Supermarket Payment Processing: Interchange-Plus vs Fixed Rate
Discover how transparent pricing saves supermarket businesses money
Understanding Processing Fee Components
Interchange-Plus Pricing Structure
Component 1: Interchange Rate
Set by card networks (Visa, MC, etc.)
Varies by card type and merchant category
+
Component 2: Processor Markup
Your payment processor's fee
Same for all card types: 0.20% + $0.05
=
Your Total Processing Cost
Transparent & Card-Specific
Fee Breakdown by Card Type
Interchange Rate
Processor Markup
Interchange-Plus vs Fixed Rate Comparison
Interchange-Plus Rate
Fixed Rate (2.5%)
Key Insight: Debit and regular credit cards cost significantly less with interchange-plus pricing, while you pay the same 2.5% rate for all cards with fixed rate pricing.
Cost Comparison Calculator
Interchange-Plus Pricing
$0.52
Transparent cost breakdown
Fixed Rate Pricing
$2.60
2.5% + $0.10 per transaction
Your Savings
$2.08 (80.0%)
Per transaction with interchange-plus pricing
Cost Comparison Chart
Interchange-Plus Pricing
What You Pay:
Interchange Rate (to card networks)0.05% + $0.22
Processor Markup0.20% + $0.05
Total Cost$0.52
Complete transparency
Pay actual interchange rates
Lower costs on debit & basic credit
Fixed Rate Pricing
What You Pay:
Fixed Rate (all cards)2.50% + $0.10
Total Cost$2.60
Same rate for all card types
No cost transparency
Higher costs on common cards
Supermarket Monthly Savings Calculator
Your Business Details
Payment Mix (%)
Total: 100%
Monthly Cost Comparison
Interchange-Plus Pricing
$624
Debit (65%)$332
Regular Credit (20%)$158
Reward Credit (12%)$100
Amex (3%)$34
Fixed Rate (2.5% + $0.10)
$1393
Same rate regardless of card type
$769/month
$9224/year saved
55.2% cost reduction
Transaction Breakdown
Total Transactions1,429
Debit Transactions929
Credit Transactions500
Monthly Cost Comparison
Cost by Card Type (Interchange-Plus)
Key Takeaways
Why Interchange-Plus Wins for Supermarkets:
- Debit cards cost significantly less (0.05% + $0.22 vs 2.5% + $0.10)
- Supermarket interchange rates are lower than restaurant rates
- Complete transparency - see exactly what you're paying for
- Savings increase with higher debit card usage
Perfect For Supermarkets:
- High volume, low-margin grocery business model
- Grocery stores with 60%+ debit card usage
- Businesses processing over $25,000/month
- Stores wanting to maximize profit margins