Just saw my first case of additional surcharging for a "premium" World MasterCard (previously no surcharge for MasterCard, and purportedly still none for a "standard" although I do

Just saw my first case of additional surcharging for a "premium" World MasterCard (previously no surcharge for MasterCard, and purportedly still none for a "standard" although I don't have one to check). This presumably is related to the new interchange rules. Thanks for screwing us again, RBA.

According to MasterCard Australia's website, there is indeed a differential interchange cost absent a special merchant type or a contactless transaction.

Anyway, this was my employee benefits program through Reward Gateway. Anyone seen this elsewhere?

Surcharging is based on the merchant fees, rather than the interchange fees (although, obviously interchange fees make up part of what get charged as a merchant fee). While changes are happening at the same time, what is happening with Interchange fees, and what is happening with surcharging are two different things

On thing is that in the past, merchant fees have tended to use a blended rate, whereby the merchant was charged the same rate regardless of card. If there is differential surcharging happening, then one would assume that particular merchant is not on a blended rate from their bank.

Where did you see this??

And I wonder how it works for some 'Platinum' cards which arent that colour and have very small writing advising of that fact.

It was on a branded version of a website called Reward Gateway, where my employer provides a benefits program for gift cards and cashbacks and the like. Cashback with someone else is fine; now, a gift card purchased directly surcharges for a "premium" MasterCard (and presumably Visa) at the same level as AmEx.