Dang, so much for the benefits of points... http://business.time.com/2013/01/25/a-4-surcharge-for-using-a-credit-card-legal-but-not-likely/
Use a debit card if it's online, otherwise cash is always the way to go. There is no benefit from using a credit card, never has been. They are designed to milk you dry.
MARIS, with all due respect, I TOTALLY disagree with you. I've used a Chase Freedom Visa card for the last few years. Have paid zero interest/fees, and have received probably close to $500, or more, in free money from them. I put as many purchases on that card as I possibly can - including, groceries, fuel, utilities, insurance, entertainment, etc., etc., etc. My friend, it's the ONLY way to go! (Disclaimer: One must possess the necessary discipline as I to achieve such success as this.)
Plus, all that said, I would never purchase anything online using any other payment method than a credit card. Otherwise, as far as I know, you have no recourse for protection. Using a credit card means no access to my immediate cash. Considering it's a pay later scenario, I then have the ability to potentially dispute my purchase without ant upfront financial risk.
I think what's worse is the credit card "hold" or "block" at the gas pump. Some stations will have a 50 or 120 hold, as this is your credit union or banks protection against credit card fraud. I have since started to pay inside with my debit/visa or just simply pay with cash at the pump. I hate having my card blocked for a few hours.
Personally, I don't see why credit card systems can't/don't utilize a PIN system the same as debit cards.
I think this will be the norm for low margin stores and low margin items. Visa/MC charge the retailers 2-7% fees which is a real heavy cost to a marginally profitable business. These credit card companies aren't giving out these rewards to customers without at the least making it back on one side or the other. But even then if a customer disputes a charge or there is fraud as a retailer you have a mountain of paperwork to deal with even if you were 100% in the right. In the meantime the credit card company can just withhold payment if they feel like it; American Express is the worse. Then if a customer decides they want to return an item the retailer has to pay fees again for the credit card refund on top of the fees they already paid to accept the charge. Super high margin retailers like fancy restaurants will never care about these fees but I think many other retailers will begin to add a credit card fee the customer pays. Its only fair to pass along the true cost of doing business.
