Alpharooms credit card charges?

[Brewster]

I've learned that Alpharooms tacks an extra twenty odd dollars on the end of the website booking process. They call it a credit card processing fee. I call it something else...lol.

I have never heard of this before. Has anyone else ever run into this there or on other travel booking sites?

[Steve]

It doesnt surprise me.

Alpharooms are a British company and as Brit myself I am used to the dreaded "credit card processing" fee which seems to be applied by most UK companies taking online payments. Often if you use a debit card instead of a credit card you can avoid it but I'm not sure how that might work for folks outside the UK.

At the end of the day though if you save a few hundred and pay an extra 20 it's all good

[Jamie]

Mine was higher but yeah, there are folks that charge the customer for the fees that the credit card company charges them. A bunch of gas stations in the states charge one price for cash and a higher charge for using a credit card.

Am betting that we will see more and more fees passed onto the buyer as more and more regulation gets added to businesses and how that can bury their costs.

Jamie

[Rogerrabbit]

I recently booked with Alpharooms and avoided the fee by getting a Prepaid Mastercard. April 16-21st C U There!!

[llihc]

This charge may not be allowed by your credit card company! As most know, merchants agree to follow certain rules in order to enjoy the privileges of taking your money (via the credit card company). I once bought a quad on my Visa; the dealership charged me a 2.5% fee for using my Visa. I followed up with Visa, sent them a copy of the bill of sale and Visa refunded me the $250 and I assume recovered it from the dealership.

For $20, A credit card company will likely not invest too much effort into this and refund it without recovery from the offending merchant. Unfortunately, those who deserve the hit are not getting the message, but perhaps too many complaints and Visa would take their machine out.

Merchants who charge a fee to allow you to buy that pack of gum with your debit card (sign on the till that says "debit purchases under $5 are charged $0.75) are also violating their merchant agreement (unless the fee is programmed and acknowledged on the pin pad by the customer).

This is a Canadian experience, results may vary!

[Donald]

Originally Posted by llihc

This charge may not be allowed by your credit card company! As most know, merchants agree to follow certain rules in order to enjoy the privileges of taking your money (via the credit card company). I once bought a quad on my Visa; the dealership charged me a 2.5% fee for using my Visa. I followed up with Visa, sent them a copy of the bill of sale and Visa refunded me the $250 and I assume recovered it from the dealership.

For $20, A credit card company will likely not invest too much effort into this and refund it without recovery from the offending merchant. Unfortunately, those who deserve the hit are not getting the message, but perhaps too many complaints and Visa would take their machine out.

Merchants who charge a fee to allow you to buy that pack of gum with your debit card (sign on the till that says "debit purchases under $5 are charged $0.75) are also violating their merchant agreement (unless the fee is programmed and acknowledged on the pin pad by the customer).

This is a Canadian experience, results may vary!

They get around this rule by offering you a 2% discount for cash transactions

PS by using Debit or money transfers your are giving up a lot of the built in protection you get from using your credit card,
varies by card ,ie Medical,trip cancellation,baggage insurance ,Death,, ,refund for non-delivary of product.......ect.

If you pay a yearly fee on your card you may have some of these.
So the $20 bucks may be a good investment.

[jessned]

Originally Posted by Rogerrabbit

I recently booked with Alpharooms and avoided the fee by getting a Prepaid Mastercard. April 16-21st C U There!!

Was this the first time you used alpharooms? I see your from Indiana, and I would like to use them, but a little uneasy about using a company outside the US that I haven't used before. Their savings is way cheaper then any place I've seen, so we're trying to gather as much info as we can to make the best decision. They list deluxe rooms as their first choice and want to know if it's the same as a standard garden view rooms that US companies list, and does their price include the all inclusive fees for both persons? Don't want to check in and have any surprises.

[Roxie]

Originally Posted by llihc

This charge may not be allowed by your credit card company! As most know, merchants agree to follow certain rules in order to enjoy the privileges of taking your money (via the credit card company). I once bought a quad on my Visa; the dealership charged me a 2.5% fee for using my Visa. I followed up with Visa, sent them a copy of the bill of sale and Visa refunded me the $250 and I assume recovered it from the dealership.

For $20, A credit card company will likely not invest too much effort into this and refund it without recovery from the offending merchant. Unfortunately, those who deserve the hit are not getting the message, but perhaps too many complaints and Visa would take their machine out.

Merchants who charge a fee to allow you to buy that pack of gum with your debit card (sign on the till that says "debit purchases under $5 are charged $0.75) are also violating their merchant agreement (unless the fee is programmed and acknowledged on the pin pad by the customer).

This is a Canadian experience, results may vary!

it's the same way in the US - you're not allowed to put a minimum purchase or a fee for purchase with credit card. However - if it's on your cc statement, then it's from your credit card charging you for the out of country purchase, not Alpharooms. If it is from Alpharooms, try calling your cc company and getting it refunded.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by jessned

Was this the first time you used alpharooms? I see your from Indiana, and I would like to use them, but a little uneasy about using a company outside the US that I haven't used before. Their savings is way cheaper then any place I've seen, so we're trying to gather as much info as we can to make the best decision. They list deluxe rooms as their first choice and want to know if it's the same as a standard garden view rooms that US companies list, and does their price include the all inclusive fees for both persons? Don't want to check in and have any surprises.

Have used Alpharooms several times with no problem (other than making sure our credit card company is alerted that you will be making a purchase outside the US. Otherwise they will reject it as a protection to you.)

They are MUCH cheaper than anyone else.

I always choose the cheapest room price and then work from there when I get to the hotel. Unless you want a guaranteed ocean view or Jacuzzi room, that's what I would suggest.

The price is per room for two people and incused the all-inclusive charge.

Jamie