Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by Aeoxic 4225 days ago
> There is no reason not to pay for even the most trivial purchase with EFTPOS so I haven't carried cash around in my entire life.

Unfortunately, there is a reason to still carry some cash in Australia: EFTPOS minimums. Airport stores are notorious for this, but it's quite widespread.

"Oh sorry, we have a $10 minimum on EFTPOS."

"... You're a coffee shop."

This stemmed from the fixed price per charge being charged to the merchants. The less you pay, the higher percentage that charge is of the total bill you're paying, resulting in them making slightly less profit.

In reality, those charges have been abolished by almost all, if not all, banks in Australia. It's now just a game of trying to make you buy $7 worth of miscellaneous stuff for your coffee. No thanks, I'll go elsewhere.
2 comments
elithrar 4225 days ago
> Oh sorry, we have a $10 minimum on EFTPOS." > "... You're a coffee shop."

I always just ask them to charge me a surcharge instead. Some places "get it", but a few have stared at me blankly. I don't want to a) walk back down the street to an ATM or b) buy a bunch of pastries that I don't want to eat just to pad out my bill.

But otherwise, AU/NZ's EFTPOS system is generally fantastic, although being replaced (anecdotally) by the credit card system since PayPass/PayWave were deployed so quickly here.

link
Aeoxic 4225 days ago
> I always just ask them to charge me a surcharge instead. Some places "get it", but a few have stared at me blankly. I don't want to a) walk back down the street to an ATM or b) buy a bunch of pastries that I don't want to eat just to pad out my bill.

Most stare at me blankly and then tell me they can't do that.

You type the value in yourself. It's not difficult. Do it.

link
Negitivefrags 4225 days ago
Right, I suspect that the difference is that there never were any charges per transaction to the merchant in NZ. I've never seen a shop that had a minimum size for an EFTPOS transaction here.

On the other hand there are a lot of shops that either have a minimum transaction size, or a surcharge, on Credit Card transactions.

link
Aeoxic 4225 days ago
First you guys make us look like idiots with our Internet capability, and now with the transaction charges. Slow down a bit and let us catch up, yeah?

> On the other hand there are a lot of shops that either have a minimum transaction size, or a surcharge, on Credit Card transactions.

That also happens here in Australia. I'm fairly sure that's common worldwide.

link