Everything needs money these days.
We are being charged extra for takeaway containers and for plastic bags at certain supermarkets.
We might as well be charged for breathing and existing.
In the latest update of consumers being charged additional for certain things, a netizen appears to have been charged $0.20 for making payments at a shop via PayNow.
The netizen was understandably outraged, and the online scene was abuzz with discussion about this incident.
Here is what happened.
Netizen Spots Shop Charging Consumers $0.20 to Pay Using PayNow
Earlier this week, on National Day (9 August 2023), a netizen took to the Facebook group COMPLAINT SINGAPORE to complain about a shop which imposed a surcharge for PayNow payments.
In the OP’s post, she said that there was a $0.20 charge for “cashless payment” and attached an image of the QR codes plastered in front of the shop’s cash register.
Two QR codes are seen, and there is an additional tag on the top of each code saying that there will be an “additional 20 cents for each cashless transaction”.
This elaboration was listed in both English and Chinese.
The cash register shows a total of $4.20. Presumably, the OP bought something worth $4 and was charged an extra $0.20 for paying via PayNow.
In the post, the OP questioned if it was right for the shop to impose an extra charge when “paynow is free of charge” and she was merely paying the money directly into the shop owner’s account.
She also asked if she could “report” this shop and who to make the report to.
For those unaware, PayNow is an “enhanced funds transfer experience that enables retail customers of the participating banks and NFIs to send and receive Singapore Dollar funds from one bank or e-wallet account to another in Singapore through FAST by using just their mobile number, Singapore NRIC/FIN, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA), instantly”.
It was launched on 10 July 2017 and is provided “free to retail customers” and is available “24/7, 365 days”.
Given this, it seems that the shop is going overboard by charging $0.20 for each cashless payment.
The comments section was understandably buzzing with this revelation of a $0.20 charge for PayNow use.
Some netizens discussed if shop owners have to pay to use PayNow at their shops.
It appears that they do not, which is in line with the official news on PayNow.
Regardless, the service is supposed to be free for consumers so even if business owners do pay fees, it should not be passed on to the consumer.
After all, with Singapore trying to transition into a cashless environment, it seems that incentives rather than extra charges would be the way to promote this.
Another netizen shared about a similar experience, where using Nets or PayNow cost $0.20 more for certain items like cigarettes.
