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How Can Merchants Manage Costs and Update Their Settings Under the New Card Payment Rules?
出自 pisell2026年9月24日
Pisell Payment
From 1 October 2026, relevant Australian card schemes will implement new Card Surcharge rules. For merchants, the practical question is: if card surcharges can no longer be passed on to customers, how should payment acceptance costs be managed?
PiSell understands that this change may affect day-to-day operations. To help merchants prepare, we have outlined several practical options below. We will also update the relevant system functions and reduce selected online payment rates.
Four Options Merchants May Consider
Option 1: Apply a Platform Service Fee for Genuine Platform Services
If your business uses PiSell for online bookings, QR code ordering or other digital ordering services, you may wish to assess whether a Platform Service Fee is appropriate for the services you provide.
A Platform Service Fee is not a card surcharge. It relates to the customer's use of an online booking or ordering platform and should therefore apply independently of the customer's chosen payment method. The fee and its terms should be clearly disclosed before the customer places an order.
This approach reflects practices already used within the industry. For example, the Me&U Guest Platform Feeis displayed as a separate item in the customer's cart. PiSell currently supports one uniform fixed Platform Service Fee. Merchants may consider their average transaction value and platform order volume when selecting an appropriate fixed amount. A fixed fee can also be easier for customers to understand and for businesses to forecast.
A Card Surcharge must not simply be renamed and charged as another fee. The information above is provided for general reference based on publicly available industry practices and does not constitute legal or compliance advice. Each merchant should assess whether a fee genuinely reflects the services provided, complies with applicable laws and contractual requirements, and is clearly disclosed to customers. Merchants remain responsible for their own pricing and compliance decisions.
Option 2: Incorporate Payment Costs into Your Overall Pricing
Merchants may review their product or service pricing and incorporate payment acceptance costs into their overall pricing structure. This approach spreads the cost across normal business operations and avoids adding a separate payment-related fee at checkout.
Option 3: Offer Discounts for Selected Payment Methods
According to the ACCC guidance on card surcharges, merchants may consider offering discounts for payment methods such as cash or PayID. The normal price and all discount conditions should be clearly displayed before the customer orders or pays. Merchants should not display only the discounted price or present it more prominently than the normal price.
Option 4: Strengthen Customer Value Through Membership and Promotions
Membership benefits, loyalty rewards, vouchers and targeted promotions may help reduce customer sensitivity to small price adjustments while supporting repeat business and long-term customer value.
Where genuine charges apply for weekends, public holidays, delivery, bookings or other services unrelated to the customer's payment method, merchants may continue to set these charges in accordance with applicable rules, provided the reason, amount and conditions are clearly disclosed.
Looking to Reduce Your In-Store Payment Costs? PiSell Can Offer Another Option
Once card surcharges are removed, EFTPOS acceptance costs will be borne directly by the merchant. The actual cost and potential savings will vary depending on your current provider, contract terms, monthly transaction volume, average transaction value and card mix.
PiSell is working with payment partners to provide merchants with an additional EFTPOS option. We can review your current payment profile and help identify a more suitable rate structure based on your business's actual transaction data.
Our pricing approach is transparent, and our sales team can provide an individual assessment using information such as your average transaction value, monthly turnover and card mix.
Please contact the PiSell team if you:
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are concerned about the effect of surcharge removal on your operating costs;
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would like to understand whether your current EFTPOS rate remains competitive;
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want a payment plan tailored to your transaction profile; or
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are considering replacing or adding an EFTPOS solution.
We can provide a complimentary EFTPOS rate review. You may share a recent EFTPOS statement or basic transaction information with our team for assessment. Reviewing your options does not affect your existing EFTPOS service, and any decision to switch remains entirely yours.
How to Set Up a Platform Service Fee in PiSell
Step 1: Open the Relevant Settings
From the left-hand navigation menu, go to Settings > Checkout Settings.
Step 2: Enter the Fee Details
Enter the fee name and fixed amount, then select the applicable dates, time periods, product scope and charging method as available in your account.
Step 3: Check How the Fee Is Displayed to Customers
Save the settings and verify how the fee is displayed across your applicable POS, online ordering and checkout flows. The fee should reflect a genuine service scenario and must not be linked to the customer's choice of card payment. Please contact PiSell Support if you are unsure about the system settings.
PiSell System Update Schedule
28 September 2026 at 10:00 pm Melbourne time: PiSell will release the first-stage update. All Card Surcharge settings within the PiSell back office will be greyed out and merchants will no longer be able to add or edit them.
Midnight at the end of 30 September 2026, or 12:00 am on 1 October 2026 Melbourne time: PiSell will release the second-stage update. Relevant Card Surcharge settings will be changed to 0, and PiSell-controlled payment flows will no longer apply a Card Surcharge.
WeChat Pay and Alipay settings and rates will remain unchanged.
PiSell Online Payment Rate Adjustments
To help merchants manage the transition, PiSell will reduce domestic card rates by 0.1 percentage points from each merchant's currently applicable rate, effective 1 October 2026.
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A current domestic card rate of 1.75% will be reduced to 1.65%.
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A current domestic card rate of 1.65% will be reduced to 1.55%.
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Other standard plans will receive the same reduction of 0.1 percentage points.
Rates for WeChat Pay, Alipay and international cards will remain unchanged. The latest rate displayed in the merchant portal, together with the applicable merchant agreement, will prevail.
For hospitality merchants using PiSell QR code ordering for dine-in or pickup orders, the fixed transaction fee will be reduced from $0.30 to $0.20. This adjustment does not apply to retail or e-commerce orders.
How to View Your Payment Plan
Step 1: Open Payment Plan Settings
Go to Settings > Plan Settings to view your payment plan.
Step 2: Review Your Current Plan and Updated Rate
Check your plan information, plan name and updated domestic card rate. The rate shown in your merchant portal after the update will be the latest applicable rate.
Checklist Before 1 October
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Review how the removal of Card Surcharges may affect your business costs and pricing.
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Confirm whether any Card Surcharge settings exist in your online or in-store payment flows.
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Review any customer-facing signage, menus, receipts and checkout messages that refer to Card Surcharges.
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If appropriate, assess whether a genuine Platform Service Fee, a pricing adjustment, a payment-method discount or a customer loyalty strategy is suitable for your business.
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If you use a third-party EFTPOS provider, confirm its implementation arrangements, timing and any rate changes directly with that provider.
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Contact PiSell if you would like assistance reviewing your settings, online payment rates or EFTPOS options.
References
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