VRTP rounding up transactions

[New display name]

Rounding up at MW on Eftpos transactions.   Is it legal?

Looks like MW deleted the post from Facebook where people were uploading their receipts. 

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by YLFATEEKS

[MaxxTheMonster]

2 hours ago, YLFATEEKS said:

Rounding up at MW on Eftpos transactions.   Is it legal?

Looks like MW deleted the post from Facebook where people were uploading their receipts. 

 

http://www.justweb.com.au/law-articles/rounding-up.html

Tells you all you need to know...

Short answer...

It is, however, a serious matter which can be investigated by the ACCC. The legislation that applies, according to the ACCC, is that items may not be available for the price at which they are advertised, thus contravening the consumer protection provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

Consumers have a right to lodge complaints against retailers if they feel they have not been dealt with fairly.

If the ACCC find the practice of unnecessary rounding up in a particular business is endemic, the business may well find themselves in some hot water, and having to answer to the ACCC.

[loki75]

Rounding up or down is legal if the transaction was paid in cash.

Receipt clearly states it is EFTPOS so no rounding should occur.

From the ACCC

Under the Guideline the following rounding principles apply to cash transactions:

• 1 & 2 cents – rounded DOWN to the nearest 10
• 3 & 4 cents – rounded UP to the nearest 5
• 6 & 7 cents – rounded DOWN to the nearest 5
• 8 & 9 cents – rounded UP to the nearest 10

"However the Guideline clearly stated that where a consumer elected to pay by way of cheque, credit card or EFTPOS it was unnecessary for businesses to round the total value of the transaction."

I think MW have some explaining to do.

[New display name]

What's 1 or 2 cents right.  It’s enough for people to complain about it on MW Facebook page.   MW replied to the first by telling them to contact customer service to sought it out.  Another 4 or 5 people posted photos of their receipts into the comments.  10 minutes’ latter all the comments and photos where gone.

This kind of stuff need to be handled better because now everyone who posted photos and viewed it would think MW is trying to hide something.

You can’t just add charges and not explain it to customers or even try and hide it.

[Brad2912]

1 hour ago, loki75 said:

 

"However the Guideline clearly stated that where a consumer elected to pay by way of cheque, credit card or EFTPOS it was unnecessary for businesses to round the total value of the transaction."

I think MW have some explaining to do.

I'm not aware of the actual wording in the relevant law, but unnecessary doesn't mean illegal. It's unnecessary for me to eat dessert after dinner, that doesn't mean I can't if I want to. 

[New display name]

 

"The ACCC is concerned by the continuing nature of these complaints, particularly as it suggests that items are not available for the price at which they are advertised. This may contravene the consumer protection provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and businesses should be aware that the Act gives consumers rights of private action in relation to such matters".

Edited November 17, 2016 by YLFATEEKS

[MaxxTheMonster]

Again...  

It is, however, a serious matter which can be investigated by the ACCC. The legislation that applies, according to the ACCC, is that items may not be available for the price at which they are advertised, thus contravening the consumer protection provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

Selling something not at the advertised price...
Contravenes the Trade Practices Act 1974...

Click th link I posted earlier and it says...  Nope...  can't do it...

Edited November 17, 2016 by MaxxTheMonster

[aaronm]

I suspect this probably isn't something the park is doing deliberately, rather a bug in their POS software that is rounding EFTPOS transactions like cash. Assuming the ACCC bothered to investigate, they'd probably just issue a warning and tell the park to fix it.

[Tornado]

you actually paid $18 for sunscreen?! should have bought it cheap at super IGA before entering the park. and always use cash and/or paywave only that eftpos charges you $2 each time you use it PLUS as you can see it can rip you off whenever it wants.

[New display name]

To get things straight I am not the person who purchased the sunscreen.  To be honest I like to tan up a bit after sitting in the office most of the week. 

A very smart man has brought it to my attention that the person serving probably made a rookie mistake and forgot to press eftpos which stops it from rounding.  If this is the correct answer I would say this is more than a rookie mistake because after this was posted on MW Facebook site 4 other people posted pictures of their transactions doing the same thing.

Edited November 17, 2016 by YLFATEEKS

[iwerks]

7 hours ago, YLFATEEKS said:

What's 1 or 2 cents right.

Maybe someone's seen Superman III. ?

[Brad2912]

6 hours ago, Tornado said:

 always use cash and/or paywave only that eftpos charges you $2 each time you use it 

Wrong... completely wrong...

