Why must pay in cash instead?
Jun 16, 2013 | 11:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AZ
Posts: 137
Why must pay in cash instead?
I booked apartment, car service etc with my CC and I assumed that CC will take care of the remaining balance but I found out that I must hand over CASH upon arrival for car service and apartment seperately. Why?
Why not CC? Thank you in advance to explain why.
Ciao
Why not CC? Thank you in advance to explain why.
Ciao
Jun 16, 2013 | 2:15 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Catania, Sicily(CTA)/South Jersey (PHL)/Houston(IAH)/Red Stick, La.(BTR)/airborne in-between
Programs: United Plat (1MM), AA ExecPlat, ITA/AZ Freccia, Hilton Diam, Bonvoy Gold, Hertz Prez, IHG gold
Posts: 3,874
Without knowing what service you used nor the fine print on the site, in general Italians, and frankly Europeans in a more general sense, are less credit card friendly than in North America (I presume AZ is Arizona and not Alitalia in your name). Credit cards charge fees for their use. Italians don't want to pay that fee; also cash is much easier to "hide" than credit or even bancomat cards.
Jun 17, 2013 | 10:21 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 59
It's not necessarily a tax dodge for payment to be made in cash. You should still receive a fiscal receipt regardless of payment. Taxes are very high in Italy so people are not willing to lose 3-5% of their profits to a credit card processing fee. Every apartment I have rented in Europe required cash. I'm sure there are places that accept credit cards but I never it to be a big enough issue to seek them out.
Jun 18, 2013 | 9:34 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NAP
Programs: LH, BA, TK
Posts: 2,410
Payments by cash have been drastically limited by recent laws.
Cash is still widely used for small, medium amounts. There's no incentive at all by CC issuers to let the petty payment flow, both for business owners and consumers.
In any survey Amex requires me to submit on a monthly frequency I try to let them understand the many flaws their programme has.
One for all, the robbery of 1 MR point every 5 transferred to many airlines FFP.
It translate in a penalty of 25% for award flights.
US folks churn and enjoy bonus transfer bonanza, in Europe they act diametrically at the opposite.
Cash is still widely used for small, medium amounts. There's no incentive at all by CC issuers to let the petty payment flow, both for business owners and consumers.
In any survey Amex requires me to submit on a monthly frequency I try to let them understand the many flaws their programme has.
One for all, the robbery of 1 MR point every 5 transferred to many airlines FFP.
It translate in a penalty of 25% for award flights.
US folks churn and enjoy bonus transfer bonanza, in Europe they act diametrically at the opposite.
Jun 18, 2013 | 8:23 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Posts: 5,024
Some restaurants take credit cards, but quite a few don't, so check ahead of time when you dine out. Heck, quite a few stores we were in didn't even take credit cards.