Visa Electron card

Peter_Pan

Have just tried booking a room at a Travelodge and they don't accept Visa Electron:mad:, the first place in 8 months that i've come across that doesn't (tella lie the 2nd, the first was Tesco.com but have changed to Asda and love the food better anyway:D).

How annoying, the room was only £19 a bargain , thought i'd get my Son to book on our behalf but guess what they don't accept Solo cards either:mad:.

jd87

You would think that all cards would be accepted everywhere in this day and age. Oh well. Why are you stuck with an Electron card? Call your bank and see if you can get something better.

There are some benefits to having an electron card though - it means you are one of the lucky few who can book flights with Ryanair without being charged a card payment fee!

tigerfeet2006

JD as undischarged bankrupts we only have the choice of 2 accounts. One does not have a card and the other has the Electron, so we can not change the card :rolleyes:

The other major place that doesn't take the card is National Rail Network.

skylight

But thetrainline.co.uk do take the Visa Electron!! (Cos I bought tickets last week!) so book tickets in advance (better fares too) if possible, rather than at the station.


Mind you - worried about Hire Car in Alicante next week on only a Visa Electron. Posts on the travel board seem to think the company I have used are OK, so will wait and see...

Deep_In_Debt

Think I've read on here that if you order through Tesco on-line and you have a Visa Electron, if you put it through as a normal Visa it gets accepted so it may be worth trying with Travelodge and other companies. I can't vouch for it, but I'm sure I saw it somewhere. Maybe worth a try next time?

AllNancy

I complained to Tesco about not being able to use my Electron card online as it's nice sometimes to have goods delivered, especially in the winter snow......they blamed it on the bank! Something to do with the signature.

I tried to get her to explain but I think she was having a bad day because she kept saying it's the signature, even when I pointed out that Asda didn't seem to have a problem.

Can anyone else explain?

Nancy

jd87

I think one of the main problems with Electron cards is that they are available to under 18s. With Visa/Mastercard/Amex/(Maestro?) they are only available to people aged 18+. If a company is selling a service that could potentially have some sort of age restriction, they choose only to accept these card types to ensure the person paying is over 18.

So Tesco might choose not to accept Electron so that under 18s can't buy alcohol online. Travelodge might not accept it if they have an over 18 policy.

It's just my own theory though. This might not be the reason.

kpp2002

just a few tips about hotel booking ive found with only having a Visa Electron

a number of the broker sites(travelstay.cometc) that need your credit or debit card to hold the rooms for you dont take Visa electron debit cards

I book a lot of rooms so though this would be a massive pain. However two solutions

1) if its an american based site, just put the visa electon number in the credit card slot instead of debit, American sites seems to think Visa electons are creditcards..which is useful

2) That dont work for UK based sites so if you have a cashplus mastercard you can use that secure any room. I secured 3 rooms in london last week using it despite only having £30 quid available funds at the mo

Obv you woudl just settle the bill in cash (or visa electron) with the hotel when you get there/leave

skylight

I dont think its the reason; as under 18's can get pre paid credit cards and those would be excepted at these places.

I think that its to do with pre-authorisation. You can pre-authorise credit cards to ensure they are real and have enough credit left, but you can't do that on a debit card linked with a bank account.

d123

jd87 wrote: »

I think one of the main problems with Electron cards is that they are available to under 18s.

I also don't think age is a factor. Tesco.com accept Solo, and Solo is probably more common as the card issued on under 18 accounts.

Peter_Pan

Deep_In_Debt wrote: »

Think I've read on here that if you order through Tesco on-line and you have a Visa Electron, if you put it through as a normal Visa it gets accepted so it may be worth trying with Travelodge and other companies. I can't vouch for it, but I'm sure I saw it somewhere. Maybe worth a try next time?

The Travelodge don't accept it at all, i tried putting it through as a Visa but rejected it, I have tried it with other companies and got away with it.
I have been fortunate that my father has booked the room for us:T but will look into the pre pay cards because when Travelodge have their offers its a cheap night away.