Nicor Gas bill pay convenience fee

Whether you want to accept it or not is irrelevant. Apple cannot control what a completely separate company charges for their product.

Nicor Gas, in the same manner, cannot in any way dictate what Apple can charge for an iPhone, or anything else Apple offers to its customers.

CenturyLink is our phone provider. I can pay in two ways. One is free, the other tacks on an extra charge. That Nicor Gas didn't make the processing fee readily apparent is not Apple's fault, or problem. Your beef is with Nicor Gas.

The only condition Apple gives vendors or users is the same thing every other manufacturer on the planet does. For physical devices, they are protected by copyright and/or patent. You cannot duplicate another company's product without being sued. For software, there is not one title in the world where you actually own the software you purchase. You are purchasing a license to USE it. Not own it.

You seem to have the very odd idea that Apple is somehow responsible for those extra charges. They not only aren't, Apple wasn't even aware they were applied. You used a credit payment. Nicor Gas used that payment system to charge you whatever they wanted.

Here's an example of who you think is responsible. You go to a store and it's Two for Tuesday. That text on the sign is big enough to read from the Moon. At the bottom is text you need a microscope to read that clarifies Two for Tuesday doesn't mean two items for the price of one, but that you'll be charged twice for each item. You complain about the extra charges on your VISA bill.

The point: Who are you going blame for the extra charges? The store, or VISA?

The latter is what you're trying to do by blaming Apple. They have NOTHING to do with the charges posted by Nicor Gas.

Yes, there are. They help in the case of fraud and deception.

They cannot help for a legal charge posted by Nicor Gas. You even noted yourself the charge is disclosed.

They do disclose that in the fine print near the bottom of the "learn-more-about-it" site

It's also clearly noted on their site regarding payments:

Pay Online

Our My Account online payment system allows you to use your checking account or credit card to pay – and you can view your account details and payment history. You can also chat with a customer service representative. A $2.95 convenience fee from our payment processing vendor will apply.

Pay by Phone

Call us at 888.642.6748, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to pay your bill by phone. A $2.95 convenience fee from our payment processing vendor will apply.

There's no point discussing this any further. You have no recourse here. None. No one owes you compensation of any kind.

Apple can't do anything about what a third party company decides to charge for their services or product.

No, Apple will not and can not do anything about charges made by other retailers.

Why would they? They didn't make store policy.

You don't seem to understand how credit companies work. They have no clue what you're being charged for. When a vendor posts a request for a charge (pick a credit card company), the only thing they know is the name of the requesting vendor, and the total. From there, they do this:

1. Do you have enough of your credit line open to make the purchase?
2. Has there been a recent rash of atypical charges, which would suggest your card is being used for fraudulent purchases?
3. Are you a credit risk (lots of late payments or other reasons why they may deny a large purchase)?
4. Maybe some other check boxes they have.

If everything is flagged green, the purchase goes through and the credit company pays for your items on the (obvious) reliance you will pay them back when you get your monthly bill.

Look at your bill. If you bought something at a gas station, it will likely list the station's name you were at. But that still doesn't tell the credit card company you bought gas. You could have parked in front of the convenience store area and bought a handful of frozen pizzas, a gallon of milk and a six pack of beer.

They likewise would have no clue you were charged twice for each item at the hypothetical store. All they know is the total. You could complain about the duped charges to VISA, but if the sale states you're going to be charged double, they can't help. It's not their fault the customer didn't read the sign.

Apple can not control the access fees charged by vendors. What part of that don't you understand?

MRBarrett27 wrote:

In your example the store is responsible but VISA would help in the same way that Apple should help in this case.

Visa would help if the charge were fraudulent. They would not intervene if the vendor charged you a posted price that you decided was too high.

If you look at your Nicor bill I'm sure it says that to pay with ANY credit card will involve a "convenience fee." My utility states that clearly, which is why I don't use credit to pay my utility bill.

MRBarrett27 wrote:

But they are not getting away with it because anyone paying attention would avoid the $2.95 fee by not using the App which is a shame because it would actually be more convenient for me and cheaper for them.

If it was important to them to have people pay by the app or by credit card, they would not have the fee. I know of companies that charge a fee if you pay your bill in person but no fee if you pay online. They do that because they don't want people coming into their locations and taking up the time of sales people who could be selling things. My cellular phone company gives me a sizable discount because I have my bill set to autopay. These fees and discounts are in place to encourage people to things the way the most benefits the company.

MRBarrett27 wrote:

Perhaps, as you say, it is better that I "don't know" how credit companies work because they have helped me many times with companies that have through error, deception, or fraud overcharged me. In fact there are laws that require them to do so.

But the situation you're describing doesn't involve an error, overcharge or fraud.

They will respond to whiners once. Maybe twice. But companies do keep track of chronic complainers. Especially those who keep contesting legitimate charges. They well eventually tell you where you can stick your complaint.