Newgene

So, has anyone had one of these work at a USPS? I haven't tried yet, but I'd like to no if it's YMMV or just plain no.

Dsscon

Just ask to process the transaction again and insert card. This happened to me. It went through on the second try. Also. I was told at my local SC that $500 MCGC are no longer CC and must pay by debit. Told it was hard coded. Not sure if this is true. Was also told fixed price MCGC can be paid with CC. Haven't tried this yet.

Chasepoints

Thanks for the info! I tried with a different credit card on a second attempt and still received the cancellation message. They also told me that I could only pay with debit, check, or cash. There are several other Sam's Clubs in the area which I will attempt and see what happens. It surprised me that I could pay with a credit card the day before and then yesterday I could not.

Albundyjr

I tried the MGC from Sam's at the post office "card number invalid" Then tried at Kroger "transaction denied" Walmart would not even take it as a credit. I had onevanilla reissue another card. The replacement card would not work as a debit, but it does work as a credit transaction. I have never had an issue with the OneVanilla VGC, but won't get another MGC from them. Might just be my area, but it will not work as debit.

vagrants

It's their (WM/Sam's) standard procedure to tell you it's debit only if/when buying vGC with a CC fails even at the manager level. And, whatever the reason is, some registers have no problem but other registers have a problem with CC Chip within the same store. But, there is a chance that particular Sam's decided to go against with vVG purchase with CC & hardcoded not to allow...keep trying & see...

When WM was having a problem with CC Chips to buy vGCs, sometimes I had to insert & remove 4x or more (I figured a way around it though). But, I think WM fixed the issue with CC chips to buy vGC (transaction cancelled error), at least around here I haven't encountered any problem recently. Hope the Sam's gets their terminal programming updated if not done so already (I'll find out in a couple of day).

Chasepoints

Thanks for the info! The register that declined the transaction was a register that was not used previously. I will probably try the same Sam's Club this week and try a register that has worked in the past and see what happens.

vagrants

Oh, one more thing...if it's the Chip issue, you can swipe the card after I think 3x Chip failures (3x I was told at another grocery store...not sure if this 3x is universal for all Chip failures). I saw other day at WM, this lady's Chip was kept failing for purchasing regular items (clothing/grocery items), I think after 3x/4x attempt of the Chip, the cashier took the card and swiped on the cashier's side and went though. I don't remember if it was for debit or credit chip. I don't think the customer entered the PIN after the cashier swiped on her end though...so I think CC...I really haven't tested Chip failures then swipe at WMs since I figured a way around it.

Hbax

I had a tech at one of the CC companies tell me when they were first rolling out the chips and they were having some glitches, that if the transaction won't work with the chip, the cashier can hit a key and then swipe the card (without the normal accompanying message to use the chip reader), and as a last resort, he said the cashier can hit a key and manually punch in the CC number to complete the transaction.

As to the 3x failure policy at the grocer, I would assume that's a store policy they adopted, that if the chip reader fails three times, then hit the key and swipe the card as to not lose the sale, not that the card is auto-allowing card swipes after three chip reader failures.

Only hitch is, I doubt a lot of these cashiers are trained in these procedures. I can imagine the deer-in-the-headlights look I would get if I requested of some of the younger cashiers to manually punch in the numbers off the card.

JK2016

I bought 3 OV cards on 3 seperate occasions last week at sams to meet the freedom 5% bonus. Each time I bought the card the first time my card did not work the 2nd time got transaction approved. Twice liquidated via MO's at USPS and once at Kroger

kirkpt

Was also able to purchase with Freedom card - OV card today. Hopefully will be able to liquidate soon as mo.

vagrants

Thanks, Hbax.

Not OV, but purchased Vanilla MCs today with 2x Freedoms. Didn't use the trick. The first Freedom failed 2x. The second had no problem at the same register. The cashier dude was the one I had before, so he knew it'd go through after several attempts.

Sam's hadn't fixed the Chip reader programming

Chasepoints

I went to a different Sam's Club today to purchase a $500 OV MC and the transaction worked on the second try. Thanks to all for your datapoints!

gnomey

when you guys say "worked on second try", what do you do differently? instead of inserting the card into the chip slot, you swipe the card?

my chase freedom failed when i tried to pay for the OV MC with it at Sam's Club, but i didnt attempt the second time bc the person immediately ask me, " is that a credit card?"

maybe i should try again after i know what i should do differently

JK2016

nothing different on 2nd try. insert card into chip slot transaction not approved, take out card and re-enter into chip slot and approved.

gnomey

i see, thank you.

i will go back to Sam's Club and see if this second insertion will make it work. hopefully no one will ask me whether it is a credit card or not.

if it fails also on second try, then i guess the only way would be to hand over the card to the cashier for her to swipe on her end? (assuming cashier wants to do that)