Cash & eftpos (savings/cheque) has no surcharge. 

Pressing credit, or using paywave (which processes payments as a credit transaction) brings an attributed processing charge depending under your card provider (it's not a fixed fee, it's a % of the total purchase cost)

 

5 hours ago, YLFATEEKS said:

 A very smart man has brought it to my attention that the person serving probably made a rookie mistake and forgot to press eftpos which stops it from rounding. 

Movieworld (like most big business these days) uses an integrated POS system. You can't forget to press EFTPOS because then it wouldn't activate the EFTPOS terminal to pay. The POS system speaks directly to the terminal, as opposed to user input where the cashier types in the amount to be paid. This takes user error out of the equation. It's either a intentional or accidental software issue. 

[MaxxTheMonster]

8 minutes ago, Brad2912 said:

Wrong... completely wrong...

Cash & eftpos (savings/cheque) has no surcharge. 

Pressing credit, or using paywave (which processes payments as a credit transaction) brings an attributed processing charge depending under your card provider (it's not a fixed fee, it's a % of the total purchase cost)

Some banks (like mine) do charge for EFTPOS transactions but not if I select Credit or use Pay Wave...  Meanwhile the parkz charge if you use Credit or Pay Wave...  So then it becomes best for me to get cash out at an atm before I head to the parkz so I don't get hit with any charges at all...

[Brad2912]

What bank charges you for pressing savings on an EFTPOS machine to use your own money? Never heard of such as thing and sounds incredibly illegal. Credit, I understand. 

Edited November 17, 2016 by Brad2912

[rappa]

This surcharge for pay wave shit needs to stop. 

Its there to save time (i.e. Make more money) so banks needs to stop charging for the privilege. 

[Reanimated35]

10 minutes ago, djrappa said:

This surcharge for pay wave shit needs to stop. 

Its there to save time (i.e. Make more money) so banks needs to stop charging for the privilege. 

Agree, but in all honesty, the fees come from Visa and Mastercard, but the banks could cover it themselves I guess. 

[rappa]

It's 2016. CC surcharge needs to be a thing of the past

[Park Addict 93]

I agree that a credit surcharge is ridiculous in this day/age for PayPass/Paywave, for the holiday/peak season it slows the lines down.

As for the rounding issue it is automatic in the POS, the staff have the capacity to adjust it so if it matters to you ask them too. They will/are being advised they are supposed to do it for customers without prompting.

[webslave]

I found the constant nickel and diming for surcharges at the parks particularly galling given the prices they demand, and also given the surcharges do not represent the reality of the costs of acceptance to the business.

[Park Addict 93]

53 minutes ago, webslave said:

I found the constant nickel and diming for surcharges at the parks particularly galling given the prices they demand, and also given the surcharges do not represent the reality of the costs of acceptance to the business.

It does more closely reflect business costs, 0.97% is what VRTP charge now for Visa/MC and what is required under ACCC guidelines. Credit Card fees are now only legally cost recovery.

The front gate used to charge $3.95, this is now 0.97%.

 

[webslave]

If they are paying 0.97% on credit card transactions I'd suggest someone wants to look for a new job, given I can get a rate like that at a much lower volume...

[Park Addict 93]

Quote

Accepting a Visa or MasterCard debit transaction may cost a business around 0.5 per cent of the transaction value.

Credit cards usually have a higher cost for businesses, and may cost the business up to 1-1.5 per cent for Visa and MasterCard, and between 2-3 per cent for an American Express card payment.

Note: some merchants' costs may be higher than these indicative figures.

Not disputing what you are saying, just saying they are within ACCC guidelines. But I didn't realise Visa/MC debit are classed differently so they are in breach of that.

[joz]

Even if it is within guidelines, its a shitty, deceitful thing to do and who ever came up with it needs the sack.  Rounding up for no nothing, what an embarrassment.  

 

You know what too, The prices in the parks all used to end with 95cents, now it's 99cents.  That miserable little manoeuvre is your credit card fees taken care of, your product is fun, stop needlessly pissing people off!  

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

IIRC, this topic has come up before - like a couple of years ago. I'm surprised its still happening.

[diesal11]

On 21/11/2016 at 8:27 AM, AlexB said:

IIRC, this topic has come up before - like a couple of years ago. I'm surprised its still happening.

I think I recall it happening last year when i went, nothing new.

But pretty frustrating regardless.