RE: Surcharge Paypal users

This message was sent from: E-Commerce Laws
http://forums.oscommerce.com/viewtopic.php?p=121033#121033
----------------------------------------------------------------

[quote]
Under the terms of the Credit Cards (Price Discrimination) Order of 1990, you are entitled to add a surcharge up to the amount of any transaction made by credit card. However, if you decide to do so, you run the risk of being uncompetitive and upsetting your customers who will then be paying higher prices than those who pay with a debit card, or by cheque or cash.

Should you impose a surcharge, there are several procedures you must follow and a number of restrictions by which you must abide:

Under the terms of the Price Indications (Method of Payment) Regulations
1991, you must display at the entrance of your premises, and at the point of sale, how much extra you charge for payment by credit card. If you sell motor spirit, the regulations are contained in the Price Marking (Petrol)
(Amendment) Order 1991.

2. If you operate a mail, telephone or Internet order service, you must make certain that your customers are told of surcharges before they place the order. You must also ensure that your catalogues, advertisements, and the order form itself carry exact details of your intention to surcharge those customers who wish to pay by credit card.

Please remember

Price discrimination or surcharging is limited to credit cards - you may not
place a surcharge on the price you charge for payment by any other card, for example, debit cards such as Visa Debit, Visa Electron, Switch and Solo. The amount of the surcharge, which you may add to your normal cash price, must not exceed the amount of the merchant service charge that you will pay to Barclaycard Merchant Services. It is your responsibility to ensure that surcharges are only applied where permitted by legislation, even when the cardholder is not present.
[/quote]

I have contacted my local Trading Standards Office and left a phone message - hopefully they'll get back to me tomorrow, and I'll update the thread again.