Merchants feel let down by credit card swipe fees

Every time you decide to pay by a credit card for the purchase you make at a retail store, it is not just you, but also the retailer who needs to pay a small fee to the bank whose card you use. While retailers are aware of the magnitude of this problem, customers are the ones who stand to lose since they are not aware of it. The swipe fees that businesses have to pay ends up as extra charges of the customers sometimes. However, when the charges are high, the retailers also have to face the brunt and pay a part of it.

The transaction fees for every transaction made using the credit card is 44 cents, irrespective of the overall value of the bill. Banks that issue credit cards make millions of dollars each month as a result of the revenue collected from these fees. And in contrast, businesses lose out on a part of the profit because of the high swipe fees they have to pay to the bank.

With an increasing number of customers preferring to pay by credit cards each day, the problem does not seem to cease anytime soon. The only respite is to lower the swipe fees that banks charge retailers. While retailers are fighting tooth and nail to get the fees lowered, banks on the other hand are leaving no stone unturned to ensure this does not take place as it will cost them a huge amount in terms of revenue.