The "choice" to accept credit cards is kind of like the "choice" to have adequate parking -- if you don't do it, no matter how good you are, you're not going to be able to compete (in most parts of the country). Consumers expect to be able to use cards these days, many people don't carry any cash anymore. Every typical storefront is expected to accept cards and your shop won't get traffic if you don't, just like it won't get traffic (again, in most parts of the country) if you expect your customers to park a mile away and walk.

This whole line of argument is kind of a red herring anyway. It's OK to discuss things we do or don't like about something without it becoming a "take it or leave it" situation. "Take it or leave it" is meant to shut down an discussion that the party pushing that line doesn't want to happen. I never asserted that the force of law compelled anyone to accept credit cards, so it should be obvious that it's "optional", right? Why can't we talk about the problems, real or perceived, with chargeoffs, mikeash?

I'm fine with discussing costs and benefits, but I draw the line when people start talking about limiting what other people are allowed to do. The moment you say "I don't think chargebacks should be allowed for" then my response is going to move to the "then don't use it" approach.

Back off from trying to stop people from using something a lot of them clearly like, and I'm happy to talk about the problems.

In any case, "take it or leave it" is a perfectly valid argument for things that aren't collective action problems. "Cars are destroying society" "so don't drive one" is a bad argument, because your individual choice doesn't make a noticeable difference. "Excessive parking hurts businesses" "so don't install excessive parking at your business" is a perfectly good argument, because you have the power to change your own circumstances there. (Ignoring, for a moment, the fact that it's common to have parking lot size dictated by local laws.) Using and accepting credit cards falls into the latter category: if credit cards hurt your business, don't accept them. That this will probably result in a failure of your business merely indicates that the benefits outweigh the costs. If you think the benefits could be preserved while reducing the costs, that would be interesting, but I don't think such a scheme would actually succeed, and not simply because the existing infrastructure is entrenched.