Switch, Delta, Electron, Solo - they're all basically the same.
I used to have a Switch card - accepted by virtually every shop or service - a debit card by any other name.
I now have a Solo card, due to recent financial difficulties it was all I could get. This works in much the same way as a Switch card - it's a debit card which you hand over in place of cash for payment and saves time and hassle writing cheques. Funds are normally debited from your bank account within one to two working days and you can also get up to £50 cashback with it where that facility is available. It will not allow you to go overdrawn on your account unless you already have an overdarft facility - unusual with accounts offering a Solo card to begin with.
BUT, and it's a big but, not all the expected shops - including large, well-known stores, accept it yet. Both my local Sainsbury's and Woolworths don't accept Solo cards and this led to an embarassing situation at the cash tills as I had taken it for granted that they accepted it as they took all other cards. I had to make a mad dash (waddle) to the nearest cash point and return later to pay or and collect my goods.
They explained to me in WHSmith (yes, them aswell) that their electronic tills weren't yet updated to take the relatively new Solo (and Electron) cards - great!
It also appears to be a problem when I attempt to shop online at Tesco's. I have no problem with their tills when shopping in-store but apparently they use different equipment for the online shopping transactions and this always throws up problems with Solo cards - I've had this explained to me on three separate phone calls on three separate occasions by Tesco's now!
So, there you have it, an ideal card in theory - no worries about having enough cash on you or filling in cheques but until stores have the equipment to cope with these newer debit cards then - so what, basically??
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Fairly widely accepted and you can pay for things with it Disadvantages: Marketed as idiot-proof but will allow you to go over your limit and be charged penalties
JL008 03.09.2004 (03.09.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Solo
Apr 5th, 2001
very helpful by (91%):
helpful by (9%):
