handle the cost of credit, perhaps
>     the business will have an incentive to refuse credit
>     sales.

Since buisnesses don't have to accept cards, why make them
do it free if they do accept them?  And would you prefer
they didn't accept them?

> 3.  I think in general, credit cards generate more business
>     for those places that accept them.

Yes.  Friendly salespeople increase business too.  Do we need
a law mandating those, too?  In capitalism, we need such laws only
to protect consumers from deceptive practices.  If McDonald's wants
to put more fries in "small fries" than "large fries," that's
deceptive.  If they choose to put more in "large" but charge less
(for whatever reason, smart or dumb), that's their right.
Why is a law needed?

> 4.  I still think discounts for cash are allowed.  So if
>     business want to differentiate that can.

I think the new law would prohibit cash discounts.  I agree that
if it doesn't, it wouldn't be so bad, although it's still silly
to tell business that a certain pricing policy is legal if given 
one name and illegal if given another!


Fighting For Logic Even If Reagan Would Agree With Me,

Bruce Burger     AT&T-Information Systems     Lincroft, NJ