[HM666]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

Where is it illegal though? Not in the USA. They have to pay a fee to convert Euros to Dollars so giving it to you for the exchange rate that day is also unfair to them. You got very lucky someone offered you anything.

In the USA, in towns close to the Canadian Border, especially along the New York State Thruway which is a highway that gets a lot of Canadian traffic, for years you could use Canadian Dollars to pay but at the exchange rate of $2 Canadian = $1 USA. That rate continued for years and years, even during times where the Canadian dollar was actually worth more than the American dollar- but the thing is- it's only worth more to some banker or currency trader on Wall Street. In the small towns and the people collecting the money, real places, won't take Canadian money. If you try to pass a Canadian quarter as an American one you may get it thrown back at you if the seller notices it. You can't say "but it's worth 27 cents" because it ain't worth anything to me if I can't put it in a vending machine or whatever else I might do with a US quarter.

The fact it costs more to do business in another currency should be a natural advantage for a company native to the local currency to open- they should be able to compete for cheaper locally than an overseas company.

Did not think about that. That is a good point. Although I'm with Nick though if that is what they are doing then they should state so on the web site that there is a fee for the exchange rate.