I’d like to know more about what changed in the last few years that’s pushing more and more merchants to pass the card fees on to customers. Is it just thinner margins and more precarity everywhere? Is it changes in the legal/regulatory environment? Or has it just become more acceptable?
I would guess two things. First, continued growth the percentage of sales where a card is used for payment. Approaching 100% for many businesses. Second, emergence of high interchange premium rewards cards from Mastercard and Visa. The merchants pay 3 - 3.5% on these.