Happy

Well, just a few posts above yours we have a poster returned to post an IDENTICAL incident that he did not seem to accept it would be a chance to happen again and did not take any precaution to help minimize the probability... like, why insisted to buy the maximum cards allowed instead of just 1, or 2, or even stopped at 3 when things seemed working?

FlyingBoat

Seriously do you have any logic in what you are saying? I bought two cards, they worked fine. Bought two more, the third one worked fine. The fourth failed.

So in your mind it would have been better to have bought three cards and have come back some other day to buy a fourth. Where do you get that from? How is that a better situation or could expect a better outcome? If it is the cashier that caused the problem, then the fact this one got three through fine would make you think they would be able to process the fourth one correct?

Great advice guy. Why don't you post something which makes sense. I think some people just get off at being critical with their own convoluted thinking.

Happy

Actually if I have a store that had system issue before, on my subsequent try I would just buy 1 to 2 cards to see how the system behaves after all the grief suffered before.

But since you are brave to try again with full force, then you should have no problem taking what the system spit out given it had spit out bad thing before.

It is most likely not the cashier who has caused your problem - after all the cashier has succeeded in activating 3 cards already so she knew what to do - it is more likely some problems with the store's processing system which may occasionally hiccups - whether it is the number of cards activated at a single transaction, or the communication line got time-out... or a number of other factors - no one knows, but one could minimize the risk by doing small transactions instead of going for the max especially it had issue before.

At least I dont post like FlightNurse who thinks people should have known there are risks involved, why they do not simply accept such but keep coming here to complain...

My approach is to suggest people should MINIMIZE the risk - that is the part we the customers could control - especially there is a KNOWN risk... Greed takes over no doubt.

FlyingBoat

I did try one or two. They worked. What's your point? Or do you not have one?

FlightNurse

Really, nice try Happy, this game has many risks, and at times people do not understand it and when a problem arises they come here and beat the dead horse. Instead of reading this thread most of the "issues" have been asked and answered.

FlyingBoat

Where is the dead horse with the same data points? People here were saying Incomm handled their issue and took a couple of days. For me they took two weeks. Other people came on and said it looked like they changed their policy and are directing them back to the store instead. My second experience they did the same thing and directed me back to the store, who I had been to 4 times and who keep telling me it is not their problem and to call Incomm.

The dead horse and whining is coming from you complaining about people sharing information. For the first time in several years on FlyerTalk I am going to look to see if there is an ignore feature so I don't need to read your whining drivel.

steventravel

Same experience as you, only ever time I call back its another 72 hours and they are supposedly expediting it. Its the blame game back and forth.

shoreline

here's a new datapoint (at least I don't recall it's been posted already).

Went to buy a VR with a Visa GC last week. CVS had an internal problem with their system (which was noted here on FT). She had already rang in the VR and swiped the GC for payment, then the error hit.

The register instructed her to reswipe to card for a refund and it would not process.

Reswiped the GC. Tried to re ring again, but the GC showed a 0 balance even after she refunded the card.

Came back home to check it online. It shows the pending transaction on the GC for the swipe and the pending transaction for the refund. Called Vanilla to ask how long this would take.

Answer, the merchant has 7 days to claim or 'not claim' the $500 funds from the GC. If the merchant does not claim, the money goes back on the GC automatically on day #8.

I don't think they will try to 'claim' the funds since I did not get to buy the GC. I do have my refund receipt, the cashiers name and the managers name that was working.

So, I will keep an eye on it and make sure the money accurately refunds to that GC on day #8.

Happy

This is NOT limited to the GCs. It is a general practice of how refunds to a card work (both CC and GC and in some cases debit card as well).

One CVS store in my area would process the purchase made with an AMEX card under a CVS subsidiary's name, called Holiday CVS LLC (google it you will see it is considered a CVS sub based in Tampa), but when the actual billing is done, it is under the CVS store number. So the authorization from the Holiday CVS LLC would stay on the card (taken up available credit as we all understand it) and then drops off after 1 week.

A merchant can send a release request of a hold they put on a card - this usually is not required for the hold on a CC because it is not holding your own money, just the available credit. However in the case of a GC or a debit card, it is real money it is holding, and it can be a real issue when in the case of a debit card.

Banks would not automatically release a hold until the requisite time has passed for the very reason you are told as merchants have 7 days to submit their billings against the authorizations. Only the merchant itself can send in a request to the bank to release the hold before the requisite 7 days.

shoreline

[QUOTE=Happy;20228414]This is NOT limited to the GCs. It is a general practice of how refunds to a card work (both CC and GC and in some cases debit card as well).

One CVS store in my area would process the purchase made with an AMEX card under a CVS subsidiary's......................
A merchant can send a release request of a hold they put on a card - this usually is not required for the hold on a CC because............

Banks would not automatically release a hold until the requisite time has passed for the very reason you are told as merchants have 7 days to submit their billings against the authorizations. Only the merchant itself can send in a request to the bank to release the hold before the requisite 7 days.[/QUOTE]




Thanks for the info.
I just plan to wait it out and see what happens on day 8. I don't plan to contact the CVS again, unless I have an issue on that day.

I don't see a reason to make more work for them, unless there's a real problem (i.e. they make a claim for the money when I did not get my purchase).

Making more work for the managers just put the benefit at risk, so I will play the 'wait and see' game for now.^

Goofy Foot

:-:

steventravel

Today INCOMM told me that they take no responsibility for it after waiting two weeks and to deal specifically with the Vendor.

TravelScrounger

Had a similar situation. Manager decided it was against policy to sell when there was no name on the card, but decided this after things had progressed too far. He said he cancelled the transaction. The card showed the transaction pending for about 7 days then cleared up. I have since used the card successfully (and completely).

kaiotes

what do you guys do when an institution fails to post a payment?
I made a manual payment to an address that i typed for an amount > 1k for a mortgage payment (didn't find it in their list). Delivery date was 2-11 but the bank has yet to post it. for all my CC payments that i have made they have all posted on time altho these were not manually entered.
I got on the phone w/ a BB supervisor, guy is now saying that it takes 5 bus days to process and that guarantee date of the 12th than the 11th that is shown online, .........

Happy

What were your issues with the VR cards? I do not recall reading your posts on the nature of the problems. If you have, kindly point us the post(s) so we know what the problems are.