$3.00 Credit card puirchase limit @ Shell

purplecatty

purplecatty

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I was on my lunch break and I headed over to Shell gas station that I haven't visited. I decide to go there because they have hot chocolate for me to warm up during chilly weather. I've been outside all morning. I went in and pulled syrofoam cup and filled it w/ hot chocolate. After putting lid on and walked to cashier and set it on cashier table. I pulled out my ATM card and handed it to her. She frowned at me and said something. I pointed my finger to ear " I'm deaf" and she pointed toward to near middle edge of glass table with note taped on it "$3.00 and up for Credit Card Purchase". She said must pay in cash for $1.38 for drink. I showed her my wallet, no cash. She was :pissed: at me and said you shouldn't fill it up first place. I told her firmly, I Didn't Know it!!! Then she took my ATM card and swiped it and printed out and I signed it. She was mad at me. Who cares!! I told her a lot of places never require that!! I walked out and sipping hot chocolate and drove out.

Sheesh that "credit card charge" limit are too old!! Lot of different places don't do that anymore. I won't visit Shell station in Mission, KS anymore! What a crap!

Have u ever experience like this at Gas Station that they require cash if below certain amt purchase before using Credit Card or ATM card.

Catty
 
Shell gas stations sniff money anyway. The prices for their foods have gone up to outrageous levels.
 
Never before at a gas station. Usually smaller business like bakeries. I've always wondered why they set a min purchase amount for cards??

Did a quick google search and found out that :

Merchants set a minimum on credit card purchases to avoid losing money on smaller transactions where processing fees are larger than the profit made on the sale. While it makes business sense to do this, three of the four major card brands specifically forbid doing so and violating these terms can be detrimental to their merchant account.
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Visa says "Always honor valid cards in your acceptance category, regardless of the dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing maximum or minimum dollar amounts in order to accept a Visa card transaction is a violation of the Visa rules."1
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MasterCard says "A Merchant must not require, or indicate that it requires, a minimum or maximum Transaction amount to accept a valid and properly presented Card."2
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source: Credit card purchase minimums

Forms for Mastercard for consumer to fill out in the event that merchants do impose these minimums

https://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/contactus/merchantviolations.html
 
What they do here that can be a problem is ATM cards get $75 added to the price until it clears.
 
I've had it happen to me once.

One of the reasons for this is because of their contract with the credit card companies.

It might be the credit card company's fault instead of the gas station. :dunno:
 
Yes, the merchant use different CC vendor with different contracts. Nothing we can do about it.

I use ATM card but told them to use it as a CC. I'm just ATM card addict and don't carry cash. Cash poor but Credit rich :giggle:

Catty
 
purplecatty said:
Yes, the merchant use different CC vendor with different contracts. Nothing we can do about it.

I use ATM card but told them to use it as a CC. I'm just ATM card addict and don't carry cash. Cash poor but Credit rich :giggle:

Catty
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Why not use ATM to take cashes out before you make purchase?
 
When I moved to West Australia, it was a shock that I can't use credit card/ATM/debit card to spend on things under $5 at most stores or the stores doesn't have any eftpos machine to pay for the purchases.

I've always used debit card in New Zealand and even spend it under $5 for purchases and rarely carry cash.

So now I have to remember to carry cash with me, one thing is I dislikes that ATM machine at University, which doesn't have any $20 dollars cash left inside of the machine and had to take out $50 dollars cash.
 
Tousi said:
Even for debit cards?
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Sadly, yes. That's why Hubby and I don't accept credi cards for our respective businesses. We lose some jobs that way but the card fees just aren't worth it for us. Hubby tells his customers "cash or check" right up front. I have to turn down most government work because they require card accounts. :(
 
Reba said:
Sadly, yes. That's why Hubby and I don't accept credi cards for our respective businesses. We lose some jobs that way but the card fees just aren't worth it for us. Hubby tells his customers "cash or check" right up front. I have to turn down most government work because they require card accounts. :(
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Honestly, I think it's quite unfair that the government would require you to have a credit card in order to acquire work.
 
Reba said:
Sadly, yes. That's why Hubby and I don't accept credi cards for our respective businesses. We lose some jobs that way but the card fees just aren't worth it for us. Hubby tells his customers "cash or check" right up front. I have to turn down most government work because they require card accounts. :(
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I thought using a debit card which is dedicated to one's checking account would be the way to go as you get your money right away as a business person. You mentioned "credit" card vs my "debit" card. Next time I go to the grocery store, or restaurant, I'll ask if they have to pay a fee. I frequently see that the money is withdrawn from my checking account before I even get home! Lol.....
 
Banjo said:
Honestly, I think it's quite unfair that the government would require you to have a credit card in order to acquire work.
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I've never heard of people being required to have credit cards to work for the government?
 
Banjo said:
Honestly, I think it's quite unfair that the government would require you to have a credit card in order to acquire work.
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It's part of the bureacracy. More paperwork, more restrictions, and slowest paying. Many small businesses refuse government/military contracts because of the headaches involved.
 
VamPyroX said:
I've never heard of people being required to have credit cards to work for the government?
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If you are a private contractor, most government agencies require you to accept their credit cards for payment. Some don't even have checking accounts anymore. There are ways around it but most agencies don't want to bother.
 
Reba said:
It's part of the bureacracy. More paperwork, more restrictions, and slowest paying. Many small businesses refuse government/military contracts because of the headaches involved.
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Ah, what you said makes more sense. It was you refusing to accept credit card purchases from government contracts... not you being denied a job with the government because of lack of credit cards. Right?
 
VamPyroX said:
Ah, what you said makes more sense. It was you refusing to accept credit card purchases from government contracts... not you being denied a job with the government because of lack of credit cards. Right?
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They will not hire me to interpret because I don't accept credit cards.
 
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