using cards on US websites

DanHunt_2

I'd like to order some clothes from a US retailer, including the price of shipping the clothes come to around $130. what exchange rate to credit card conpanies use and how much will will I be charged by a Credit Card company for making purchases in dollars?

I have a TSB Visa and a Yorkshire Bank Gold Mastercard, will it make a differance which one I use?

advent1122

I have never been charged for using my credit card to buy stuff from the USA.
The exchange rate is from the time you purchase, at least it was in my experience.

DanHunt_2

cool, i was told there may be a fee when I asked in the bank but they wasn't sure and told be to ring card services. Do you know if the consumer credit act 1974 is still valid on purchases from the US? just in case the product never arrives.

Call_Centre_Monkey

2.5% on the Yorkshire Bank card and 2.75% on the TSB card I think. Not 100% on teh actual percentages, but it's extremely likely there will be a fee of some sort. If you look at your statements it will tell you for sure.

advent1122

DanHunt wrote:

Do you know if the consumer credit act 1974 is still valid on purchases from the US? just in case the product never arrives.

Dont know, I havent had a problem.
I should imagine though that as Visa are a worldwide company then you would be covered worldwide.

KTF

Unless you have a Nationwide card there will be a fee - normally 2.5% or so. This fee is incorporated into the exchange rate rather than appearing on your statement as a separate line item.

If you have a nationwide card then you get the inter bank rate which is the best you can get with no loading.

Read this for more details: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1106765397,71685,

advent1122

Call_Centre_Monkey wrote:

2.5% on the Yorkshire Bank card and 2.75% on the TSB card I think. Not 100% on teh actual percentages, but it's extremely likely there will be a fee of some sort. If you look at your statements it will tell you for sure.

I paid using a Bank Of Scotland mastercard. No Fee.

advent1122

KTF wrote:

This fee is incorporated into the exchange rate rather than appearing on your statement as a separate line item.

Ahhhhhhh, so I have been paying a fee without knowing it.
Hurrumph.
Sorry, if I mislead you.

Call_Centre_Monkey

advent1122 wrote:

I paid using a Bank Of Scotland mastercard. No Fee.

Yes there is - 2.75%. But you don't see it on your statement as a fee. It gets included in the converted Sterling amount.

DanHunt_2

I think for this one off purchase I'll use my Yorkshire Bank card, it works out at about 2 pound I think, but I'll look at closing the TSB card and opening a Nationwide Card purely for foreign purchases. The Nationwide card looks like a really good deal, so thanks for suggesting it!

Call_Centre_Monkey

DanHunt wrote:

I think for this one off purchase I'll use my Yorkshire Bank card, it works out at about 2 pound I think, but I'll look at closing the TSB card and opening a Nationwide Card purely for foreign purchases. The Nationwide card looks like a really good deal, so thanks for suggesting it!

Apparently the application process for the Nationwide card can be a bit troublesome, but I'd say it's probably one of the best, if not the best card on the market just now. So even if you get bother while you're applying worth sticking with it :dance: