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Comment by toufiqbarhamov | Hacker News Reader

If the price of Good N is Value of N+x where x is a markup to cover the costs you’re talking about, that cost is passed on to people who pay with any means. If I buy a TV with cash, or credit card, it costs the same. Except of course that I can get cash back on my card, but not with cash (or bitcoin).

So, credit card or not, the cost is there, even if I pay with bitcoin or ether. Except of course for the benefits of the credit card.

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>" that cost is passed on to people who pay with any means. If I buy a TV with cash, or credit card, it costs the same."

If people start charging less when paid via methods that have less chargeback risk will you reassess?

As a matter of fact, this (merchants giving a discount for cash transactions) used to be illegal in Brazil. It recently became legal, but I haven't seen much evidence of changes.

Cash is also more easily counterfeited than card transactions. I'm not sure how the risk of a fraudulent transaction works out in the end.

It would have to be savings in excess of what I’d get through rewards or cash back, and I’d have to trust the, utmyes id reasses.

> If I buy a TV with cash, or credit card, it costs the same.

Only if the vendor of the TV is abiding by the rules of the credit card provider not to offer discounts for cash transactions.

In effect, the customers buying TV's with cash, paying the same, are paying a "credit card tax" to support the credit card users.

Also, they pay the same, but don't earn any of the incentivizing kickbacks (points, cash back, ...).

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