Help Us Investigate: What is the Real Cost of the October 1 Surcharge Ban?
It has been exactly one week since the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) officially banned card surcharges at the checkout for Visa, Mastercard, and eftpos.
The regulatory goal was simple: end hidden card surcharge checkout fees so that the price on the tag is exactly what you pay at the till. However, because local businesses must now bake the cost of accepting card payments straight into their upfront advertised prices, we want to know how this is actually playing out on the ground across the North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Here at The Post, we are gathering data for an upcoming investigative feature on the true local impact of this shake-up.
Are shoppers actually saving money, or are baseline prices quietly creeping up? Are local small business owners absorbing the margin hit, or being forced to adjust their standard pricing just to stay afloat?
We need your help to tell the real story. Whether you’re grabbing a morning coffee in Mount Colah, running a boutique in Manly, or managing a clinic on the North Shore, tell us what you are seeing at the till.
Take 30 seconds to share your experience below.
👇 👇
What happens next?
Our editorial team is compiling these responses to build a comprehensive picture of how the RBA’s changes are impacting our local economy. We’ll be publishing the full breakdown, along with expert advice for both consumers and business owners, in an upcoming feature on The Post.
( Want an early look at the data? Make sure you drop your email in the final question of the survey above, and we’ll send you the results before the article goes live.)