ASDA online shopping - charged twice

molerat

I can't see why they don't just hold £1 as they do at the self serve petrol pumps.

muth61

I have been having exactly the same problem, leaving me without money until "somebody" decided the second amount was not wanted and it fell back into my available balance. Asda blamed Santander, and of course Santander blamed Asda.


However, because an amount was sitting in "holding", Santander recalled a direct debit, (yet they managed to take the arranged overdraft fee !!!). I now have to do some real grovelling with the company the direct debit was going to, as it was an agreed weekly payment off a bill.


I do not have a credit card, so have had to use my husbands for this weeks shopping. However, both my daughters and many friends of mine who all have Visa Debit cards, all shop online with Asda and have never had this problem. Even when I use my husbands credit card it doesn't happen.


Could it possibly be Santander ?


All I know is that I cannot keep this up. One of them is leaving me without money and my d.d's are not being paid !!!!!


Any suggestions as to where to go next ?????

hcb42

same situation in hotels, if they pre auth and it often causes problems

if the supermarket uses the preauth code to take the final payment, there really isnt a lot more they can do, as it is down to the bank then..so I would start there, but if it is a recurrent issue, then as others have said, better to vote with feet if it is an issue.

tinkerbell28

This is a well know issue and it's only Asda related. It has featured on consumer programmes.

Every other supermarket pre auth a token amount. To check card validity. Then they take the whole lot day of delivery.

Asda pre auth the whole shop the night before. Then if the amounts don't match up after picking, a certain amount out. They get a new authorisation for the new amount and take it. So you pay for the shopping and the old pre auth is left having around for upto 10 working days

It's shocking practise and I've no idea why they do it, or why people shop with them at all.

brendon

This happens pretty much everywhere. If the new price exceeds the authorisation amount, the company has to request a new authorisation. They could of course use the old authorisation and add another transaction for the couple of quid, but it's easier and cheaper for them to do it as one transaction. I wouldn't blame ASDA, I'd blame the outdated payment system that banks rely on. If it was easy for businesses to cancel authorisations, I'm sure they would.

Overdrafts are ideal for this type of situation, as they increase your available balance.

tinkerbell28

brendon wrote: »

This happens pretty much everywhere. If the new price exceeds the authorisation amount, the company has to request a new authorisation. They could of course use the old authorisation and add another transaction for the couple of quid, but it's easier and cheaper for them to do it as one transaction. I wouldn't blame ASDA, I'd blame the outdated payment system that banks rely on. If it was easy for businesses to cancel authorisations, I'm sure they would.

Overdrafts are ideal for this type of situation, as they increase your available balance.

Nonsense. It's the way ASDA do it and it's a very well publicised problem. They wipe peoples accounts for two lots of shopping because of their payments system. Which is a nightmare considering they're aiming for the "budget conscious" shopper. At possibly the lower end of income brackets. So no over draft facilities or the ability to get one.

Neither Tesco, Ocado nor sainsburys have the problem. So I'd suggest voting with their feet. Most places only ever pre auth a token £1 or so. Asda don't, hence the problem.

Hintza

muth61 wrote: »

Any suggestions as to where to go next ?????

In to the supermarket next time and don't do it online simple!

unholyangel

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

This is a well know issue and it's only Asda related.

I take it you mean that its not bank related and only supermarket related and not that asda are the only ones who have had complaints about this?

muth61

Actually, ASDA take 1p from your account (it goes into holding again) to verify the validity of the card you are using. THEN two lots of money are taken from your bank account (one for the amount of the original online order and the second for the actual amount.


Who is responsible for this outmoded and outdated system. And when I tried claiming compensation for over £100 being taken twice, I was told that I could have a £10 e voucher (which of course would only be usable if I did online shopping to exceed £25.00. I told them not to bother as I couldn't afford to have a £10 refund as I would probably have to pay for it twice anyway !!!!!!!

muth61

I have just made a call to the Head Office of Asda. Typically I was transferred to someone in customer services, even though I asked to speak to a Supervising Manager.


Asda confirmed that they do indeed requisition the money twice if the amounts vary between online order and actual delivery. I stated that I had read numerous comments about this practice and I was told that it would be my bank who was at fault and Asda had no plans to change their practices.


So, a letter is winging its way to Andy Clarke (CEO of Asda) and just maybe a copy or two to other interested parties. However, I did state emphatically that that would be my last shopping with Asda until their code of practice was bought into the 21st century.