Put it on my tab.

[GroceryGIrl]

A cashier called me to her register last night saying that some lady's credit card couldn't be processed. When that happens, it could either be a problem with our card readers or with the individual's bank server. Most of the time, the customers will blame it on our card system, because, according to them, they've been using their card all day and it's worked fine.

So, after a few times of repeatedly swiping her credit card to no avail, the lady begins,

"I really don't feel like coming back tonight, so could I leave you some identification and come back and pay tomorrow?"

When the manager and myself explained to her that our store had no such policy of "buy now, pay later", she kept trying to convince us to put it on some kind of tab. She finally left her items behind after I told her the only way she could leave here with her purchases is if she tried going to her bank to get her card problem sorted out or to withdraw some money and then returning afterwards.

[bainsidhe]

Err, isn't the "Buy now Pay later" schtick what a credit card is for? And yeah, I know where you're coming from about the "It must be your machine!" tirade. Some customers get downright nasty, and I continue explaining that it isn't our machines, it's their bank. "But I've been using it all day, rabble babble grrrr!" That may be, but it's your bank that authorizes it. It isn't authorizing it. So contact your bank.

[Shironu-Akaineko]

If they would stop and think five seconds.
"But I've been using it all day!"

And now it's empty. Answered your own question right there.

Then of course there's the people who don't know there's a limit to the card or that they're supposed to pay it back...

[Nohbody]

Then of course there's the people who don't know there's a limit to the card or that they're supposed to pay it back...

Or they have a card issuer that actually cares about its customers possibly getting scammed, and if you buy a whole lot of stuff at once (particularly big-ticket items), they put a hold on it in case someone else is charging on your card.

Admittedly, I've been zapped by that thing, on my Visa card, but I wasn't an SC about it to the cashier. I just used my debit card instead, then went home and called up the Visa issuer's help line to find out about the problem.

(Yes, I know that's too much common sense for your average SC. )

[calulu]

I had one last night that called up very steamed that our website had declined her credit card and she was demanding I 'make it work!' Ha! I told her there was nothing I could do since we use a third party credit card verification service and she said she'd go to our competitor. Good luck with that!