Aloha to all our local business owners! Across the islands—from the small shop in Hilo to the thriving restaurant in Kāneʻohe—every entrepreneur understands the cost of doing business. Credit card processing fees are a reality, and they chip away at the revenue that should stay right here, supporting your ʻohana and community. So Never Apply Surcharge Fees Without Compliance!
That’s why many of our local merchants are turning to surcharging as a smart way to offset those costs. But before you start, a critical piece must be in place: compliance.
Get your free surcharging compliance review
If you’re applying surcharges incorrectly or without strict compliance, you risk massive fines and damage to the trust you’ve worked so hard to build. That’s why you need the right assistance.
At Gravity Payments, we are proud to have the largest dedicated payments team right here on the islands. We are your neighbors, and we’re here to ensure your fee strategy is 100% compliant, secure, and clear for everyone.
Here’s why full compliance is essential for every Hawaiʻi business utilizing surcharging:
1. Card Brand Rules Are the Law of the Land
Visa, Mastercard, and other card networks have strict rules that govern how a surcharge can be applied. These are not suggestions—they are requirements.
- Be Clear: Disclosures must be prominent at the point of entry and the point of sale, and the fee must be itemized on the receipt.
- Be Registered: Your business must be properly registered with the card brands and your processor before you charge a single fee.
- Be Limited: There is a cap on how much you can charge.
Breaking these rules can lead to you losing your ability to accept credit cards—a cost no local business can bear.
2. Non-Compliance Erodes Our ʻOhana Trust
In Hawaiʻi, relationships are everything. Your customers trust you with their service, and they expect honesty in payment. If a fee is unclear, confusing, or feels hidden, it immediately damages the foundation of that trust.
When a customer leaves feeling they were hit with a “hidden charge,” word spreads fast within our tight-knit community. Transparency builds loyalty; cutting corners breaks it. We ensure your surcharging is implemented with the utmost clarity.
3. PCI Security Is Your Financial Responsibility
Regardless of your industry, every transaction demands adherence to PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards).
Trying to set up surcharging manually or using unauthorized methods is one of the easiest ways to compromise your system’s security. This leaves you vulnerable to a data breach, massive fines, and a loss of community respect.
Never Apply Surcharge Fees Without Compliance!
The Gravity Payments Difference: Local Expertise and Training
When you partner with Gravity Payments, you get more than just a payments system—you get the largest local payments team on the islands working for you.
We are dedicated to being your partner in pōno by providing:
- Guaranteed Compliance: We handle all the complex card brand registration and regulation tracking for you.
- The Right Technology: We implement approved, automated surcharging technology that ensures the fees are calculated correctly every time.
- The Right Training: Our local experts provide your staff with the personalized, in-person training they need to confidently and compliantly explain the program to every customer.
The Final Word
Surcharging is a smart, powerful tool to help your business flourish and keep more revenue in the islands where it belongs—but it must be done right.
Our approach is consultative, not sales-driven. We will help you evaluate if surcharging is the right strategic move for your business and ensure it’s implemented with full compliance, security, and integrity.
Let us worry about the regulations so you can focus on your business. Get your free surcharging review with one of our local Hawaiʻi experts today. Please fill out the form below.
