4 ms·

> almost no one in UK accepts signature-only cards > terminals which can take magnetic-strips are just super rare and usually not supported even if the machine

by lentil 10y ago

> almost no one in UK accepts signature-only cards > terminals which can take magnetic-strips are just super rare and usually not supported even if the machine has them. I've not found this to be the case. I used a non-chip US card here in the UK extensively over the last year or so, and I've never once encountered a merchant that didn't want to take my card, nor a terminal that didn't read magnetic strips. I do find people at checkouts to be a little surprised by someone having to swipe & sign, since that's quite rare now. And often they had trouble finding a pen for me to sign with :) But I was always able to complete the transaction nonetheless.

gambiting 10y ago
Really? I had my Polish-issued signature-only card with me here in UK just a few years ago and the only place that would take it was the post office - every supermarket I tried just refused(I had one instance where I convinced the cashier to just try swiping the card and it did actually work, to her surprise, but in most places it was just a flat out no).
- aninhumer 10y ago
  If you're Polish, this might just be xenophobia. I can imagine a cashier just rolling their eyes at an American using a weird card, but being much more distrustful of a Polish person doing the same.
wiredfool 10y ago
In the UK, Ireland, and France I've only found a couple of places that wouldn't take a signature card -- Automated service stations and the Autoroute toll plazas in France and a toy store in Ireland. Everyone else has been ok with a chip+signature card from the US.
- lentil 10y ago
  Yep, I've had that experience trying to buy petrol in France too. That's the only place I can remember running into a problem with it, actually. Never anywhere in the UK.
feintruled 10y ago
It's all about the liabilites - the shops are allowed to accept swipe and sign, but the fees and liability are massively shifted to the merchant. A lot of places do have this as a fallback for PIN damaged cards though, you are right. They judge it to be worth the risk to not lose the business.

by lentil 10y ago

gambiting 10y ago

Really? I had my Polish-issued signature-only card with me here in UK just a few years ago and the only place that would take it was the post office - every supermarket I tried just refused(I had one instance where I convinced the cashier to just try swiping the card and it did actually work, to her surprise, but in most places it was just a flat out no).

aninhumer 10y ago
If you're Polish, this might just be xenophobia. I can imagine a cashier just rolling their eyes at an American using a weird card, but being much more distrustful of a Polish person doing the same.

wiredfool 10y ago

In the UK, Ireland, and France I've only found a couple of places that wouldn't take a signature card -- Automated service stations and the Autoroute toll plazas in France and a toy store in Ireland. Everyone else has been ok with a chip+signature card from the US.

lentil 10y ago
Yep, I've had that experience trying to buy petrol in France too. That's the only place I can remember running into a problem with it, actually. Never anywhere in the UK.

feintruled 10y ago

It's all about the liabilites - the shops are allowed to accept swipe and sign, but the fees and liability are massively shifted to the merchant. A lot of places do have this as a fallback for PIN damaged cards though, you are right. They judge it to be worth the risk to not lose the business.