First - I agree with pretty much everything you wrote. However, while the VR sales may not impact their P/L, if CVS didn't offer this product, they would never see me walk through their doors.

They've gotten at least a couple extra purchases out of me. They are the only game in town for me, so I'd like them to get something out of it.

So today I tried to buy one reload car at three different CVS locations, and all three were a no-go with a credit card. This appeared to be coded into the register and generated an on-screen message after the cashier swiped my card that another form of payment is required. Again, not the policy of the cashiers but a message on the register. I tried at the self service screen and with cashier, with other items or without and nothing worked. Two out of three of the locations were ones I had never visited before but the third was one where I had never had a problem buying with a CC. Anyone else have a sudden change recently?

Sounds like a fraud alert on the card you are using. Did you attempt to purchase with different CCs at each location or the same one?

No fraud alert. It was not declined- there was a message on the register screen saying a different form of payment is required for this transaction. And I used the card for other things today after that and it was not declined so that is not the issue.

Some CVS locations push those red Extra Care cards on me. I assume you only realize rewards for purchases other than prepaid cards?

Was this a VR or another prepaid card? If VR, was it the radically new design? Also, what part of the country was this?

You don't earn any points for purchases of VRs. I don't know about other GCs.

Don't assume that error messages reflect the actual error. Fraud alert blocks cause an error message "Alternate tender required" or something similar. And I think that fraud alerts can be set for certain stores or transactions of over some amount - someone correct me if I'm wrong. Also, is there any chance that the transaction would have put you over your credit limit?

No it was not a fraud alert, nowhere near my credit limit and I was not trying to pay with another reloadable or gift card. And I just went out and tried a fourth location and was successful purchasing the reload with the same credit card. So I guess this is a highly variable game from location to location, and over time apparently. Or CVS is changing their policies and it hasn't gotten to all the stores yet. Either way I'll survive because I am not in this game that deep.

I got the same error that gil123 got. This was about an hour and a half ago trying to purchase one VR with a temporary MVD card that hasn't been activated on the website yet. I was under the impression it worked like a gift card before website activation. This was the first time I tried to do this with the temp MVD.

each time i have gotten the "Alternate tender required" on the screen i swipe the same card again and it goes through no problems.

If what you said is true then why has InComm closed up many of FTers,FWers & SDers MVD accts.

Now VRs can be used for loading other cards not only MVDs. Dont do this, but I bet you if you called up and asked if you were their target customer, youd be told no way and why are we allowing you to buy them if this is what you are doing with them

there are alot of factors involved but Loading and cashing out is something they are not looking for, especially when its done via MOs and CAs

was down South the past few days and p/u alot of VRs in several locations and didnt have any problems, with the exception that some stores held fast to a $1k limit. No problem as there were CVs 2 per corner, practically

I'm going to get some beans tonight. I'll report back.

My observations were about the pricing of the VR product as sold in the store, not the "policing" of the reload able product.