Originally Posted by
Hogtowner
Our merchant agreement forbids us from adding a surcharge for customers who opt to pay by credit card; in theory we could lose our merchant account if they caught us doing it (we don't).
threaten to report them to VISA or MC and see what they say. Be prepared to call their bluff.
Merchant agreements do not prohibit offering a so-called "cash discount" (e.g. 3%), so there is nothing that would stop a merchant, especially a car dealer, from stipulating that its prices have been "cash discounted".
Also, certain categories of merchants may be granted exemptions from the "no surcharge" and "no maximum purchase amount" rules, as per the terms of their merchant agreements.