For smaller purchases like produce, I don’t see any issue with the card fee added on. I run a small business and don’t add it, but gripe about how much money I lose annually. That said, if you add a Zelle option to the “3% convenience fee for credit card” sign, that offers a no-fee option for you and customers under 60 who don’t use/carry cash. I detest the business end of business and just haven’t done it yet since my card system simplifies my accounting.
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I agree about Venmo, and Zelle. Also a debit card payment option. And an option of paying with paypal if the money comes from the payer’s bank account, or the person’s debit card. There is no money transaction fees for any of that. Oh, and of course, the pay in cash option as well. The only people who would not like those options are the people who are used to spending money that they don’t have in their bank account yet.
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People like myself are bad people to answer your question since I’m raised by a long line of farmers and store keepers. My mind processes things differently in life. I’m saying this because people like me often are a necessary part of the system. The system is made up of different people. I do not operate in the main system. I don’t even know what that system is. When most people are at your farm they say how much is that peach, flat of peaches , bushel of peaches? Understanding people i encourage you to give a loyalty discount. The loyal customer will turn into your best customer. Here are your customers
- Fixed income frugal person who’s 80. 3% changed their mind and they will not say it but will come back later with cash
- The couple who is over extended on cards but don’t care they are planning bankruptcy
- The health nut who would pay 100x more for healthier produce
- The single mom pays more but feels she is getting price gouged in every direction
- The bargain shopper who buys rejected and whatever is on sale to can or freeze later
- The winery scout who is looking to pay as little as possible to obtain fruit for the next batch of wine.
- Clarkinks only buys in bulk . The type of guy who you mention you have only 5000 pounds of peaches left that asks you how much for all of them. I will use my credit card to aquire more points only or for a business receipt as a right off. I can pay cash and will if a fee is involved. I don’t pay fees. I don’t pay interest. These are rules I live by that have nothing to do with you.
- The peach orchard is a day care for this families 6 kids. The kids pull off green peaches and attempt to eat them they don’t pay for. They are loud , rambunctious, have a great time and tell their friends. They will be back
- The regular who.comes in every week loyally buying things in their season. Most profits come from these people.
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OP, around here they started the 3% CC fee in 2025. CO OP does not do it, but greengrocer and Stihl dealer deal does.
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I forgot about the debit card. Some people use a debit card, and as long as the card is used as a debit and they key in their pin, then my card processor doesn’t charge a fee.
There are fees on Venmo and Zelle when used for purchases from a business. Again the buyer doesn’t see the fees. The seller pays them.
You know it’s strange Clark but working my fruit stand has become my favorite task at the orchard. And I think it’s because of my regular customers. A few people come once a week, but most of my regular customers come about 3 or 4 times a season. Enough where I get to know their names, share stories with each other, when time allows.
I still enjoy growing fruit and looking at trees or bushes when the crop is good. But you become friends with regular customers at a farm stand.
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Most people these days have debit cards, even though I have a credit card I usually use my debit card, it helps to keep down a stores prices, the less credit card fees that the seller pays, and as you know some places charge more for credit card purchases, most of NYC does, when I travel I usually try to pay for everything in cash, it makes it more simple because when traveling it can be hard to know where accepts what kind of payment(s). It takes away the hassle.
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Around here I usually find that the mom & pops stores will promote a 3% price discount if paying via cash.
I think there is benefit to framing it as a deal “3% discount for cash” rather than a penalty “3% price increase for CC”.
I always carry some cash, but my nursery purchases often exceed my typical carry value. If I am aware of this prior to visiting a location, I will try to bring enough cash for my order.
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Ok with me, except for the writing on the wall that cash payments are going away. I think that the key question is: why are banks charging so much? If cash goes away, then there is even less incentive to lower transaction fees. The thing becomes an exploitation of the already stretched consumer by the financial system.
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I don’t think cash will ever die. The government official that runs that platform is doomed to fail no matter what side of the aisle (fence) they live on.
Too many people in the grey market use cash. Heck, my business is 90% cash for all my maintanance, and I usually just get checks for large custom aquarium purchases. I don’t order the tank build until the check clears the bank. Coins (penny) are the low hanging fruit.
I pity the official that tries to kill cash as they will fail miserably. Seems like the only reason to do this is for officials to be able to sit at a bank screen and count their tax revenue like an evil Mr. Burns or Scrooge McDuck.
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Don’t count on it. Most of the world is already working on the transition to a central bank digital currency and removing cash. We are a little behind, but it will be here soon. Programable money with to many bad features to mention. In Europe they plan to have it done by 2029 along with the digital ID that is needed for it to work. The part they leave out is it gives them control of your money. It can be programmed with an expiration date and coded for how it can or can not be used. Take a guess where that leads.
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I’d say we’re a little ahead of Europe on NOT being taxed for every exchange of currency. Why should the government get any money if I’m buying XYZ from another private citizen?
There are hundreds of millions of Americans who will oppose going cashless. I hope to never see it in my lifetime
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I know Venmo does this, which is why I only suggested Zelle. I use Zelle through Ally that does not have any associated fee. Looked it up regarding Zelle to see what I’m missing and it looks like it is bank-specific whether or not there is a seller’s fee.
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I think non-cash payment has become the norm, especially the younger the customer.
Some people will be put off by it. I probably wouldn’t mind as long as it’s crystal clear from the beginning.
Some people don’t look at prices and probably won’t care.
As a customer, I’d prefer the prices be raised and then have a cash discount (or not).
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Not all Banks, and credit unions offer Zelle, mine actually stopped offering it. That is why I stopped using it.
Most likely credit unions would not charge a fee for Zelle when a business is being paid.
Offering a 3% cash discount makes no sense whatsoever. If CC fees are substantial enough to make you wince at the charges, why would you transfer that pain to cash transactions? I see no reason for it, while adding actual charges for the customers choice of payment methods is certainly more than reasonable.
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Is this not the same thing.
I dont see a reason to frame it one way or the other. Just list the price for both
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Presumably, the credit card price would be raised by 3%, while the cash “discount” would simply be the same price it always was. In monetary terms, this is exactly the same as adding a 3% surcharge for credit card purchases, but consumers tend to respond more favorably to a “discount” than to a “surcharge,” even when the end result is identical.
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The discount is taking away the cost from the cash users though
And yes people prefer seeing discounts to seeing surcharges
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@AdamNY , that’s what I was thinking. Exact same math, it just sounds better giving the cash person a “discount” instead of up charging the CC user.
I guess in the long run if someone is going complain about 3% price change, you’re probably not going to make them happy no matter what you do.
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That would be my choice. Our little nursery switched to accepting cc payments for ease and just ate the 2.2% at the time. If we were doing it now I’d just offer a discount for paying cash. Even my dentist does it!
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