When he opened up an email from the company that supplies his sales terminal, Oakville record store owner John Anczurowski couldn’t believe his eyes.
Anczurowski currently pays $149 a month for the sales terminal that he uses at PCV Records. The idea of tacking on $400 a month more was concerning. A spokesperson for Montreal-based Lightspeed Commerce said the new, integrated system provides better service for its customers, and added that the company will help cover any fees customers have to pay to get out of existing payment processing contracts. In an emailed statement, Lightspeed vice president Julia Cyboran also said the company’s hope was that more customers would use the new, integrated system, rather than paying the $400 fee.
Ryan Mallough, Ontario regional vice president for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the move could end up backfiring for Lightspeed. “This certainly goes against the letter, if not the spirit, of the code of conduct. And if it’s not against the letter, it should be,” said Sands.