How are One4All cards restricted to participating retailers?

meantime

Not strictly a credit card question but don't know where else to post.

Does anyone know the mechanism by which One4All "gift cards", which are actually processed by retailers as Visa debit cards, are restricted to One4All's "Participating Retailers". Aren't businesses that accept Visa obliged to accept all Visa cards regardless of issuer?

jayII

Businesses don't have to accept any cards if they don't want to. The 'participating retailers' probably has to do with the cost or the processing being too complicated.

American Express cards are a prime example--because American Express charge retailers more than mastercard/visa to process their payments, many retailers don't accept their cards.

glider3560

I would assume it is done at the authorisation stage: only transactions from the participating retailers will get authorised.

meantime

glider3560 wrote: »

I would assume it is done at the authorisation stage: only transactions from the participating retailers will get authorised.

Yeah, that dawned on me shortly after posting (and trying to use it online at a non-listed retailer)

JHALL_2

New to posting so please forgive if this is not in the right place! I have just discovered that if you do not use the balance of a One4All gift card within 18 months of it's purchase, you will be charged 0.90 pence, per month. This is the explanation I received when I queried this: 'The charges that were deducted from your card are known as the Inactive Balance Charge. Before the 01/05/2011 our cards used to expire after 18 months but in line with new legislation gift cards no longer go out of date. Instead after 18 months if a balance remains on a card an inactive balance charge of 90p is applied to the card starting on the anniversary of the issue date of the card. The charge will be taken the same date every month until the card is spent in full. It is a non-refundable charge and is part of the gift card\'s terms and conditions.'
There is a contradiction here in that my card says it is valid through to 01/2020 whereas they say cards no longer go out of date. I really do not see how this charge can be justified and I think that there will be a lot of people caught out by this. Am I alone in thinking this?

eDicky

This kind of product is designed to catch people out, with fees for almost every move you make, including £7.50 if you want to redeem leftover funds. But when you have any funds left at the card expiry date you don't lose them - if you buy a new card..!

https://www.one4allgiftcard.co.uk/help

Certainly not a gift I would want anyone to buy for me!

daveyjp

The 90p charge info is printed on the card, so I’m not sure why you weren’t aware of it.

As its a generic card with limited outlets who will take it spending on it is a real faff. The info said HMV took it, not anymore. Tried it online for John Lewis, but it can’t be used as part payment.

Eventually spent it in Argos.