You've made the decision to enable surcharging on your Gingr account — great move. Recovering credit card processing fees is one of the most straightforward ways to protect your margins without raising your prices across the board.
But before you flip the switch, there's one step that can make all the difference: telling your clients first.
Like their canine companions, pet parents are loyal. Most of them understand that running a small business comes with real costs. When you communicate the change proactively — and clearly — the vast majority will take it in stride. When they're surprised by a new fee on an invoice with no context, that's when you get pushback.
Proactive, transparent communication turns a potential complaint into a non-issue.
This guide walks you through exactly how to do it right.
Clients don't need an economics lesson. They need to understand that you're a small business owner who has been quietly absorbing a cost that shows up on every single card transaction, and that you're making a change to keep your prices stable.
Here's the framing that works:
"Every time a client pays with a credit card, we pay a processing fee to the card network. Rather than raise our service prices to cover that cost, we're adding a small credit card surcharge — so clients who pay with debit, cash, or check are completely unaffected."
That's it. Simple, honest, and puts the choice in the client's hands.
Before you communicate anything publicly, update your client-facing legal agreements and terms of service to include surcharging language. This protects you legally and gives clients something to reference.
In Gingr, you can update your digital agreements so clients are prompted to re-sign the next time they log in. Do this before you send any announcement.
Give clients advance notice. One week is a good minimum; two weeks is even better for longstanding clients. Your announcement email should be warm, brief, and clear.
Subject: A small update to how we process credit card payments
Hi [Client Name],
Starting [DATE], we will be adding a small credit card surcharge of [X]% to payments made with a credit card.
Like most small businesses, we pay a processing fee every time a credit card is used. Rather than raise our prices across the board, we've chosen to add a transparent surcharge so that clients paying with debit, cash, or check aren't affected.
The surcharge will appear as a separate line item on your invoice, so you'll always see exactly what you're paying. You can avoid it entirely by paying with a debit card, cash, or check.
Thank you for your continued trust and support — it means the world to us and our team.
Warmly,
[Your Name] & the team at [Business Name]
Clients who book online or drop off in person should see the notice before their next visit. A few simple placements go a long way:
In Gingr, clients will see a clear surcharge disclosure every time they select a credit card at checkout — both in the Pet Parent Portal and when staff processes a payment on their behalf. That built-in transparency is your best protection against disputes.
For businesses using Gingr's SMS tools, a brief text message reminder a day or two before your go-live date is a nice touch for regular clients. Keep it short:
"Hi [Name]! Quick heads up — starting [DATE], credit card payments at [Business Name] will include a small [X]% surcharge. Debit, cash, and check are always surcharge-free. Questions? Reply anytime!"
Even with great communication, a few clients may push back. Equip your front desk staff with these simple responses to common questions and concerns:
"We pay a processing fee every time a credit card is used — it's a cost we've been absorbing for years. This surcharge lets us pass that specific cost along rather than raise our prices for everyone. If you'd prefer to avoid it, you're always welcome to pay with a debit card or cash."
"We updated our client agreements and sent an email in advance — we wanted to make sure everyone had plenty of notice. The surcharge is shown clearly on every invoice before payment, so you'll always see it upfront."
"More and more businesses are moving in this direction as processing fees have increased. We made the choice to be transparent about it rather than quietly raise our service prices. We appreciate your understanding!"
"Absolutely — debit cards, cash, and checks are all surcharge-free. We're happy to update your preferred payment method on file."
Enabling surcharging takes less than five minutes in Gingr. Head to your Gingr Payments Dashboard, click the Surcharging tab, accept the terms, and set your percentage. The rest is automatic.
Want a personalized look at how much you could recover? Book a one-on-one walkthrough with our team and we'll walk you through your custom savings estimate.
Book a demo at gingrapp.com/surcharging-demo
Gingr Surcharging is an opt-in feature for Gingr Payments customers in the United States. It automatically applies a compliant credit card surcharge of up to 3% to eligible transactions, with full disclosure to pet parents at checkout. Card Connect support is coming later in 2026.
Get a full walkthrough of Gingr Surcharging, including how surcharging applies across terminals, online payments, and recurring memberships, what it looks like on the pet parent side, and answers to common questions by revisiting our latest webinar on your own time. Hosted by members of Team Gingr, this is a great introduction to enabling Surcharging I your Gingr app.