Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[TOareaFan]

Wow. What is it, the 20th century?

I frequent a couple of retailers of the modern/young variety that accept cash or credit...it is usually because they don't subscribe to an interact terminal and use one of those phone app things to process their credit cards sales.

 

[Jonny5]

Wow. What is it, the 20th century?

It's the 21st century where small merchants like that are squeezed out by having to pay $2.00/transaction.

 

[interchange42]

Noticed the Union Station security office opened within the York (?) promenade, shame as it's a prime spot for a retailer.

That's a temporary location.

42

 

[Megaton327]

It's the 21st century where small merchants like that are squeezed out by having to pay $2.00/transaction.

That's 100% false. Interac charges nowhere near that amount for small purchases - having done small business bookkeeping a few years ago, they charge a very, very small percentage compared to Visa or Mastercard. I routinely saw charges exceeding $1000 with a fee of under $1.00, vs fees in the $10-30 range for credit cards for such transactions. That is the advantage of Interac for merchants--extremely low fees.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Noticed the Union Station security office opened within the York (?) promenade, shame as it's a prime spot for a retailer.
Also, first victim of the coffee wars: Railroad coffee co.

It's the 21st century where small merchants like that are squeezed out by having to pay $2.00/transaction.

Wonder if security has to pay $2.00 for each incident?

 

[Komiksulo]

I frequent a couple of retailers of the modern/young variety that accept cash or credit...it is usually because they don't subscribe to an interact terminal and use one of those phone app things to process their credit cards sales.

That may be it. When I was looking at Square terminals a while ago, for example, they did not handle Interac. Perhaps this has changed.

I believe Interac charges a set amount per transaction, while Visa/MC charge a percentage, at the least. That would add up on larger transactions.

 

[guste]

Was the temporary Railroad Coffee stand, the one on the south side of the concourse, near the GO ticket counter? If so, good riddance. Their prices would make even Starbucks blush.

 

[DavidH]

I believe Interac charges a set amount per transaction, while Visa/MC charge a percentage, at the least. That would add up on larger transactions.

I was involved in some online payment systems a while back, and at least in some cases, credit cards have a percentage but also a minimum fee (e.g. a floor amount). The minimum can be very significant for small purchases - much greater than debit/ACH payments.

Note that I have no idea whether places like Railroad Coffee have a floor amount, though, but it seems likely to me. If so, their not taking Interac (for whatever reason) probably drove up their transactional costs.

 

[Jonny5]

That's 100% false. Interac charges nowhere near that amount for small purchases - having done small business bookkeeping a few years ago, they charge a very, very small percentage compared to Visa or Mastercard. I routinely saw charges exceeding $1000 with a fee of under $1.00, vs fees in the $10-30 range for credit cards for such transactions. That is the advantage of Interac for merchants--extremely low fees.

It's hyperbole. They aren't paying two dollars when someone buys two dollars of items, but the point stands they have to pay too much. The evidence is right in everyone's face that fees aren't "extremely low". If they were extremely low it would be universally adopted. It is not. There are merchants all over the city that do not except debit or credit at all, or only accept it with minimum purchase amounts, or add debit transaction fees to recover the costs.

Even in the PATH, a premium retail area, there are still 'cash only' and 'no debit' businesses. They don't want it because their margins go from profit to loss after the fees.

 

[Richard White]

That's a temporary location.

42

Makes sense given the reconstruction of the Great Hall. If I am not mistaken they are currently renovating that section of station at this point. I would not be surprised if they moved however as they were originally in the arrivals area (by the exit from Track 1). Prior to security being in the Great Hall a ISIC location was in the space. While it would be nice to have them remain in the Great Hall I can think of a few behind the scenes places in the York Concourse where they would be better suited.

 

[tnarduzzi]

Makes sense given the reconstruction of the Great Hall. If I am not mistaken they are currently renovating that section of station at this point. I would not be surprised if they moved however as they were originally in the arrivals area (by the exit from Track 1). Prior to security being in the Great Hall a ISIC location was in the space. While it would be nice to have them remain in the Great Hall I can think of a few behind the scenes places in the York Concourse where they would be better suited.

I think the old security office will become stairs to the new Bay concourse if my memory serves correctly. (A la Harvey's.)

 

[Richard White]

Charging at 200. CLEAR!!!!!

Time of death 20:42.

This thread is officially dead.

 

[tnarduzzi]

Charging at 200. CLEAR!!!!!

Time of death 20:42.

This thread is officially dead.

At the pace work is proceeding... this thread will be around forever.

 

[Richard White]

At the pace work is proceeding... this thread will be around forever.

And I won't have to say remember when or back in my day.

 

[G.L.17]

It's been a few weeks since I last walked by the east side of Union. Hadn't noticed that scaffolding on the east side was in place.