Dual Pricing: A Smart Solution for Payment Processing

We know how important it is for business owners to maximize their profitability while minimizing costs. One solution gaining popularity across many industries — especially retail and services — is dual pricing.

What Is Dual Pricing?

Dual pricing is a compliant pricing model that displays two prices for a product or service:

• A cash price (lower)
• A card price (slightly higher, reflecting processing costs)

Customers who pay with cash receive the discount. Those who pay with a card pay a price that accounts for the processing fee — effectively passing the cost to the cardholder.

Is It Legal?

Yes — when implemented correctly. The card networks allow dual pricing as long as it's properly disclosed and consistently applied. It differs from surcharging in important ways, and compliance details matter.

Merchant Focus can help you implement dual pricing in a fully compliant way.

Who Benefits Most?

Dual pricing works particularly well for:

• Restaurants and cafes with high transaction volumes
• Retail shops with thin margins
• Service businesses (salons, auto repair, etc.)
• Healthcare providers

The Financial Impact

For a business processing $50,000/month with a 2.5% effective rate, dual pricing can eliminate roughly $1,250 in monthly processing fees — or about $15,000/year.

How to Get Started

Setting up dual pricing requires compatible terminal equipment and proper configuration. Our team can walk you through everything — equipment, setup, disclosure requirements, and ongoing compliance.

Contact Merchant Focus to find out if dual pricing is right for your business.