kwzh
Champion Author
San Jose
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Message Posted: Jun 30, 2011 11:36:31 PM
The current guideline is that "with car wash" prices are not to be posted at all -- though it's reasonable to use the comments to indicate how much of a discount you'd get if you were getting a car wash, and it's also reasonable to suggest that the system be changed to allow a way to post them car wash prices, as an additional option to cash and credit when the long-awaited feature gets implemented.
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mogre
Rookie Author
Rochester
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Message Posted: Jun 30, 2011 8:31:34 AM
I think this is co-related topic as opposed to a new topic (feel free to correct me) - I think people should also note if the lowest price is a conditional price. The condition can be cash only, but another common one is price if you buy a car wash - a lot of Mobil stations do this one. The price sign usually has top row - regular with car wash, next row regular without car wash. I have seen a number of postings for Mobil stations where the car wash price is posted without qualification, which is very misleading.
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mogre
Rookie Author
Rochester
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Message Posted: Jun 29, 2011 4:52:07 PM
Maybe we could actually have a drop-down or check box for cash-only pricing?
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scoutmaster
Champion Author
Pittsburgh
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Message Posted: Jun 29, 2011 7:03:04 AM
Scrapheap is on the money.
If you have comments in your FSL and post from there, your comments will go with the post. If you post from any other method, you will need to enter your comments or they will not show with the price.
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Scrapheap
Champion Author
Virginia
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Message Posted: Jun 29, 2011 6:15:00 AM
Comments are not preserved from one poster to another. They are a function of whether or not the poster has comments and his method of posting. If he has comments saved in his FSL, they will be posted if he reports from his FSL. If he is using the maps, the report a price feature, the stations near me feature on the app or mobile site, he has to specifically enter the comment manually.
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kwzh
Champion Author
San Jose
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Message Posted: Jun 29, 2011 4:32:33 AM
ncma, I'm not aware that any of the (4?) price-posting methods will preserve an existing comment, rather than blanking it out when you post the new price. Does this actually happen?
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ncma
Rookie Author
Maryland
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Message Posted: Jun 28, 2011 7:58:12 PM
Going back to the original topic of "If you post a Cash price, be considerate. Put it in the comments!"
When posting prices, you ALWAYS need to check the comments field. If you are posting cash prices and the comment mentions credit/debit being higher, that's one thing. But, if the comment says that cash is .06 lower, then you have a problem.
I.e.
You post $3.50 as a cash price. The comment says that credit/debit is .06 higher. Someone goes to the station, and sure enough, they pay $3.56 using their credit/debit card.
However....
You post $3.50 as a cash price. The comment says that CASH is .06 LOWER. Someone goes to the station, expecting to pay $3.44. In reality, they pay the $3.50 price, which is what you did post. The problem they encountered had nothing to do with the station changing prices. It had everything to do with the poster not updating the comment field at the same time.
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20Yoleven
Champion Author
New Jersey
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Message Posted: May 25, 2011 8:45:39 AM
NEW and 'seasoned' MEMBERS: Take NOTE
This is also causing a problem in reporting accurate prices.
Many stations that charge extra for card use
also deploy their main, traditional 'Reg-Mid-Prem' price signs
in a misleading fashion, typically as follows:
--Reg. Cash Price
--Reg. Credit Price
--Prem. Credit Price
This often results not only in the Cash price being posted as
the 'primary' Reg. price (instead of the Reg. Credit price as
preferred by the site mods), but the Reg. Credit price is being
mistakingly posted as the MIDGRADE price, further misleading
other members searching for cheaper fuel in THAT grade.
SAFELY scrutinize these price signs, even though YOU don't
patronize these stations (often their prices are high, anyway).
If you can't, don't bother to post the prices if you're not sure
of the policies of that station.
ALWAYS post the CREDIT/DEBIT price (noting the CASH price in
the 'Comments' box, if you wish). Until the site owners unleash
new software to help eliminate this problem, this is about the
only method that produces solid, consistent, and accurate pricing
for ALL of us.
Thanks, and Good Luck!
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BIN_DIESEL
Rookie Author
San Diego
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Message Posted: May 24, 2011 3:40:16 PM
I just started doing that. It's a good thing to know.
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WR-INC
Champion Author
Twin Cities
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Message Posted: May 24, 2011 6:07:52 AM
Throughout the midwest I occasionally see cash being discounted, but it's hardly a common occurrence.
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KCWeb
Champion Author
Texas
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Message Posted: May 23, 2011 5:02:16 PM
Another detail to throw into the picture pingme, is the fact that there are a few merchant processors to select from, and negotiate terms with.
