Paying for a Gesy prescription

Chat with fellow forum users. No adverts or trade links in here please.
Post Reply
Pinleyb93
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:02 am

Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Pinleyb93 »

Went to collect my medication with my Gesy prescription today,usually pay the charge with cash but following the Health Ministry advice about not using cash if possible, I was suprised to be told by the pharmacist that they could not accept a card payment for a Gesy prescription only cash, any other medication could be paid for using a card. No reason to disbelieve the pharmacist but seems a very foolish ruling in the present circumstances.Has anyone else found this?
User avatar
PW in Polemi
Posts: 790
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:56 am
Location: Polemi of course! Doh!!! :)

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by PW in Polemi »

Possibly due to the lack of profit for the pharmacist and the charges levied by the credit card machine company.

And, yes, I collected some over the counter items for one friend and a Gesy prescription for another friend, and was asked for the prescription charge of one euro to be paid cash when I offered my card to pay for the total.
Kay
Those who do not like cats, must have been mice in a former life! :lol:
trevnhil
Posts: 7093
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:12 pm
Location: Polemi

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by trevnhil »

We always pay by card at the Pharmacy we use in Paphos... I would suggest that the 'ruling' is purely made up by your pharmacist :-(
Trev..
User avatar
mike strand2
Posts: 1328
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:30 am
Location: Kissonerga

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by mike strand2 »

trevnhil wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 5:22 pm We always pay by card at the Pharmacy we use in Paphos... I would suggest that the 'ruling' is purely made up by your pharmacist :-(
Ditto
WHL
Posts: 6862
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:43 pm

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by WHL »

Ive been to a couple of shops in the past, where they would only accept card payment if the amount was over five euro.
trevnhil
Posts: 7093
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:12 pm
Location: Polemi

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by trevnhil »

Personally if I was only paying 1 euro, I would not even attempt to use my card ;-) ;-)
Trev..
Varky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:44 am
Location: Anarita

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Varky »

Originally the pharmacy that I regularly use followed the 'rule' that payment for prescriptions should be made in cash. However on my last visit as I had bought several other items they said I could pay for everything by card. Upon asking why I was told that if the total was only a small amount as was the case with the majority of their customers collecting GESY prescriptions then they would require payment in cash, otherwise a card payment was acceptable. Probably something to do with the amount the credit/debit card companies skimmed off the top.
Varky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:44 am
Location: Anarita

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Varky »

Happy in Cyprus wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:54 pm [Nowadays these are notional Kay, 1.8% or less is what we pay. I'm sure pharmacists make a healthy enough margin to cover this.
But I am sure they would like to make more.
trevnhil
Posts: 7093
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:12 pm
Location: Polemi

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by trevnhil »

Well certainly Pharmacists have a much greater turnover now that most people get their prescriptions from them and not from the Hospital Pharmacy ..
Trev..
User avatar
mike strand2
Posts: 1328
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:30 am
Location: Kissonerga

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by mike strand2 »

Some have had to employ another person
User avatar
Lofos-Jan
Posts: 630
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:10 pm
Location: Lofos, Tala

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Lofos-Jan »

I think this is rubbish. It certainly won’t be a government rule. I very rarely carry any cash so would just go to another pharmacy. Unfortunately not possible though I know in the current situation.

Jeanne
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
User avatar
mike strand2
Posts: 1328
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:30 am
Location: Kissonerga

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by mike strand2 »

We are heading for a cashless society, so shops had best get used to the idea of accepting a card (or phone payment)
User avatar
Lincoln
Posts: 3068
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:56 am
Location: Polis

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Lincoln »

mike strand2 wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:08 pm We are heading for a cashless society, so shops had best get used to the idea of accepting a card (or phone payment)
Ha Ha...Not in Cyprus where Cash is king and always will be for many YEARS to come. :D
All things are possible
Varky
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:44 am
Location: Anarita

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Varky »

Lofos-Jan wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 11:38 am I think this is rubbish. It certainly won’t be a government rule. I very rarely carry any cash so would just go to another pharmacy. Unfortunately not possible though I know in the current situation.
Jeanne
What is rubbish? And who said it was a government rule? The only mention of government was in connection with their advice NOT to use cash
User avatar
mike strand2
Posts: 1328
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:30 am
Location: Kissonerga

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by mike strand2 »

Lincoln wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:38 pm
mike strand2 wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:08 pm We are heading for a cashless society, so shops had best get used to the idea of accepting a card (or phone payment)
Ha Ha...Not in Cyprus where Cash is king and always will be for many YEARS to come. :D
As has been reported in the CM a while back, the government are in the process of requiring all businesses over a certain size to have card readers. Then it will no doubt follow that all transactions over a certain size must be done by card. Handling cash is expensive for retailers.

In The Netherlands & Sweden card transactions now exceed those from cash https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20 ... extinction
User avatar
Paul
Posts: 613
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 12:39 pm
Location: Choulou

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by Paul »

I was told some years ago that the card machine people in Cyprus apply a charge of 6% on all transactions.

Now you know why some places ask for cash only 6% is a lot out of your profit!
trevnhil
Posts: 7093
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:12 pm
Location: Polemi

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by trevnhil »

If you look through the comment you will see that H I C's firm pay 1.8%
Trev..
boycott
Posts: 364
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2016 12:25 pm
Location: Limassol

Re: Paying for a Gesy prescription

Post by boycott »

Whilst this is from a UK paper it is EU Legislation so should apply here.
However getting the shop to accept this maybe rather difficult!


EU legislation to ban ‘rip-off’ card charges came into force at the weekend. Previously, retailers were allowed to charge up to 20% on top of the price of goods when customers paid with debit or credit cards or smartphone payment systems. However, as of Saturday 13th January, this was made illegal. The revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) was introduced throughout the EEA, with the aim of improving transparency and saving shoppers up to €550 million annually. But, what does this mean for you?

The ban will apply to all card payments, even if you use Paypal or Apple/Android Pay. It will also apply to direct debits and bank transfers. For example, some airlines previously charged a percentage (usually around 1% or 2%) on top of your payment if you use a credit card. They will no longer be allowed to do this. If there is an extra charge unrelated to the payment method (such as a service charge or booking fee), retailers will still be able to add this on.

Companies will also still be allowed to have a minimum payment in place, and refuse card payments below it. Some have tried to get around this by introducing a blanket charge on top of every transaction. Just Eat have added 50p to every order as a ‘service charge’ whereas this used to be specifically for debit or credit card transactions. However, as long as the fee is not specifically added when you use a certain payment method, it is is not unlawful.

What to do if a company is charging for card payments If you find out that a company is charging for card payments, it’s trading standards that will handle it. Get in touch with them with full details to complain. If you’ve already made the payment, complain with the company directly first, as you’re entitled to a refund.

https://metro.co.uk/2018/01/15/can-shop ... w-7230570/
Post Reply