starmicro.net wont take my plastic!

[VirtualLarry]

So I wanted to order some parts online today. I went (actually, someone else went) to get a "Simon Giftcard" at the local mall. It's a pre-paid Visa card, issued by Metabank.

I had no problems with geeks.com or zipzoomfly.com, ordered some things.

starmicro.net, I had some major problems.

Before I got the gift card, I signed up for an account on starmicro.net, and put my items into the card, and started checking out (so I could check shipping costs and sales tax).
Well, by the time the gift card arrived, I went to further check out, and the web site had timed out (stupid idea in general, IMHO), and not only was my cart empty, but I wasn't signed in either.

So I go to sign into the account that I just created, and after taking my password, brings up a generic error message and a note to contact the site administrator.

I tried it again a few times, no dice. So I closed the window, cleared my cookies, and tried again. Still broken.

So I notice that they take phone orders. I call, and there is someone with an indian accent on the line.

I give him the item, qty, and my billing details. I then tell him that I have a gift card that I would like to pay for them with. He tells me that he cannot accept that. So I clarify, and tell him that it's a Visa pre-paid card, and should be accepted anywhere that Visa is accepted. ("You do accept Visa, don't you"?). So he hems and haws and says that they don't accept it, that they only accept credit and debit cards drawn on a U.S. bank. He asks for the phone number on the back of the card and says that he'll call them, and call me back. (Guess they've never heard of pre-paid Visa cards in India?)

So, now I'm still waiting.

The only reason that I can see for a store not accepting a pre-paid Visa, when they accept post-paid Visa, is that they plan on putting some sort of renewing charge on the card, when I'm not looking. Shady.

Has anyone else had this happen to them, a store that won't take a pre-paid Visa card? (Supposed to be "accepted anywhere Visa is accepted".)

Edit: Damn shady. He just called back to tell me that they "don't take that card". Now, should I complain to Visa or Metabank about false advertising?

 

[lokiju]

I couldn't use one of those cards at Amazon.com

There's no guarantee that it will work and places don't have to accept it.

Since that happened to me I always ask for either gift cards to the specific online store I wish to use or gold old cash/check.

Screwed me from being able to put a good chunk of my gift money towards an item I wanted...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, the card came with a leaflet, and it had a phone number to call if the card was declined, but your balance was sufficient. I finally got to talk to someone, and asked if that was normal, that they would accept Visa, but not pre-paid Visa. I thought that perhaps they would call the merchant and find out what's up, but the lady just told me to try shopping somewhere else. 🙁

This doubly sucks because more and more rebates are coming in the form of a Visa pre-paid card.

Pretty ironic, if the product you purchased online, came with a pre-paid card rebate, that likewise COULD NOT be used to purchase said product online.

I read the leaflet a little more carefully, and they are very careful to specify "...that lets you shop everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted."

I was under the mistaken impression that there was some clause in their merchant agreements that state if they take Visa, then they must take pre-paid Visa, but apparently, that is not true.

IMHO, this borders on false advertising on the part of Visa, their banks, and sellers of their pre-paid Visa cards.

The woman on the phone (ever heard of someone named "Jessica", with an indian accent?) DID SAY something about "accepted anywhere Visa is accepted". She didn't say "Debit".

It's an easy slip to make. The product is sold with all the appearance of a legitimate Visa card, but it isn't. I learned my lesson today. Can't trust credit card companies at all.

 

[SonicIce]

i bought 1 thing there with no issues. but thats pretty lame about the prepaid card

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
So I clarify, and tell him that it's a Visa pre-paid card, and should be accepted anywhere that Visa is accepted. ("You do accept Visa, don't you"?). So he hems and haws and says that they don't accept it, that they only accept credit and debit cards drawn on a U.S. bank.

...

The only reason that I can see for a store not accepting a pre-paid Visa, when they accept post-paid Visa, is that they plan on putting some sort of renewing charge on the card, when I'm not looking. Shady.

There is nothing shady about this. You're just being foolish. Tell them you have a Visa Credit card. Give them the details. It will work just fine. The rep obviously was confused when you broke his script by mentioning a "gift card".

 

[marvdmartian]

Wow, you're brave buying from them with any payment form, imho:

6 month & lifetime reseller rating of ~5/10!! :shocked:

Especially since, being a gift card, you'll have little redress if the order is screwed up and they don't want to honor any policies they might have (or make up), like you would with a regular credit card.

Newegg, ZZF, Geeks, Coolerguys, Xoxide, Ewiz (Superbiz now, I think), Directron, just to name a few places that I trust, and have good reseller ratings. 5/10 is really pushing it!

 

[akouocoop]

Our credit card machine at work won't process some of the "Gift Cards" but others will work fine. I blame the Matrix.