VISA Electron

Hang on here! What’s this about the majority of high street retailers (as well as other places) not taking the Visa Electron Debit Card. I have found it can be taken by many big names on the high street.

First of all I can use it in the following places:

HMV
Travel Centres
University (Union bars as well as other services)
Electronics Boutique

As well as others that I have yet to use the card in that I know takes them.

Many small businesses (independent shops) take the card that is ideal if you don’t live in a town or city. OK so I know many people including myself would love to use it in places as freely as Visa is accepted, it should be because the funds are already in the payees account to pay (assuming the funds exist). I think it should be more widely used on the Internet but it has to be in (almost) all cases signed for because any one could use the card and whittle down someone else’s hard earned cash. Yes you could say that about credit cards but at least the funds are recoverable on insurance this way as the bank will want there debt paid off to them.

I use the card issued by Barclays Bank (on the further education account). I mainly use it for purchases at HMV and use it to get my student bus pass as well from the travel centre. In fact I paid for my pass today with ease.

One problem I have found is that the card cannot be swiped through a portable swiping machine for payments (hope you know the one I mean). This is bought about because the account number and other information has not been raised, in fact it is indented so the ink cannot press on to the paper slip.

Yes the most popular use of this card for me is withdrawing money from cash machines where it is available; this is very handy as well especially when places don’t take the card. £300 is the maximum I can take out in any one day and I can take out any amount up to this (in lots of £5).

Overall I think they should have prepared shops and other business for the card by explaining the issues of the card and how safe the card is to use by the owner. It is not though entirely the fault of Visa, shops are just plain annoying and don’t want to get there hands on the cash if there is a risk the system is unsafe, the fact is the cards are safer to use than any credit card in my view.

I would recommend that if you are to get a debit card (if you really have to), get a Solo or other card as many people have said these are very widely available to use in shops in many places.

What else is there to say about debit cards, this has to be one of the shortest opinions I have written since I started typing longer more detailed opinions in order to get more hits, hope this helps show a fair viewpoint of both sides of the card.