Missing Credit Card stickers on businesses

[Anonymous]

Have you all noticed the absence of credit card stickers on the doors of businesses, lately? I have seen many stores, restaraunts, and general businesses that take credit cards, but no longer put the stickers showing the accepted cards anywhere visible. My Discover was declined at Penn Station Subs, and the girl said they only take Visa/MC. I would have used my QS, had I seen a sticker showing what they accepted. Same thing happened with my AmEx when I ran in to Save A Lot to pick up some bread. Now, everytime I walk into a store, I take notice if there is/is not a sticker somewhere visable that tells what cards they accept. It irritates me if there is nothing.

I have also had experiences with employees who don't know what cards they accept. I recently took a train ride to an old mining camp and wanted to purchase a little sovenier at the gift shop. I handed the cashier my Discover card, and she said "Oh honey I don't know if we take this or not. Nobody has these cards around here. I think only Visa and Mastercard work." I didn't tell her that their website lists the cards accepted, and that she should really learn them. I just gave her my QS1. The same day, we went to a local pizza place, I asked the girl if they took Discover, and she said "I think we take everything; some people even use WalMart cards here! Can you believe that?" I can only assume that she was referring to the WalMart MC. UGH. Lastly, one day I used my Fashion Bug card at Maurice's (just after Maurice's bought out Fashion Bug). The cashier said, "You better use this now, starting next week we aren't taking these any more because Fashion Bug is going out of business." Ok, fair enough. Two years later, I am in Maurice's, and the manager is ringing me up. She noticed the FB card in my wallet which I was searching for my debit card and said, "Why don't you use your FB card, you know we accept those, don't you." Well, I did, until your ill-informed teenage cashier told me that they are no longer accepted.

I guess the overall theme here, is that I hate when people are not informed about what they accept, and that they fail to inform customers of accepted forms of payment. Maybe I am in a mood today, but I started thinking about it and it just made me angry all over again.

[woodsie1]

 "some people even use walmart cards" Hilarious! 

[Anonymous]

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@woodsie1 wrote:

 "some people even use walmart cards" Hilarious! 

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And she was completely serious. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I was in southeastern Kentucky, and in a very poor area. People here generally are not educated about credit or credit cards.

[pipeguy]

With no disrespect meant for the OP, I don'r really care what cards a shop takes since I have MC/V/Disc/AmEx - if I don't see a sign I just use a MC or Visa if in fact I want to use a card. I kind of understand the OP's frustration, but which card during what week for an extra percent is not something follow - I've already got too many hobbies.

I almost never use AmEx when I'm out and usually don't carry my Discover - although I use Discover online a bunch. I do have a few store cards like Macy's and Brooks Brothers which I'll use if I'm going to those stores and I remember to put them in my wallet, but over all if I've got several MC/V cards with me, I know I'm universally covered where ever I go if the shops use credit cards.

[Anonymous]

if they don't know if they accept it tell them to run in anyway and see

[Anonymous]

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@pipeguy wrote:

With no disrespect meant for the OP, I don'r really care what cards a shop takes since I have MC/V/Disc/AmEx - if I don't see a sign I just use a MC or Visa if in fact I want to use a card. I kind of understand the OP's frustration, but which card during what week for an extra percent is not something follow - I've already got too many hobbies.

I almost never use AmEx when I'm out and usually don't carry my Discover - although I use Discover online a bunch. I do have a few store cards like Macy's and Brooks Brothers which I'll use if I'm going to those stores and I remember to put them in my wallet, but over all if I've got several MC/V cards with me, I know I'm universally covered where ever I go if the shops use credit cards.

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That's my problem! Since I finished my degree in December, I have nothing to do with my free time. I have replaced school with learning about how to maximize bonuses. HAHA! I need a hobby. I have been toying with the idea of moving from Kentucky to Wyoming. Perhaps I should do some research on that and spend less time reading on here. It really did bother me that I had to use my QS1 instead of my Discover. I left 0.5% cash back on the table, because I didn't want to bother the elderly lady that was unsure about the Discover card.

[Anonymous]

meh make them try it anyway like i said. you'll teach them something new regardless.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
if they don't know if they accept it tell them to run in anyway and see

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But that feeling I get when it is declined. Instant embarrassment.

[Anonymous]

it's not a true "decline" if it never makes a connection to your bank. it's simply a.... bad read that's all. think positive!

[Anonymous]

I hand them whatever I want to hand them and let THEM tell me they don't accept it. I was at an Ice-Cream shop that's part of a family of stores that is based around a market.(Bi-Rite in SF).  I decided to try my BCP on the off chance it coded as Grocery. She said Visa/MC only, so I handed her my A+ (wasn't sharp enough to think to grab SM). No embarassment here. If enough people try to give them a card they don't take, they might choose to take it. 

The only point of embarassment was that I waited about 10 min for them to open. I hadn't hit that place in a couple years and I was going to get my darn ice cream before we hit the road. The saving grace was that there were five other people waiting by the time they opened. lol.