Given that we’re all supposed to use contactless payment wherever possible now, AIBU to think it’s a bit shit to have minimum spend amounts?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I try to use small and independent local businesses wherever possible but I’m getting quite tired of having to meet (sometimes quite high) minimum spend amounts.

Example- lovely local greengrocer, went in for a piece of ginger, £2.40. Minimum spend- £5. I put it back and went to M&S where the same sized bit of ginger was half the price and that was all I had to pay.

This is particularly annoying given that at the moment everyone is encouraged to use contactless or card payments as it is more hygienic than cash. I know there is a fee applied to card payments but surely these independent businesses are going to drive away customers if they insist on passing it on? I really like the greengrocers but I’m not going to waste money on things I don’t need if I’m not getting £5 worth of stuff whenever I go in there- I’ll just go to the supermarket instead.

Could you not just have paid for it not using the contactless facility?

Just pay cash then

Large businesses like M&S can afford to swallow card charges.

Smaller businesses can't.

YABU.

@shouldistop

Could you not just have paid for it not using the contactless facility?

It was the same for card or contactless.

I don't think that's to do with contact less. That's the processing fee on the card coming into play. Would be the same if you put your card into it.

@dementedpixie

Just pay cash then

I rarely have cash on me, and I don’t want to withdraw £10 from my account just so I can spend £2.40

Use cash? I don't think I would have gone into 2 shops for 1 bit of ginger, it would increase your covid risk.

@UrAWizHarry

Large businesses like M&S can afford to swallow card charges.

Smaller businesses can't.

YABU.

So they can’t afford to absorb the card charges but they can afford to lose sales?

You knew what the options were. Local stores don't have the heft of M&S to swallow up costs. I really can't see the issue here.

So they can’t afford to absorb the card charges but they can afford to lose sales? yes they've probably worked out they can afford to lose the sale of a £2.40 piece of ginger. If you take card fees, the wholesale cost of the ginger and the overheads, it won't be very much.

@PurpleyBlue

Use cash? I don't think I would have gone into 2 shops for 1 bit of ginger, it would increase your covid risk.

I am way past the point of giving a fuck about that...

Fair enough (...)

The only shop I ever go into that states a preference for card is Greggs. I still use cash plenty, so it's just your personal preference for using a card that's causing an issue. Certainly the small independent shops I use are more than happy to have cash.

yup, card payments really are that expensive for small businesses, they would rather risk losing your business, it just won't be profitable by card.

Technically they aren't a lot better value for big retailers.

Isn't it great that you have so many places to shop in?

In my town every other shop has a sign (given to them by the local council) suggesting contactless payments.

Obviously I’m glad to have the option of going to Sainsbury’s or wherever but I want to support local businesses as much as possible, but not if it involves wasting money!

You'll just have to get some cash out if it's important to you.

Cash is not spreading Covid: it's airborne.
I'm spending cash.

Often the card charges are a flat fee + a percentage, so below a certain amount its really not profitable for them unfortunately.

Really its the payment providers who should be changing the way they charge small businesses in the wake of the rise in contact less usage (like when they raised the max transaction limit).

Yes it's annoying but I keep a small amount of cash on me for this reason.

"So they can’t afford to absorb the card charges but they can afford to lose sales?"

If the card charge means the shop makes no profit or even a loss on the item, then yes, it's preferable to not sell it.

e.g. Ginger costs you £2.40. If it costs the shop £2 to put the ginger on the shelf and 50p to sell you it if you use a card, then... well, i'm sure you can work it out.

Cash is not spreading Covid: it's airborne.

I know that... I said it’s more hygienic to use card. Which it is.

I have cash for the twice weekly market and little else. I think OP you'll have to adopt that for small businesses.

The unfairness is the charges banks make to small businesses for contactless. That is not going to change, and if there was no cash alternative, I bet banks would up charges to shops.

I wash hands and sanitise so I'm covered. I don't shop frequently. My money sits in my purse and slowly decontaminates😉. So I don't junk I'm spreading anything worse than what's hanging about in the air or on the door handle.
Really it's a push to cashless and I'm resisting all the way.

Junk should read think..