AIBU to put up a sign encouraging customers to pay in cash?

You’re looking at between 1 and 2 % per transaction for sunup and stripe but the OP says clearly she can keep all the lovely money if you pay by cash Rodders.

so blatantly a tax dodge .

What are you selling? I'd definitely assume that it's a tax dodge and would not choose to pay in cash.

It’s v wordy as I’m sure most people would understand. A local portacabin cafe near us has “ we prefer cash if possible, but accept all payments with gratitude “! I think some people love paying cash so will be delighted ( as many places don’t take cash now ).

You do know that is illegal in the UK? We are not allowed to charge customers extra for using a card.

YANBU and I think the wording on that script is fine to use. I certainly wouldn't be offended by that.
As others have said I would agree that since covid, many people, myself included, have got into the habit of using less cash and now prefer card use.
Also, local to me, more bank branches have closed and some cash machines have gone too which is making cash usage much harder.

The nearest free ATM to my village is 8 miles away. The nearest is 3 miles away but charges.

As a small business I get charged by my bank for depositing cash and I have to spend time entering cash deposits manually into my accounting software.

I much prefer cards (although I accept cash with a smile). My time is important to me and I don't want to spend more of it in admin than I have to.

I trust them. Known them for years. It works for us both ways.

@NDerbys32 Some time ago I got wind of just how much they have to pay in fees for card transactions and since then I draw cash out every week to use for them and small businesses

How much do you think they are paying in fees on each transaction? In my business it's small, 1.69%. I could probably get it even lower if I shopped around.

Sometimes I think people exaggerate the fees to make customers think they are enormous so they will pay cash.

@Theydidnt How much does the bank charge you for depositing cash?

I ran a business (a shop) for years, and there were banking fees associated with cash deposits. Credit card processing fees went down loads after companies such as Sumup, PayPal etc entered the market, but banks don’t tend to handle business customers’ cash for free, so I’m wondering how it would save you money if more customers paid with cash?

Wouldn’t bank transfers be the cheapest (i.e. free) option for you?

I imagine there is a large crossover between people who believe cash is king and those who have plenty of time on their hands to run this type of errand...

I see it as a personal responsibility to make their lives easier and help keep them in business, and occasionally get a small discount or bill rounded down.
How old fashioned eh?
If I see 'card payments only' I go elsewhere

If you see it as a personal responsibility to make their lives easier, why do you refuse to use places that want card payments only? Many small businesses prefer card payments, so do you not want to make their lives easier too? Or is it that you only want to pay in cash - your choice, of course, but in this case you are doing purely for your own reasons, not for the business.

It reminds me a bit of my MIL. She's decided 'cash is king' and refuses to pay for anything on her card, or even a bank transfer. She had a decorator do some work, so travelled on the bus to our nearest town 8 miles away, withdrew £600 in cash, handed it to the decorator. The decorator was more than ok with a card payment or a bank transfer, but no, now they had to travel back to the bank 8 miles away to pay the cash in. What a waste of everyone's time! Just because MIL believes that cash is king.

My moment was my annual bus ride to pick up my car after its annual service.

What an absolute bloody faff it was withdrawing £10 for the sake of one transaction.

I nearly cheered when they installed contactless payments. And the drivers must be much happier since floats were always a huge problem at the start of a shift.

I'm lucky enough to have small business butchers and fruit shop nearby.
Some time ago I got wind of just how much they have to pay in fees for card transactions and since then I draw cash out every week to use for them and small businesses, cafes etc to make it cheaper for them to process my business. I see it as a personal responsibility to make their lives easier and help keep them in business, and occasionally get a small discount or bill rounded down.
How old fashioned eh?

If I see 'card payments only' I go elsewhere.

I buy very little from online shopping too. My Amazon account took a purchase in 2012 and the next a few weeks ago. I won't be troubling them for a good while either, then it will be a absolute need, not a want.

I'd be wondering how else they were making "savings". Cheap products dressed up as luxury and so on.

I'd also believe they weren't declaring everything.

Yes this is a good point too. The only places I have seen requesting cash are very small bargain type shops that were a bit tatty. I’ve never seen a high end spa or beauty salon asking this. Ever.

Just make the sign simpler - 'Cash preferred, but card still welcome'. Cover all bases and questions.

I work for a small business - my boss is happy to take either, but does find cash to be a bit of a pain - always needs a float, needs to ensure a supply of coins, has to bank majority of it at the end of the day, and still gets charged bank charges on it anyway. But he takes cash because he has a lot of older customers who still like to pay in cash.

"I run a small business and we are taking SO much less cash than we used to. It's really having an effect on how much we are taking"

Why is having a choice of cash or card having an effect on your takings? Surely having a choice means you are catering to all customers, so this can only be good for takings? If you are taking less cash, that's an indication that people these days generally prefer to use cards, and IME will sometimes actually spend a bit more if they don't need to check how much cash they have on them. Not everyone carries much cash. Or do you mean the profits are less due to bank charges?

If you're in the beauty industry you may be selling an image and a high-end vibe. I wouldn't risk disrupting that for a tiny percentage on your profit. I would expect to see these kind of signs in a newsagent or similar. If you're a more bargain basement kind of place, crack on.

Since I cottoned on that the local taxi drivers take cards the last reason for me to carry cash has gone.
I'd probably make an exception for a small transaction (sub £5) at a small business if I knew in advance, but £70-£100 for a massage etc, no chance. I can't think of the last time I took more than £40 out in one go.

There are some very suspicious minds on this thread.😆

Another one who has never had to pay to use an ATM, and they are local, so no problem. If I did have to pay, I wouldn't use them.

As long as I am not made to feel like a nuisance, I would still shop anywhere with a notice that says cash preferred but cards accepted.

I'd assume you were dodging paying tax and wonder if the business was really a front for something else.

well bully for you! Every ATM where I live charges to take cash out and not only that, you have to drive around finding one that even bloody works so no, I am not doing that.

Oh. I think only one charges here.