[Vision2020] Sangria and Transparency

[Jay Borden]

Obviously I know nothing about their books, their numbers, or their circumstances.  But, yes, I'm quite sure the going rate is ~1.5%. 

I'm pretty sure the NRA (that's National RESTAURANT Association) negotiated 1.35% for all of their members not too long ago.
 
If Sangria's effective credit card rate is approaching 2.9% on card-present swiped transactions with a restaurant SIC designation, then they got taken by the smoothest salesman on the planet, or their business manager needs extreme tutoring.

Any combo of which is possible, I suppose.

There are all sorts of nickle/dime fees as well... machine rental (a few bucks a month),  statement fees (another fee bucks a month, if you choose to get a paper statement).... etc etc.

But those nickle and dime fees pale to the % of ticket charged for every transaction.

And, no, they can't give a cash discount.  Its against Visa/MC's policy.  But my intent wasn't to cry foul and start a riot, only to point out the double-standard.



Jay

Sent from my Android phone... so ignore the typpos... 


-----Original Message-----
From: Ellen Roskovich [gussie443 at hotmail.com]
Received: Friday, 07 Oct 2011, 1:15pm
To: jborden at datawedge.com [jborden at datawedge.com]; vision2020 at moscow.com [vision2020 at moscow.com]
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Sangria and Transparency



I hope you're REALLY sure about that "going rate". . . also, aren't there "other" fees attached to doing business accepting credit cards?  Like the "lease" fee for use of the swipe device?   Seems like I remember a whole plethora of bank charges at the end of the month.  I felt like my pocket was being picked by my bank on a regular basis.
 
Don't know if they actually can charge a surcharge. . . . I wanted to, but was told I couldn't.  However, it might be o.k. to give a discount.  But that could backfire on you also.  After all, if you give a 2.9% discount you run the risk of being branded as a "cheapskate".  Sometimes you can't win.
 
Don't want you to paint a very simplistic view of doing business that might cast doubt without cause.
 
Ellen A. Roskovich
 
 

________________________________

Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 22:12:47 -0700
From: jborden at datawedge.com
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Sangria and Transparency



In a recent “round-table” discussion with a few of my peers on a variety of topics, the opinion of *more corporate transparency* emerged over and over again as what’s wrong with America.  (Warning:  wine was flowing).

 

So… my wife and I went out to a nice dinner last night at Sangria where we saw a note paper-clipped in their menu.

 

I forget the *exact* phrasing, but the note said something along the lines of:

 

“As of September 10th, the menu prices listed will reflect a cash price, and a 2.9% surcharge will be added for any order that is paid for by credit card.  [Something something about fees].  Please help us fight the evil corporations that want to take money out of Moscow by paying in cash!”

 

Again… it’s not word-for-word, but that’s the gist of the message.

 

So… interesting notes, since I happen to know a thing or twelve about the credit card industry.  

 

Sangria has actually raised their prices, but managed to jump on the hate-wagons at large still blame larger “corporate America” in the process.

 

1)      The current “going rate” (cost) to a merchant such as Sangria for a swiped Visa/MC credit card is ~1.5%.

a.       American Express charges 3.5% for their merchant fees, but Sangria doesn’t accept Amex (and also why many merchants don’t accept Amex). 

2)      Since Sangria is only charged ~1.5%, but their surcharge is 2.9%, they are now making an additional 1.4% on every single credit card swipe taken at the restaurant.

3)      In addition, every transaction that Sangria can push to cash via their little note is now saving (making) an additional 1.5% on every single transaction, since it’s a merchant cost they no longer have to pay. 

 

Bottom line:  on every single transaction, Sangria is now making a little more money.

 

The part that bothers me isn’t that Sangria is making more money… (as I’ve said before, I’m a “for profit” individual)… what bothers me is that they choose to make a larger enterprise the whipping boy for their own profit.  

 

In my opinion… they should either drop the dig in their menu insert about helping them stick it to the larger banks… *or* they should make their surcharge only equal to their merchant fees.  

 

But not both.

 

 

 

Jay


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