Debit Card Decline - what to do ?

lgb2100

After ordering xmas food from Marks and Spencers - when I went to pick it up from the store - my Bank debit card (Visa Debit) was declined when it was being read. (before requesting PIN).

The sales assistent tried many times, but each time failed.

She called over a manager - who also tried, then suggested that I could pay by Cash (by going to a cashpoint machine, and returning).

Why did she not suggest paying by another card - what if I didn't have any other means of payment.

They did not try another machine.

I made the payment by Credit card (my suggestion), but stated that I was un happy with making a payment this way.

I promptly visited my bank - who checked my card/account and stated that there was no problems and that it but be a problem with M&S.

I returned back to M&S customer services - in which I was informed that the sale assistant was correct in her approach.

When asked why not use another card reader - response was "they did not have to" - and did not on this occasion. The other card readers weren't being used.

If this was not a xmas food order - I would have just walked out the store without the food/payment and shopped elsewhere....

but... what should the store approach should have been.

What does other stores do if this happens ?

bb69

Hi if I know I have £ in my account then I ask to go to another till, its happened once in an expensive shop. Was a bit embarrassing but the sales assistant suggested using another card machine, and I also contacted my bank. It went through eventually! I knew there was £ in there as had just got paid, so I wasn't worried but definitely would rather it didn't happen again!

Don't let it put you off shopping there again though!
The food is amazing.

Have a lovely Christmas and don't forget to pay the cc (I always forget)

:xmastree:

System

Banks do random spot checks and which requires manual authorisation which many retailers don't have the systems in place. It happened to me in Sainsburys. They suspended my transaction - meaning the checkout operator was able to be serve other customers. I got the cash out using the same debit card without problems. Went to the CSD and they scanned the saved receipt and paid with cash.

I have worked in retail and this happens about once every 3 weeks when I worked on the tills.

whitegoods_engineer

That is just the most ridiculous 'complaint' I've seen for a while.

Perhaps they should have given you the items free then?

If the system cannot take payment from your card, then there is a technical fault. The store will still require payment before you can take the goods so they are right to request an alternative payment method.

Your'e prepared to consider going round a M&S, going round the departments, then rejecting the sale??

Then you say you won't shop in M&S again??

Stupid complaint, and it seems you have too much spare time on your hands.

Completely off your head, really.

Helix

When I worked in Sainsburys we were not even meant to let the customer try the card again if it came up declined unless there was a known issue with the tills.

browneyedbazzi

I don't see anything wrong with what M&S did - your card wasn't working (the assistant may not have had any idea why) and you had an alternative means to pay so they accepted payment using that method.

On what's probably the one of the busiest days of the year in the shop it seems a bit unreasonable to expect them to try other machines etc when you had a way to pay without that hassle.

I hope you're not as petty as your OP makes you sound (Perhaps it's the stress of the season talking?) because if you boycott shops every time something minor doesn't go your way then you'll soon have nowhere left to shop.

lgb2100

perhaps my OP should have been worded differently....

What alternative means do shops have, if the customers only means of payment is by the card that is rejected due to a technical fault within the store (and not elsewhere)

IMO - I think M&S knew they had a problem with the readers, hence didn't suggest payment by another card. The other card readers weren't being used, so no excuse in not using them.

socks_uk

If your bank was so close you could go in and check if there was a problem, why didn't you go and withdraw from the counter rather than pay with your credit card?
You could now ring up the credit card and pay the the amount (taking into account the day your direct debit is due, if you pay by DD, because it will lower your DD if you don't get the timing right.

paulwellerfan

so petty.
just pay with another card.
where is the problem here??

martinbuckley

If you were paying with a debit card then that means the money must have been in your account to cover it.

If you were so adamant that the money was there why not go to the nearest ATM and withdraw the cash? Problem sorted.

lgb2100

I made a mistake, by attempting to pay by card.

Should have gone to the nearest ATM, withdraw the cash, and made the payment in cash !

yep, this is how Chip and PIN, etc was designed to work !