You might want to think twice about paying with a credit card the next time you go shopping. Starting Sunday stores are allowed to add a surcharge, or "check out fee" to your bill. A recent settlement between retailers, banks, and credit card companies makes it legal for stores who accept Mastercard or Visa to pass their credit card acceptance costs onto the customer.
"I'm not too happy about the idea of being charged extra to use a credit card, it's just the common world, like everyone uses credit cards," said Courtney Thomas.
The bride to be is in the middle of planning her big day. From the dress to the shoes, she says the cost is beginning to add up and an extra charge for using a credit card is the last thing she needs.
"It kind of angers me because you're already paying an arm and a leg for some things nowadays."
Under the new guidelines, stores will be allowed to charge a fee that is equal to what *they* pay to accept your credit card, which is usually anywhere from 1.5 to 3 percent of your total purchase. It's a decent chunk of change when you're spending a lot of money on something like a wedding gown.
"It's one more expense you have to think about," Thomas said.
Hopes Bridal Manager Katie Watson says that's why her store is choosing not to pass the cost onto customers.
"We really value what the customers have to pay for weddings and budgeting and the time that takes to do and we are choosing not to add any more fees onto that," Watson said.
She says a significant amount of their sales are paid with a credit card. She says if the store decided to charge customers for that, it could hurt more than help.
"In an economy like this people are really saving to have the beautiful wedding that they want and the decisions that go into that cause a lot of issues when it comes to adding on extra fees."
The new fees are only for credit cards, not debit cards. According to the National Retail Federation, several major retailers like Target and Walmart, have stated they do not plan on charging customers extra if they use a credit card.
There are ten states where it is still illegal to pass the fees onto the customers. However, Iowa and Illinois are not among those.
