To the Woman Behind Me in Line at the Grocery Store

[mwooldri]

63. Breakdown could be anywhere.

Totally depends on how that retailer is set up with their card machine. Most retailers have a third party middleman between them and the card networks, though depending on the card type they may go direct. If they're using a third party processor and all cards are being declined then the 3rd party is at fault. It could also be a terminal not set up correctly.

I have had times when my Amex doesn't go through but my Visa does... and vice versa. Or sometimes it works on the second go.

The one thing that I detest about the EBT system is that there isn't a backup plan to authorize a payment. With Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover a merchant can call for voice approval. I work for Amex (I don't speak for them, any opinions expressed here are mine, etc) and if the authorization system goes completely down, I can say that there are contingency plans in place to allow charges to be authorized. The merchant must pick up the phone and call though, and expect a hold time... but with so many merchants policies being if they cannot get electronic authorization they don't approve the card... the response is consistent.... your card is declined, pay another way please.

I suppose it's a little comfort to know that if you present your credit card to check in to a hotel and they cannot get electronic approval, the front desk staff are much more likely to pick the phone and get voice approval... than trying to charge $20 of groceries at a wallyworld or even a regular supermarket chain. The checkout clerk is simply ill-equipped to do voice approval... and cannot even do it for EBT

So to the OP and that person who paid for their groceries... whoever they are... thank you too.