New_Sun6390 t1_jbojb88 wrote on March 10, 2023 at 3:05 PM

Reply to comment by Jay_Derkin in Liberty Utilities forcing access to checking accounts... by [deleted]

OP has an excellent point. Utilities should offer convenient, free payment options for customers. Payments should be posted immediately. Even the country's (allegedly) most hated utility in Maine offers free, convenient payment directly from a customer's checking account.

AKBigDaddy t1_jbort46 wrote on March 10, 2023 at 4:01 PM

Liberty does offer this- he's griping that this is the only free option. I see his point, you shouldn't charge me extra for paying you.

ZacPetkanas t1_jbpoipy wrote on March 10, 2023 at 7:31 PM

> I see his point, you shouldn't charge me extra for paying you.

I understand when a vendor passes along the costs of using a credit card and don't really have a problem with that. But if they were to make that the only method and then try to pass the costs along it would be a problem.

Devtunes t1_jbpro7q wrote on March 10, 2023 at 7:52 PM

Anything more than a few cents(unless it's a extreme rewards card) is just an excuse to screw the customer for profit.

ZacPetkanas t1_jbpzfpo wrote on March 10, 2023 at 8:43 PM

> Anything more than a few cents(unless it's a extreme rewards card) is just an excuse to screw the customer for profit.

The average credit card processing fee is 1.5% - 2.9% for an in-person swiped transaction and 3.5% for an online transaction

AKBigDaddy t1_jbpot1b wrote on March 10, 2023 at 7:33 PM

> I understand when a vendor passes along the costs of using a credit card and don't really have a problem with that.

I don't, it's the cost of doing business. If you don't want to accept cards, you don't have to. But you will have an unhappy customer base as a result.