The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-12-2021, 03:32 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default Foreign transaction fee

My darling bank charged me a foreign transaction fee of $62.95 for my guitar ordered from Emerald. I did not expect this. Has anyone else had this experience?

In case you don't know what this is, following is an explanation.

I posted in this subforum, because I ordered from Emerald. I'm sure if the mods think it should be somewhere else, they will move it.

Quote:
Foreign transactions fees are fees that may be assessed when you use your Credit Card to make a transaction that requires a conversion of currency, or a transaction processed outside of the United States (even if the transaction is in U.S. Dollars). You may incur this type of fee when you make a purchase either in person, over the phone or online with a merchant in a country other than the United States. This fee is in addition to any other applicable transaction fees that may be assessed.
I knew this was going to be a gamble. If I return it, I will have paid for shipping here, return shipping, this foreign transaction fee, and duty coming into the country.

Yet another reason that I'd like Emerald to have a North American Headquarters (prior thread).
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon

Last edited by KarenB; 04-12-2021 at 03:37 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-12-2021, 03:46 PM
captain_jack captain_jack is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 278
Default

It's pretty common for credit card companies to charge a foreign transaction fee (I believe it's usually 3%). Travel focused cards will often offer no fx fees as a perk or benefit (e.g chase sapphire, amex platinum, etc).
__________________
2021 Fender Telecaster (Player Series)
2014 Yamaha FS700
2020 Rouge RD80 - sold
2014 Epiphone Les Paul Junior - sold
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-12-2021, 03:53 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default

Thanks Captain. I did not know this.
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:09 PM
jdrnd jdrnd is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 368
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenB View Post
My darling bank charged me a foreign transaction fee of $62.95 for my guitar ordered from Emerald. I did not expect this. Has anyone else had this experience?

It did not get charged.
Not sure why you did.


I used a commercial credit card.
__________________
1966 Fender Mustang
2005 Takamine TF341DLX
2006 Hamer Artist Korina P90
2008 Taylor 814CE
2020 Emerald X-30
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:18 PM
PeterM PeterM is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 313
Default

As an FYI, most credit unions do not charge that fee.

That is another thing that I believe will likely change, but for now you might check.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:23 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default

Thanks jdrnd and Peter.
I have spoken with an associate from my bank. I paid Emerald through Paypal. Emerald sent me an invoice. When the bank got the information, it said "foreign transaction" That's when the "foreign transaction fee" kicked in.
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:27 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rochester, New York
Posts: 12,340
Default

I didn't get charged the foreign transaction fee, either, when I ordered my Emerald X20 in late-2019.
__________________
Martin HD-28 Sunburst/Trance M-VT Phantom
Martin D-18/UltraTonic
Adamas I 2087GT-8
Ovation Custom Legend LX
Guild F-212XL STD
Huss & Dalton TD-R
Taylor 717e
Taylor 618e
Taylor 614ce
Larrivee D-50M/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Blue Grass Special/HiFi
Larrivee D-40R Sunburst
Larrivee C-03R TE/Trance M-VT Phantom
RainSong BI-DR1000N2
Emerald X20
Yamaha FGX5
Republic Duolian/Schatten NR-2
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:41 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default

Sprucetop, did you order straight through a credit card?
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-12-2021, 04:46 PM
David Eastwood's Avatar
David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 7,509
Default

I think it depends on the specific credit card you use. I have a Marriott card which explicitly advertises ‘no foreign transaction fees’. So if you’re using a credit card with PayPal, you might want to check the fine print.

Of course, if you’re not in the habit of buying things from outside the country, there’s no real reason why you’d even think of this, hence the occasional surprise.

As far as the North American HQ is concerned, the costs of that operation would surely end up being embedded in the price of the guitar. Could easily end up with NA being the most expensive place anywhere to buy an Emerald, which obviously no-one wants.

I just hope you’re deliriously happy with your X7, KarenB, so that all these speed bumps pale to insignificance
__________________
Martin 0-16NY
Emerald Amicus
Emerald X20
Cordoba Stage

Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-12-2021, 05:12 PM
ac ac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,787
Default

The card companies are allowed (but are not required) to charge up to 3%.

When that rule was initiated, most card companies jumped at the chance, but recently, some have backed off now. Somewhere online there is a list of what each card company does or does not do in this regard--I only recall the majority charge the full 3%.

I switched to a Schwab card which does not charge this fee, but recently, Discover also gave up this fee and encouraged me to begin using their card more overseas. However, Discover isn't that widely accepted overseas--only in a few select places--so it's still mostly useless. Schwab is universal.

There is another card like Schwab, I forget the name, maybe Bank One or something like that. In the past, they were the only two I could find.

Before Whatsapp, Signal, etc. and free calling, I used Skype to call back to the States and always had a 15 cent international fee added to my $5 top up amount---and hated it. It was because Skype did it's billing out of the UK--so it was technically "international" and my card was happy to add on the fee even for that. So that is actually what drove me to hunt of another card. Aggravation. And Schwab also had no additional charges at foreign ATMs either, a bonus.

3% on small purchases doesn't seem much, but on large buys--you sure feel it.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-12-2021, 05:22 PM
Guest 928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I've ordered 6 Emeralds using my Visa and never faced such an added fee.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-12-2021, 05:44 PM
David Eastwood's Avatar
David Eastwood David Eastwood is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 7,509
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
I've ordered 6 Emeralds using my Visa and never faced such an added fee.
So, you clearly have a Visa card that waives foreign transaction fees, and thus you might have remained blissfully unaware of the existence of such things.
__________________
Martin 0-16NY
Emerald Amicus
Emerald X20
Cordoba Stage

Some of my tunes: https://youtube.com/user/eatswodo
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-12-2021, 05:52 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default

Thanks eatswodo, Evan, and ac. Glad a lot of you didn't have to pay a foreign transaction fee.
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-12-2021, 07:02 PM
KarenB KarenB is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: alpha quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy, planet Earth, upstate NY
Posts: 1,820
Default

Quote:
just hope you’re deliriously happy with your X7, KarenB, so that all these speed bumps pale to insignificance
Thanks eatswodo. This is my hope too.
__________________
When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down, “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life. —John Lennon
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-12-2021, 07:24 PM
Mbroady's Avatar
Mbroady Mbroady is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Asheville via NYC
Posts: 6,300
Default

I had the same thing happen when I ordered a guitar from Canada. When I went to pay off the credit card I saw there was $100 and change charged to my card for a Foreign transaction fee. I actually called the credit card company and explained to them that I was not aware of the foreign transaction fee and though my ignorance was due to me not reading the fine print, could they please give me a break this one time. They actually did remove the charge for me. So maybe try calling the credit card company and chatting with them about it . Nothing beats a failure but a try
__________________
David Webber Round-Body
Furch D32-LM
MJ Franks Lagacy OM
Rainsong H-WS1000N2T
Stonebridge OM33-SR DB
Stonebridge D22-SRA
Tacoma Papoose
Voyage Air VAD-2
1980 Fender Strat
A few Partscaster Strats
MIC 60s Classic Vib Strat
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Carbon Fiber

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=