[lotsofpulp]

> It's pretty absurd that all merchants have to pay a 3% fee on the vast majority of their transactions with no real alternative.

No, they do not have to pay a 3% fee. Debit card fees are basically negligible. Sellers can also impose additional fees for credit card users if they wish. For example, Winco grocery stores in the western US only accept debit cards. Many government agencies also charge a card fee if you want to pay via card rather than ACH.

Sellers in the US choose to pay the extra processing fees because they earn more than that from people who pay with credit cards.

See:

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/new...

> A PCN cannot stop you from offering your customers a discount or another incentive for using a certain method of payment, as long as you offer it to all your customers and disclose the offer clearly and conspicuously. For example, you can offer your customers a discount or a coupon if they pay with cash or a debit card rather than a credit card.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expressions_Hair_Design_v._Sch...

https://harvardlawreview.org/2017/11/expressions-hair-design...