Funny knowing info CSRs don't

[JSS3]

I learned on Myfico that you didn't have to use your discover card to get casback when going through ShopDiscover. Since learning this, I've checked out on sites such as, Walmart, with non Discover cards after going through ShopDiscover. I received cashback with no problems. Last month I did the usual going through ShopDiscover and checked out with my Citi TYP card. Unfortunately, Walmart decided to deduct funds twice. First, when I made the purchase and then ten days later when everything had arrived(items were shipped separately). That was the first time that has happened with Walmart...where they took funds out of my available credit(twice). They claim it's not actually charged until it posts, but all I know is, I have LESS available credit so it "feels" like a "charge" even though it hasn't posted. My funds are held hostage until they put them back...which they eventually did 2-3 days after the original charge posted. Lesson learned...I'll be using a prepaid debit with only the funds to cover an order in the future with Walmart.

Fast forward to recently. I received an email from Discover saying I had earned cashback for a Walmart order. Not the same order from above but from the order I placed after that--- which was for around $20.00. Whereas, the order mentioned above was for almost $180. The $20 order was completed using my Mypoints Visa. My statement recently cut and I only had cashback for the $20 order and not the $180 order. I knew there was trouble when I didn't receive an email congratulating me on earning cashback on my $180 order. Anyways, I called Discover and the rep looked over my activity on my Discover card and said she didn't see a purchase at Walmart for $180. I told her I did not use my Discover card. She informed me in order to received cashback I had to 1.)go through the portal and 2.)use the Discover card. Knowing this wasn't true I said, "Oh, I wasn't aware of that" and Thanked her for informing me. I figure if there is a glitch in the system, I didn't want to bring attention to it. I'm assuming the Walmart double "charge" was what threw everything out of whack for me and that's why I didn't get the $8 cashback. 

[longtimelurker]

So you have experienced the big problem in using the "wrong" card at any CC mall: IF things go wrong (which they usually don't) the CSRs often can't (or won't) help, as they do not see the end-to-end purchase (as it went on another card).

So basically you have to decide if the advantages of the wrong card overcome the slight possibility of failure.   Or use a cashback mall where they will work with any card.

[JSS3]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

So you have experienced the big problem in using the "wrong" card at any CC mall: IF things go wrong (which they usually don't) the CSRs often can't (or won't) help, as they do not see the end-to-end purchase (as it went on another card).

So basically you have to decide if the advantages of the wrong card overcome the slight possibility of failure.   Or use a cashback mall where they will work with any card.

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Yeah... you can never complain when your hands aren't "clean". HA!

It's a funny thing knowing information is not exactly correct...and even more funny hearing it when the cashback I did receive last statement cut---came by way of my Mypoints card.
.

[pizzadude]

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@JSS3 wrote:

 They claim it's not actually charged until it posts, but all I know is, I have LESS available credit so it "feels" like a "charge" even though it hasn't posted. My funds are held hostage until they put them back...which they eventually did 2-3 days after the original charge posted. Lesson learned...I'll be using a prepaid debit with only the funds to cover an order in the future with Walmart.

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Not sure I understand why you'd do this: if Wal~mart double charges you in the future you'll lose actual money from your debit card versus only losing a credit limit on a CC.

[JSS3]

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@pizzadude wrote:

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@JSS3 wrote:

 They claim it's not actually charged until it posts, but all I know is, I have LESS available credit so it "feels" like a "charge" even though it hasn't posted. My funds are held hostage until they put them back...which they eventually did 2-3 days after the original charge posted. Lesson learned...I'll be using a prepaid debit with only the funds to cover an order in the future with Walmart.

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Not sure I understand why you'd do this: if Wal~mart double charges you in the future you'll lose actual money from your debit card versus only losing a credit limit on a CC.

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If they funds aren't there, any second attempt to take money out of my account won't go through. Walmart would be declined and rightfully so. 

[pizzadude]

Right, I get that, but you'd have to know the amount of the order prior to loading the prepaid card.  

I look at this as being similar to car rentals.  I rented a car for one day and Hertz pre~authorized my card for $230.  After returning my car they pre~authorized $35.   The $35 charge went thru, the $230 pre~authorization disappeared after a week.   

Unless the availablle credit on the card is very low I don't see how this is an issue.

[JSS3]

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@pizzadude wrote:

Right, I get that, but you'd have to know the amount of the order prior to loading the prepaid card.  

I look at this as being similar to car rentals.  I rented a car for one day and Hertz pre~authorized my card for $230.  After returning my car they pre~authorized $35.   The $35 charge went thru, the $230 pre~authorization disappeared after a week.   

Unless the availablle credit on the card is very low I don't see how this is an issue.

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I can add everything to my Walmart cart, see the total, then easily load up my Amex Serve.

Your example was more of wanting a down payment as a security.  Mine was them taking the same amount of money out of my account twice for one purchase. I don't like that. I'm thinking I authorized a one time payment for a one time transaction. Obviously, they are well within their rights to do so, and it will be chalked up to, "You will get your money back" but that still doesn't sit well with me. Also, their rationalization of, "You're not charged until the item ships/post" doesn't either. Either they should actually not take anything from your available credit at all until the order has shipped or they should take out of your available credit ONCE for ONE order if that's first needed for your order to ship. Since they can go into one's account after you've granted them permission initially, I'll cut it off on my end by only having the purchase amount available to them in the future. I do online shopping at Walmart only once in a while so it's no huge task to load up my Serve and use it there.

[twist7d7]

One time I had a CSR that didnt know what a Pre aproval was........

[pizzadude]

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@JSS3 wrote:

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@pizzadude wrote:

Right, I get that, but you'd have to know the amount of the order prior to loading the prepaid card.  

I look at this as being similar to car rentals.  I rented a car for one day and Hertz pre~authorized my card for $230.  After returning my car they pre~authorized $35.   The $35 charge went thru, the $230 pre~authorization disappeared after a week.   

Unless the availablle credit on the card is very low I don't see how this is an issue.

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I can add everything to my Walmart cart. See the total then easily load up my Amex Serve.

Your example was more of wanting a down payment as a security.  Mine was them taking the same amount of money out of my account twice for one purchase. I don't like that. I'm thinking I authorized a one time payment for a one time transaction. Obviously, they are well within their rights to do so, and it will be chalked up to, "You will get your money back" but that still doesn't sit well with me. Also, their rationalization of, "You're not charged until the item ships/post" doesn't either. Either they should actually not take anything from your available credit at all until the order has shipped or they should take out of your available credit ONCE for ONE order if that's first needed for your order to ship. Since they can go into one's account after you've granted them permission initially, I'll cut it off on my end by only having the purchase amount available to them in the future. I do online shopping at Walmart only once in a while so it's no huge task to load up my Serve and use it there.

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I agree with you that business shouldn't charge more than the original order amount, obviously in some cases they don't know ahead of time ( rental car with mileage charge, etc.. ).    Wal~mart should know the correct order amount before they ship;  I think the issue is with their order entry / inventory systems, having multiple shipments or some other conditions cause a pre~authoriztion greater than the order amount.   From their perspective a pre~authorization isn't a final charge, because they can't recognize revenue until the product leaves their warehouse, based on accounting guidelines.   Once shipped the receivalble is created and this process ensures the final charge matches up to the original order.  

[Open123]

Policies and Compliance has become so bloated these days, it's unrealistic to expect any CSR to know in detail every single policy.  For example, no CPA would be expected to know in detail the entire the tax code.