Paying extra when using a card? 'It’s Illegal!' – Wendy Knowler, consumer journalist

702’s Clement Manyathela speaks to consumer journalist Wendy Knowler.

Listen below:

Have you ever had to pay an additional fee for card purchases? Or perhaps where you shop they have a minimum transaction amount for card purchases?

Some retailers are passing their banking fees onto customers.

“It’s wrong; it’s illegal… The Consumer Protection Act says a retailer can’t ask you to pay more than the advertised price for something… It is also in contravention of their merchant agreement with the bank.” 

– Wendy Knowler, Consumer journalist

But what can consumers do? Make a noise, says Knowler.

Take note of what banks' branding is on that point of sale machine and notify them.

“If it becomes an accepted culture then you are likely going to be told ‘take it or leave it’.” 

– Wendy Knowler, Consumer journalist

At the other end, many establishments have gone completely cashless.

This is a little bit of a grey area, says Knowler. 

RELATED:  WENDY KNOWLER: Woolies moves to cashless policy at WCafe, tipping via card payments

“There is no directive about service providers having the right to refuse cash as payment. But the [South African] Reserve Bank said there are no sanctions for those who do… Nothing is going to happen to them… It’s a grey legal area.”

– Wendy Knowler, Consumer journalist