VT Shop Card Payments

[voyagerdude220]

Hi all,

Apologies if it has already been mentioned, but I've noticed that VT appear to have reverted back to accepting Credit and Debit Card Payments in their onboard shops.

The VT website page states: "We accept cash, vouchers, cheques, debit and credit cards in the onboard Shop, but not American Express."

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/trains/onboard/

A welcome return?

 

[WestCoast]

Of course it's a welcome return, but I thought the fuss over no card payments was over the top on here.

I never use my card for transactions under £7 or £8, I feel some have become a little over-reliant on plastic.

 

[HST Power]

I never use my card for transactions under £7 or £8, I feel some have become a little over-reliant on plastic.

The day I got my Visa card, I never took money from the cash machines again!

 

[WestCoast]

The day I got my Visa card, I never took money from the cash machines again!

Some retailers refuse to accept credit cards for transactions under £5 now (generally budget retailers but some general small independent stores also refuse below a certain amount).

 

[SS4]

Of course it's a welcome return, but I thought the fuss over no card payments was over the top on here.

I never use my card for transactions under £7 or £8, I feel some have become a little over-reliant on plastic.

Agreed, the only time I do use my card for small amounts is if I'd otherwise have to break into a note (hence why I got a paper on my card since there was only a £10 note in my wallet)

 

[d1015fan]

The day I got my Visa card, I never took money from the cash machines again!

cash what is that!!! lol. I try to avoid carrying it as ts safer sometimes

Good to hear virgin accept cards again than those cards

 

[SS4]

cash what is that!!! lol. I try to avoid carrying it as ts safer sometimes

Good to hear virgin accept cards again than those cards

Cash is the stuff that makes most transactions happen a lot quicker

 

[d1015fan]

Cash is the stuff that makes most transactions happen a lot quicker

very true and I do not deny that.I find it easier to carry my card than cash

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Apologies if it has already been mentioned, but I've noticed that VT appear to have reverted back to accepting Credit and Debit Card Payments in their onboard shops.

I think that this is only on certain trains only, on which VT have been trialling new card payment machines. Not sure if they have been "rolled out" onto the entire VT fleet, yet.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I get the impression that it has been "rolled out", although i'm certainly willing to be proved wrong, as I haven't been on a VT for just over a week.

 

[HST Power]

very true and I do not deny that.I find it easier to carry my card than cash

This is the foremost reason why I am so reliant on my 'piece of plastic'. I loath standing in Sainsbury's, trying to pack the bags and get the recepit and change into my wallet, whilst the ever strong queue of awaiting customers glare at you in that 'hurry up, your keeping us waiting' fashion!

 

[All Line Rover]

I get the impression that it has been "rolled out", although i'm certainly willing to be proved wrong, as I haven't been on a VT for just over a week.

VT announced on their Facebook page today that it has now been completely rolled out.

 

[ApAp]

I wonder why they neglected Amex. East Coast started accepting it a few months ago and I know Virgin used to accept it.

I have an over reliance on plastic and I prefer Amex as all the best miles/points earning cards are Amex. In London I rarely have to use my Visa card in places I shop.

 

[rail-britain]

A welcome return?

More than likely a meeting something like this...
"We're bidding for the franchise"
"Hmm, we'd better make it look like we are still investing in this franchise"
"How about spending money on reactivating the terminals in the shop, thus increasing revenue and cutting costs?"
"What, we have the terminals already..."

 

[IanXC]

I wonder why they neglected Amex. East Coast started accepting it a few months ago and I know Virgin used to accept it.

I have an over reliance on plastic and I prefer Amex as all the best miles/points earning cards are Amex. In London I rarely have to use my Visa card in places I shop.

The usual reason for retailers not accepting Amex is that the interchange fees for Amex transactions are considerably higher than Visa/Mastercard/JCB/CUP. To the extent that it often eats up retailers margins and works out even more expensive than cash/cheques.

 

[ApAp]

The usual reason for retailers not accepting Amex is that the interchange fees for Amex transactions are considerably higher than Visa/Mastercard/JCB/CUP. To the extent that it often eats up retailers margins and works out even more expensive than cash/cheques.

That's true but many companies still happily accept it as did Virgin Trains when they previously used to accept cards.

At one point in their history NXEC removed the ability to accept Amex from all sales channels including ticket offices, online, telesales and on-board. The decision was quickly reversed for ticket sales (you can still see evidence of this at some EC FastTicket machines where the Amex logo has been cut out) - the only reason I can see them reversing the decision was that stop accepting Amex cost them sales.

It took them longer to reintroduce Amex for catering though, but I believe that was partly technical (their EPOS systems required a software update).

I also find it odd that the website lists they DON'T take American Express but it doesn't list what the DO take. Do they take Diners Club? What about Solo, Electron, etc?

I still think it's good that they're reintroducing cards when you find yourself hungry mid-journey you can't just pop to a cash machine! (has anyone ever got the train guard to issue vouchers if they were hungry and had no cash, in theory it should be possible?)