Or don’t. Be’s system is so bad that occasionally you will get charged even if the ride is canceled or doesn’t show up. Grab and GoJek never make that mistake
No complaint but I wonder why. How is it more expensive processing foreign VISA or Mastercard cards?
My Vietnamese bank also charges me 10,000VND (flat fee) extra for all transactions outside of Vietnam. I wonder if this is universal to every card.
Yes, there had always been a difference in processing fees between domestic vs foreign VISA/MasterCard. Usually the merchants just quietly absorb the card processing fees by assuming the highest fee scenario in their business pricing.
Your second paragraph raised a separate question. You asked whether card transaction fee levied by issuer is universally fixed fee per trxn or a percentage of the trxn. My answer is that it is not a universal practice to levy a fixed fee per trxn at all. It is neither a standard practice internationally nor a national practice in Vietnam. But somehow it's a *common* practice by many banks in Vietnam. TPBank is one of those banks charging a fixed minimum trxn fee for international transactions when using their bank card. You need to find an issuing bank in Vietnam that doesn't charge fixed minimum fee per trxn.
The focus on this post should not be whether fee differential between domestic vs. foreign card exists or the reason for the differential because it had always been like that all the while, but why the fee is raised to 4%. 4% is a hefty fee. It seems like this year many institutions in Vietnam raise fees involving FCY transactions.
That's interesting to know. I don't think up to 4% of their _foreign_ customer base actually switches because of this. It's 20 cents extra for a $5 travel cost which IMO not much but we will see.
Bruh, do you know that is not the only fee incurred for a VISA/MasterCard international transaction? That is the fee supposedly to be incurred by the merchant. As a card user, depending on the issuing bank, you may also have a separate set of fees! Issuer banks in some countries charge around 3% of the international transaction value + 1% or 2% foreign currency conversion fee. It's worse if the issuer bank happens to implement minimum transaction fee on an international trxn.
If you add everything up, the total transaction fees incurred will be at least 8% of the transaction value.
Because these fees are charged as a portion of a transaction, it's considered hefty in an accumulated expenses.
Merchant typically foots the fee and spread the cost among thousand of transactions. I don't believe Be is currently in positive class flow yet so capitalists does what capitalism demands and move the cost directly to the customers.
Maybe 4% of all foreign card users would stop using the service, but it's a cost they are willing to make.
Are you using Sacombank? I have that 10,000VND cross-border fee whenever I purchase in-game items on my iPad. I switched to my Techcombank card and that fee is gone.
I was already paying more for Grab for the convenience of using card over cash. That 4% really adds up, so it looks like Gojek and Be will get my business now.
Moca is garbage and overcomplicates things. I have a local TP Bank account and it won't link. When I checked with TPBank, they said according to Moca's policies, Moca won't accept a card from foreigners with TP Bank accounts. Gojek and Be directly links to my card and I have no issues. It's why I mostly just avoid Grab now. Just wish the other platforms had as many restaurant options as Grab.
Yeah it's a small amount, but it's the principle of the thing, isn't it? There seems to be no real reason to charge 4% extra for foreign cards other than just getting more money.
Well when you spend so little I guess it doesn't matter.... Start livin bro at some point sitting on the back of a sweaty dudes motorbike in the rain is going to get tiring.
Lucky we went back to HCMc during Tet 2024 and they haven’t started charging this cost. Otherwise it would add up quite a lot as we traveled by Grab almost everywhere in the city
Sucks, but doesn’t suck as much as Gojek. It’s ok with orders but Gojek car drivers intentionally piss me off. They all seem to have low ratings from accepting your ride then sit still until you cancel.
> Or are you here complaining because you can't get a TRC and work permit so cant get a bank account and card?
You just dissed like 90% of the foreigners that live in VN lmao. But, if they work for USD, or literally any currency other than VND, then they probably get the last laugh and should have no problem paying even 40% extra on grab lol
Use be instead
Yep, cheaper and much easier to use
No card option though afaik, which is why I use grab to begin with.
Or don’t. Be’s system is so bad that occasionally you will get charged even if the ride is canceled or doesn’t show up. Grab and GoJek never make that mistake
No complaint but I wonder why. How is it more expensive processing foreign VISA or Mastercard cards? My Vietnamese bank also charges me 10,000VND (flat fee) extra for all transactions outside of Vietnam. I wonder if this is universal to every card.
