www.iva.co.uk

Well got my visa debit card from Coop and the blurb to say it repplaces electron I went to do some shopping online from tesco and suprisingly it states "Doesnt accept electron" so I guess they have just rebranded the electron card but it is still one of them. Think I will stick with Thinkbanking for my bank account and clearcash for my spending account

Have you asked co op about it??

They just said it is visa debit but the same number as electron, then they say the debit card should be 4988.

sounds a strange one.....

Andy has posted on another thread and says his Co-op Electron card is widely accepted and he has no problems with it.

HI
I have a halifax visa electron
I used it the other day to pay a bill on the internet. The site did not mention it took electron only visa debit but it went thru ok
I have had the electron 4 months and have had no problem in any shop
i don't even tend to look now if they take it as everyone seems to
Will probably come unstuck one day!


[;)]

kallis3 wrote:

Andy has posted on another thread and says his Co-op Electron card is widely accepted and he has no problems with it.

But the change to a visa debit should mean no issues. I dont think Visa Electron is being scrapped... just that co-op are up grading the account faciities.

Hi,

Since being limited to one piece of plastic, I have to say that I have not had any issues with the Co-op Visa Electron card. I have used it in shops and online. During that time the only anomoly I've found is that it won't allow me to dispense fuel with the pay at pump option and have to pay at the till instead.

However I reckon I know why this is as the Electron card works differntly from it's big brother, the Visa Debit card. The Electron card has an enforced funding option in that the full funds need to be present in your account before the transaction can committ. Where as the Visa Debit card allows some slight leeway on available balance.

The reason why the Electron card may not be so easily adopted by all retailers is likely to be these same requirements for clearing funds. Unfortunately there are some financial instituitions that struggle to share the real time account balances required to adhere with the inflexibility that Electron wishes to maintain on account balance. However you still can get slightly overdrawn as I have proved (-£2.17!) within my first month on the Co-op account [:0] Strangely enough it was after this point that I noticed I couldn't pay at the pump [:D]

In case anyone needs it, the official summary on these cards can be found here: http://corporate.visa.com/md/fs/consumer/visadebit.jsp

Cheers

Andy

Think the issue OP is mentioning, is that he should have the "big brother version" but then it has been rejected on a website as even though it says visa debit on the card, the long number identifies it as an electron.

Agree Andy, places seem much more willing, I remember being 17 (and debt free) and have to withdraw cash for my petrol as no garages accepted Solo as a method of payment.

Things were so much easier back when Switch was available [:D]

Going back to the original post, if the card starts with 4988 then that is the official 4 digit identifier for the Co-op's Visa Debit.

This is the extract from the list:
"4988 24 - Smile (The Co-operative Bank) Visa debit card (UK in £)"

Cheers

Andy

My Co-op Visa Debit begins with 4988, but then I have a current account, not a cash minder account

Don't try and use your Electron card on the M6 Toll, it doesnt work, I had about 50 irrate drivers behind me when it kept refusing me!!!

Its the only time the Co-op visa electron has not been accepted anywhere for me

Sorry drowning but that made me laugh. I can just imagine sitting there panicking!!!

Paul

I hope you'd got some change![:D]

Hi all just wanted to let you know that Sainsburys won't take Solo/Electron on line when I asked Customer Services in store why this is (as they take both in store) was advised that both Electron and Solo cards are given to under 18's account holders and therefore the cards are restricted on line as potentially they can buy alchohol etc on line. [8D]