Amazon no longer accepting Visa credit cards from January 2022 - WTF?

[peanuts87]

AIBU to think this is madness? They're going to inconvenience so many of their customers. Still, it's good incentive to stop using Amazon I suppose!

www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/amazon-stop-accepting-visa-credit-cards-issued-uk-bloomberg-news-2021-11-17/

Well it's just given me the kick I needed to get a mastercard for international travel. The bloody Post Office sold my mastercard to Jaja which swopped it to visa which I never asked for and didn't want. I have no idea how/why they are allowed to do it, but anyway it happened. Have just applied for a Halifax Clarity as can't go back to Post Office after what happened last time.

I must be in the minority, as I have never had a credit card, and never bought anything from Amazon !

Interesting. In the US Amazon has an Amazon branded Visa credit card that offers cash back of 5 percent when used on the site. Chase bank issues the card and gives Amazon reduced fees. I'm surprised they don't have a similar offering in the UK.

I use an Amex wherever it’s accepted but also have a Visa and MasterCard so I’ll be ok. DH only has a Visa but he can get another credit card if he wants to. I feel sorry for those with poor credit ratings, who may struggle to get an alternative.

I’m pretty sure one of them will back down before this actually happens.

RBS is changing to Mastercard too.

First direct switched to mastercard too. Wonder whats going on with Visa.

@1forAll74

I must be in the minority, as I have never had a credit card, and never bought anything from Amazon !

I’ve never had a credit card either (and I have a mortgage so my credit rating is fine). However I do shop with Amazon. I use my debit card and have shopped with them for years without an issue. Any order problems and they are quick to resolve. I never order the too good to be true bargains from overseas that I see on the bargain threads though which probably helps.

Yes. First Direct have just changed debit cards to MasterCard. But my credit card is still Visa.

While we're at it - John Lewis no longer accept PayPal online. Completely threw me!

Luckily I already have MC, Amex & Visa Debit, appreciate it's not as easy for all

Just added new card details and got the £20 credit on my balance already though!

@logsonlogsoff

They’re doing what Amazon do - bullying a company to accept their - always unreasonable- terms. Their pressuring VISA to give them what they want. There’s a reason they dominate and are so cheap. We work with them, and what we laughingly call annual terms negotiations take 9/10 months of the year. They just don’t give a f-ck.

But a lot of the main high street banks seem to have defected to mastercard too, not just Amazon willy waving.

@HeatingOnHeatingOff

I dont think visa credit cards are that common?

I always thought the majority of credit cards were mastercard

All mine are visa. Have only ever had 1 Mastercard in my life

@whiteroseredrose

Yes. First Direct have just changed debit cards to MasterCard. But my credit card is still Visa.

While we're at it - John Lewis no longer accept PayPal online. Completely threw me!

That’s reminds me, I should add that while I don’t use a credit card, I do have PayPal linked to my debit card so I use that where possible elsewhere.

Visa credit cards issued outside of the UK will still be accepted by Amazon. Another "benefit" of Brexit perhaps?

I bank with three different banks. All have switched from Visa to MasterCard over the last couple of years for both credit and debit cards.

@NichyNoo

I received an email from Amazon about this and assumed it was a scam email so deleted!

Me too! 😳

When credit cards were first issued in the UK I think they were all Visa. Then Mastercard joined the party and banks started issuing both. I would have thought that Visa still has the biggest market share worldwide but could be wrong on that.

In the late 80’s I worked in a restaurant in the States as a holiday job. The restaurant didn’t accept Amex due to the fees so although Amex has some good customer benefits I think it’s pretty useless if not widely accepted.

I also link my credit card to my PayPal account but read up thread that Amazon don’t accept PayPal. I think this will make me consider whether I really “need” Amazon. I do have a Mastercard so could switch but don’t like the feeling of this being imposed.

I've just been accepted for an Amazon (Mastercard) credit card, thanks to PP that mentioned it.
I think I've made a profit of £60. The CC company gave me £40 gift card and I should get another £20 off Amazon when I register the card details.

PayPal also going to ditch visa

If you are going to use a debit card for online shopping, use one with an account with very little in it

If you card details get pinched online and someone spends on your card my understanding is that you are much more likely to lose the money from debit account than from the credit card

Ie if your details are pinched someone could empty your account and you would lose the money, you may get it back eventually, whilst if they ran up a huge credit card bill you would not have to pay it

@jackstini

Luckily I already have MC, Amex & Visa Debit, appreciate it's not as easy for all

Just added new card details and got the £20 credit on my balance already though!

Whats the £20 credit about ? Are amazon paying us to change cards?

I’ve never had a credit card either (and I have a mortgage so my credit rating is fine). However I do shop with Amazon. I use my debit card and have shopped with them for years without an issue. Any order problems and they are quick to resolve. I never order the too good to be true bargains from overseas that I see on the bargain threads though which probably helps.

Funnily enough the only time I've been a victim of financial fraud it was via Amazon, the good thing about a credit card is that none of my actual cash was used, if it was my debit card a large sum of cash would have been taken from me and I'd have had to have waited for it to be put back, rather than just a hold on my credit card that only needed releasing when established as fraud.

Using a debit card online is a higher risk than credit card, even on "legitimate" sites like Amazon. Not a risk I'm willing to take. That's why I keep so little cash in my debit accounts (I transfer the money to less accessible savings accounts) so if I do somehow fall victim or card gets stolen etc I at least don't have much actual money there to be taken. As such I buy almost everything by credit card and get lots of lovely bonuses like free days out through tesco vouchers!

@choosername1234

Visa credit cards issued outside of the UK will still be accepted by Amazon. Another "benefit" of Brexit perhaps?

I don't think so though because the rules for payment charges are the same as far as I know. Maybe Visa is just greedy in the UK?

Just to point out, in case posters don't know, using a credit card to pay for goods and services gives you much better protection that a debit card. Have a look here:

www.money.co.uk/guides/when-to-use-your-credit-card-or-debit-card.htm

@RelentlessForwardProgress

I read that email and felt like Amazon have just given a massive 2 fingers to their customers.

Being of sound mind, i'd never use a debit card online.

I have a Barclaycard (visa) linked to my Barclays account. My barclaycard balance shows in my banking app, i can pay over money from savings to bill etc.I've had the same current account and barclaycard account for thrity years, and to suit Amazon, they want me to change it now

I've had amazon prime since it opened in the UK and was a very early amazon customer, but this just won't work for me.

This shows quite a whopping level of contempt for their customers.

They're giving the finger to visa if anything. Amazon turn enough profit that they could absorb the fees I'm sure, but why should they, and also other small businesses pay extra when they can just stipulate another payment method?

I put money on this won’t actually happen or will be very short lived. Visa will cut Amazon a special deal for cross border processing fees because reduced fees will be better than no income when banks switch away from Visa in response to customer demand.