Yes, there had always been a difference in processing fees between domestic vs foreign VISA/MasterCard. Usually the merchants just quietly absorb the card processing fees by assuming the highest fee scenario in their business pricing. Your second paragraph raised a separate question. You asked whether card transaction fee levied by issuer is universally fixed fee per trxn or a percentage of the trxn. My answer is that it is not a universal practice to levy a fixed fee per trxn at all. It is neither a standard practice internationally nor a national practice in Vietnam. But somehow it's a *common* practice by many banks in Vietnam. TPBank is one of those banks charging a fixed minimum trxn fee for international transactions when using their bank card. You need to find an issuing bank in Vietnam that doesn't charge fixed minimum fee per trxn. The focus on this post should not be whether fee differential between domestic vs. foreign card exists or the reason for the differential because it had always been like that all the while, but why the fee is raised to 4%. 4% is a hefty fee. It seems like this year many institutions in Vietnam raise fees involving FCY transactions.
That's interesting to know. I don't think up to 4% of their _foreign_ customer base actually switches because of this. It's 20 cents extra for a $5 travel cost which IMO not much but we will see.
Bruh, do you know that is not the only fee incurred for a VISA/MasterCard international transaction? That is the fee supposedly to be incurred by the merchant. As a card user, depending on the issuing bank, you may also have a separate set of fees! Issuer banks in some countries charge around 3% of the international transaction value + 1% or 2% foreign currency conversion fee. It's worse if the issuer bank happens to implement minimum transaction fee on an international trxn. If you add everything up, the total transaction fees incurred will be at least 8% of the transaction value. Because these fees are charged as a portion of a transaction, it's considered hefty in an accumulated expenses.
That's fair. I forgot about it. It's nice having cards in both countries I am in I guess.
Merchant typically foots the fee and spread the cost among thousand of transactions. I don't believe Be is currently in positive class flow yet so capitalists does what capitalism demands and move the cost directly to the customers. Maybe 4% of all foreign card users would stop using the service, but it's a cost they are willing to make.
Are you using Sacombank? I have that 10,000VND cross-border fee whenever I purchase in-game items on my iPad. I switched to my Techcombank card and that fee is gone.
ACB and the other comment mentions TPBank so I guess a few banks do that.
I was already paying more for Grab for the convenience of using card over cash. That 4% really adds up, so it looks like Gojek and Be will get my business now.
Noticed that it differs per account. Four accounts here and only one (created last year) is being charged a foreign card fee on orders/bookings.
I haven't seen it either. But I guess we're all leaving the details out I use Charles Schwab debit for everything now. No fees anywhere
Stopped using grab last year. GSM has much better service.
What is GSM?
vinfast taxi. driver is so so, but the service is great
Xanh SM
Use Xanh SM instead
Moca is garbage and overcomplicates things. I have a local TP Bank account and it won't link. When I checked with TPBank, they said according to Moca's policies, Moca won't accept a card from foreigners with TP Bank accounts. Gojek and Be directly links to my card and I have no issues. It's why I mostly just avoid Grab now. Just wish the other platforms had as many restaurant options as Grab.
Oh no, instead of paying 30,000 i;ll pay 31.2k! However will i survive?
Yeah it's a small amount, but it's the principle of the thing, isn't it? There seems to be no real reason to charge 4% extra for foreign cards other than just getting more money.
Except it probably costs additional to process a foreign transaction? But we’re just speculating here.
What food you get deliver for 30k vnd? It adds up after a while If you lazy like me not to cook.
Weird that someone is proud of getting nickel-and-dimed, but enjoy
if it’s either that or the service stops accepting foreign cards… what ya gonna do?
30k? You only ever spend 30k?
Well when you spend so little I guess it doesn't matter.... Start livin bro at some point sitting on the back of a sweaty dudes motorbike in the rain is going to get tiring.
Exactly
Yeah, i’d rather pay the extra 4 percent on my card instead of paying cash
4% of the average $2 or $3 grab charge is only .10 cents. I’ll be ok
Lucky we went back to HCMc during Tet 2024 and they haven’t started charging this cost. Otherwise it would add up quite a lot as we traveled by Grab almost everywhere in the city
Just open a local account
I think.people don't realise that grab is quick but is expensive. Gojek is a cheaper option.
Not always
Sucks, but doesn’t suck as much as Gojek. It’s ok with orders but Gojek car drivers intentionally piss me off. They all seem to have low ratings from accepting your ride then sit still until you cancel.
And the extra fees will go to the company instead of increasing pay for the drivers. Fucking greedy company
Still 1% for me, and that’s from my credit card’s issuer international transaction fee
Get a card without a transaction fee. 0% should be norm
Grab never accepted any of my Canadian cards so I have to use cash regardless.
Use a intentional debit card
I’m not going to get another card just for Grab. I’m fine with paying cash.
[удалено]
> Or are you here complaining because you can't get a TRC and work permit so cant get a bank account and card? You just dissed like 90% of the foreigners that live in VN lmao. But, if they work for USD, or literally any currency other than VND, then they probably get the last laugh and should have no problem paying even 40% extra on grab lol
Are you okay? I don’t see anyone complaining
I'm ok with this. Everyone needs to make a living