I would imagine the larger operations, can get exceptions, where the smaller merchants have little, if any, bargaining power. I do know the big operations definitely get lower transaction fees and percentages.
I had even considered that some are no doubt big enough to deal directly with the card providers and negotiate their own special terms right at the source.
That may be the real reason we see the discrepancies to the "rule".
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KCWeb
Champion Author
Texas
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Message Posted: May 23, 2011 10:38:56 AM
>>> Is the practice of surcharging/discounting still common in other states? <<< - pingme
"Common" would be a huge stretch, but I can tell you, as in my previous post, that here in Texas, I am specifically aware of some Electricity providers and the State Comptroller accepting credit card payments but only with a surcharge. They have been doing it for years, so the fixed "surcharge" angle may be the loophole.
As for cash discounts, I have seen both practices, where it seemed there was only one price anyway, perhaps similar or the same as what you described, but also there are some that advertise two different prices for cash or credit. Flying J in Tye does that for diesel. Perhaps that may also be similar to what you described, as in for commercial only.
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pingme
Rookie Author
Kansas City
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Message Posted: May 23, 2011 12:18:21 AM
I'm not questioning that cash is (almost) always legal.
I'm in Missouri, (and very close to Kansas) and I never see the practice of surcharging for credit, or discounting for cash. I remember when I first started driving I saw this practice, but it disappeared a long time ago.
The only time I see it (so I assume there is some "commercial" loophole) is on diesel, and even then (I used to own an audi 5000s diesel) it never applied to me, it only seems to apply to commercial vehicles, and I always got the better price, and always paid by c/c.
A while back (maybe a year ago?) I got a letter from one of my c/c's asking me to "turn in" anyone (it wasn't specific to gas) that did this, and they were clear that it wasn't just surcharging for c/c, but also discounting for cash. I also see on their online dispute form, there is a specific check box for this, and it appears that they will actively do a chargeback if it happens.
Is the practice of surcharging/discounting still common in other states?
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KCWeb
Champion Author
Texas
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Message Posted: May 22, 2011 12:47:59 AM
Cash is "Legal Tender" and must be accepted as payment, so legality wouldn't be an issue, pingme.
Offering a cash discount does seem contrary to what merchant agreements have required over the years, but actually, the way I have always understood the requirement was that they couldn't pass the credit card charge on to the customer. So, giving a "cash discount" instead, may be the legal loophole.
Frankly, there are even vendors such as Utilities providers, States, and others that actually do charge a set fee for payment with a credit card, so, there are definitely loopholes to the merchant processor's policy. The difference would be that it is a "set" fee, rather than the full percentage based one, so the customer is not paying the full processing charge.
That would also be partially true of the typical cash discount on gas, though that one is percentage based and they seem to run just under 2% which is probably pretty close to what the merchant processor is charging the station.
Still, though, they are likely charging the station slightly more, and even twice that amount, depending on the card used, plus they charge a set per transaction fee, which might be around 25 to 35 cents, these days. So, the customer would not be paying the full amount.
Again, that may be the loophole, there.
[Edited by: KCWeb at 5/22/2011 12:54:24 AM EST]
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pingme
Rookie Author
Kansas City
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Message Posted: May 21, 2011 10:15:16 PM
I remember the practice of different cash/credit prices years back, but isn't this practice now illegal, as well as being against most merchant agreements (the agreement between the gas station and what essentially amounts to visa or mastercard)?
[Edited by: pingme at 5/21/2011 10:16:00 PM EST]
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KCWeb
Champion Author
Texas
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Message Posted: May 21, 2011 6:09:11 PM
Actually it would be more than "nice", as it would actually be "correct" as per the instructions in the FAQ
>>>>>>>>>>>
Q: Do I post the cash price, or the credit price?
A: Most consumers use debit or credit cards when making purchases. We've had far too many complaints from people stating they've gone to a station only to find out they had to pay more than what was quoted on our site. That said, please post the price before the cash discount when possible. You can still provide the cash discount information, but please enter that information in the Comments field.
However, if the station does not accept credit cards and ONLY has a cash price - or the cash price is the ONLY price listed on the sign - please post that price but make sure you add a note stating "cash only" or "credit cards not accepted", in the Comments field.
<<<<<<<<<<<<
Now, if everybody studied the FAQ, within their first couple visits, that would REALLY be nice!
Also reading the Forum Guidelines and scanning through at least a couple pages of the "Topic" titles in two or three of the seemingly most appropriate "Categories" to avoid starting duplicate threads, would be the ultimate!
Both price posting errors and redundant Forum clutter problems would be solved!
Sweet!
[Edited by: KCWeb at 5/21/2011 6:16:14 PM EST]
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