Minimum Spend for Debit Card Payments

damionlee

Once again, they will be refusing sale based on the use of a Visa debit or credit card below a fixed value. This in itself does not contravene the Sales of Goods Act, however it is a breach of contract with their merchant service (and Visa).

One does not simply over-ride the other in this case. Which is why Visa, the merchants and the banks behind them take such a dim view of them. This is also why every bank has a complaints procedure for this. The trader may have a right to refuse to create a contract of sale, however, their merchant contract ensures that they can not do this simply because you want to pay with your card for a value less than they deem fit.

the_insider

The worst is when they tell you there's a minimum spend but don't tell you that fags aren't covered!! I wanted to buy ten cigs in my local Nisa, was told it's a £5 minimum spend so went and got two bags of sweets for my team and was then told it would still be a 50p charge because cigs weren't included. Cheeky so and so.

vikingaero

the_insider wrote: »

The worst is when they tell you there's a minimum spend but don't tell you that fags aren't covered!! I wanted to buy ten cigs in my local Nisa, was told it's a £5 minimum spend so went and got two bags of sweets for my team and was then told it would still be a 50p charge because cigs weren't included. Cheeky so and so.

Fags have a really low profit element built into them. If you see the price the retailer pays at the wholesaler they make a low percentage.

RadoJo

But what about your statement that shops HAVE to accept your chosen payment method? I thought the laws on legal tender only applied to debts...