The problem with gun shows...

[alvins]

Nice shotgun! I've actually purchased two firearms at gun shows, but doubt I'll ever do it again.



- Charging the credit card fee violates the agreements most of them signed with the credit card processor. If reported, they could actually lose their ability to accept credit cards. Sure, they lose a little bit of the margin on each sale, but they end up making a ton of transactions that they otherwise wouldn't have access to if they only accepted cash, so the theory is that they still end up ahead. The same goes for small businesses trying to enforce a minimum sale amount for accepting credit cards.

Glad you had a pleasant experience. . . guess I sound pretty grouchy.

Accually thats not true anymore. we can thank obama for it.

[Keith B]

Nice shotgun! I've actually purchased two firearms at gun shows, but doubt I'll ever do it again.



- Charging the credit card fee violates the agreements most of them signed with the credit card processor. If reported, they could actually lose their ability to accept credit cards. Sure, they lose a little bit of the margin on each sale, but they end up making a ton of transactions that they otherwise wouldn't have access to if they only accepted cash, so the theory is that they still end up ahead. The same goes for small businesses trying to enforce a minimum sale amount for accepting credit cards.

Glad you had a pleasant experience. . . guess I sound pretty grouchy.

Accually thats not true anymore. we can thank obama for it.

Can you give more info on this? I am not aware of that changing.

And, the way these vendors get by the rule is they are not charging you to use your card, they are actually offering a 'discount' for using cash, which is allowed by VISA and other major card companies. The vendors just mark the cash price on the guns instead of the full price.

[Toadstone]

Nice shotgun! I've actually purchased two firearms at gun shows, but doubt I'll ever do it again.



- Charging the credit card fee violates the agreements most of them signed with the credit card processor. If reported, they could actually lose their ability to accept credit cards. Sure, they lose a little bit of the margin on each sale, but they end up making a ton of transactions that they otherwise wouldn't have access to if they only accepted cash, so the theory is that they still end up ahead. The same goes for small businesses trying to enforce a minimum sale amount for accepting credit cards.

Glad you had a pleasant experience. . . guess I sound pretty grouchy.

Accually thats not true anymore. we can thank obama for it.

Can you give more info on this? I am not aware of that changing.

And, the way these vendors get by the rule is they are not charging you to use your card, they are actually offering a 'discount' for using cash, which is allowed by VISA and other major card companies. The vendors just mark the cash price on the guns instead of the full price.

I think you are (mostly) on track, Keith B. According to merchantcouncil.org:

Every originator except for Discover forbids surcharging credit card sales, however, as MasterCard so clearly states, "A Merchant may provide a discount to its customers for cash payments." This statement holds the secret to passing credit card processing fees on to customers. The trick isn't charging customers more for using a credit card; it's charging them less for using cash.

In order to charge customers for credit card processing fees you must create a dual pricing model. To accomplish this, raise all prices to offset processing fees and then offer a discount on cash purchases that's equal to the price increase.

The catch is that the cash price must be presented as a discount to the true price. This means that price tags, signage and advertisements must display the higher (credit card) price first and then display the lower (cash discount) price as a discount. For example, many gas stations offer a cash discount but they post the higher (credit card) price on their roadside signage.

[beardking]

- Charging the credit card fee violates the agreements most of them signed with the credit card processor. If reported, they could actually lose their ability to accept credit cards. Sure, they lose a little bit of the margin on each sale, but they end up making a ton of transactions that they otherwise wouldn't have access to if they only accepted cash, so the theory is that they still end up ahead. The same goes for small businesses trying to enforce a minimum sale amount for accepting credit cards.

I wouldn't have quite as much of a problem with the dealers charging the credit card fee if only they ATM's that they typically have in the buildings that are hosting the gun show didn't charge even more for a "convenience fee" than the 3% (or whatever it is) surcharge that the dealer charges. Add to that the fact that many of the ATM's have a limit on how much one withdrawal can be, and you end up paying a whole lot more if you aren't paying attention. This hasn't happened to me, but it almost happened to a co-worker until I pointed out the extra fees that he would be paying over the amount of the surcharge if he used the ATM.


BTW: Great gun, lemme break it in for you.

[sjustice64]

i always spend way too much money at jerky vendor...guns, jerky, guns, jerky....errrrr most of the good deals are from the individuals who get a booth to sell their private collections...

[gigag04]

I always feel like the show nickel and dimes me to death. Parking cost. Entrance fee. Credit card fee. Retail or higher gun prices. Food or drink.

I often end up buying from a 3rd party or range.

QFT

[v-rog]

Nice shotgun. I'm kind of in the market for one (home defense). I've been looking at the Remington 870 and the mossberg 500. Haven't made a decision and the money tree is bare.