The coffee shop down the street from me won't take my credit or debit card because they can't afford to give a cut of their small profit margin to a credit card processor. Sometimes I don't stop in for coffee because I don't have cash so the shop loses out. If small businesses worked with a single bank or a small group of banks to negotiate lower fees then everyone would win. The businesses would win because they wouldn't have their meager profits slashed by credit card fees, the banks would win because small businesses would beat down their doors to sign up, and consumers win through lower prices, more retailers, and more retailers that will take credit cards.