When a shop asks if I’ll be paying by Eftpos, what does it mean? Does it mean will I be using my credit card and/or Eftpos card, or just the latter? I replied that I’d be paying by Eftpos, but when I produced a credit card, the owner reacted grumpily. Yet I know other shops that mean either.
Retailers seem to mean different things when they ask this question. In my personal experience, most are asking, “Will you be making an electronic payment?“ – either by Eftpos card, credit card or, for that matter, a debit plus card. They are simply using the word Eftpos to mean plastic, not cash. But others mean, “Will you be paying by electronic methods other than your credit card?”
The Banking Ombudsman, Deborah Battell, tells me she would assume that a retailer asking, “Will you be paying by Eftpos?” means that the store, at the very least, will accept a card that can access cheque and savings accounts.
Deborah advises consumers that if it isn’t obvious that a shop accepts credit cards, you should ask.
She adds that if retailers don’t accept credit cards they should tell you, say, with a note on their Eftpos terminal.
The shop owner should not have got grumpy as any confusion was not your fault. Not good customer service at all!
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