Why doesn't Lidl accept credit cards?

simu

Is this to save on charges for processing cc transactions?

BuffyBot

Pretty much so, AFAIK.

vector

also it could be that the mula from cc's doesn't reach the merchant (lidl) for a while, amex is the slowest AFAIK that's why some normal places won't touch it
you'd be surprised how many places won't take amex that do take visa/mc

MG

Visa isn't that widely accepted in Germany so this may also be part of company culture.

esperanza

It's part of their company policy to keep costs to a minimum.

In Germany, some Aldi and Lidl stores accept payment only in cash. So Irish customers should consider themselves lucky if Aldi and Lidl stores in Ireland are accepting Laser cards.

seamus

vector wrote:

you'd be surprised how many places won't take amex that do take visa/mc

In my experience, Amex just isn't really accepted in Ireland. Most people in this country carry Mastercard or Visa, so there's probably not a big demand to accept any obscure cards.

damnyanks

esperanza wrote:

It's part of their company policy to keep costs to a minimum.

In Germany, some Aldi and Lidl stores accept payment only in cash. So Irish customers should consider themselves lucky if Aldi and Lidl stores in Ireland are accepting Laser cards.

But don't those stores make the most money in Ireland compared to the rest of Europe?

Something like that at least.

simu

They should get with Irish culture tbh. Refusing credit card payments is like throwing customers out the door!

esperanza

I agree, but in Germany, in general people who pay with credit cards are kind of looked down upon. Most Germans prefer to pay by cash. It shows that they have money I guess, whereas paying with a credit card means that you are dependent on credit. It's also quite difficult in Germany to get a credit card as opposed to here in Ireland or the UK.

In France, many people pay by cheque, a practice virtually inexistant in Germany, or with their debit cards.

This is my experience having over many years observed in supermarkets paying practices in both countries.

simu

It's the opposite in Ireland - credit cards are seen as a sign of wealth by most. Lidl may be losing customers here by refusing them - people don't always have cash in their wallets.

I'd heard before that Germans are big into cash - I think that's one of the reasons there was felt to be a need for a EUR500 note! These differences between countires are interesting but companies should try and be more aware of them!

gurramok

But then again I wouldnt trust my CC details being secure by paying anything by CC in a grocery store.

Nuttzz

simu wrote:

Lidl may be losing customers here by refusing them - people don't always have cash in their wallets.

rich people dont shop at lidl its only for pikeys and asylum seekers*



*joke

Victor

simu wrote:

Is this to save on charges for processing cc transactions?

Not just the transaction fee (~30c), but the commission that the CC company take (1-5%).

Chalk

amex charge retailers loads for use of there facilities

RainyDay

seamus wrote:

In my experience, Amex just isn't really accepted in Ireland. Most people in this country carry Mastercard or Visa, so there's probably not a big demand to accept any obscure cards.

That's not my experience. Amex is accepted in almost every petrol station, Superquinn, Dunnes, Tesco, almost every hotel, every tourist-oriented outlet. I agree that it is not as widely accepted as Visa/MC, and I'd always have my Visa with me in addition to my Amex, but given the 1% cashback I earn on my Amex blue card, it is definitely my card of preference.

seamus

RainyDay wrote:

That's not my experience. Amex is accepted in almost every petrol station, Superquinn, Dunnes, Tesco, almost every hotel, every tourist-oriented outlet. I agree that it is not as widely accepted as Visa/MC, and I'd always have my Visa with me in addition to my Amex, but given the 1% cashback I earn on my Amex blue card, it is definitely my card of preference.

There ya go. Anywhere I worked never accepted it, but I guess one wold have to carry the card to notice how well accepted it is.

kazzer

But then again I wouldnt trust my CC details being secure by paying anything by CC in a grocery store.

Why not?

parsi

Try using Amex on the web - 'tis a nightmare...

RainyDay

parsi wrote:

Try using Amex on the web - 'tis a nightmare...

Again, not my experience. I've used my on Amazon, on tripod, on Ticketmaster and a fair few others. I accept that it is not as widely accepted as Visa/MC, but many larger outlets will accept it.

parsi

Ww had it as the corporate card and Komplett don't take it, Sun don't take it and a lot of smaller software outfits don't seem to accept it which was a bit of a bummer...

pickarooney

Nuttzz wrote:

rich people dont shop at lidl its only for pikeys and asylum seekers*
*joke

Aha, but rich people do shop in Aldi/Lidl in Germany, because it's thrifty, and that's how you stay rich.

thesteve

Most Germans prefer to pay by cash.

Germans prefer to pay using their EC Card, to withdraw cash from an atm that doesn't belong to your bank costs 3 euro a withdrawl. Using the EC Card is free. I moved here (Germany) last year and everything is paid using this card. It's basically the same as a laser card, can be used to pay almost everywhere and also lets you withdraw money from an atm. Here credit cards differ in the sense that when you get one, you don't have a choice as to how much you pay back via direct debit each month, they take 100% of whats owed (which I found out the hard way), hence defeating the purpose of a credit card. German web sites even take the EC Card, hence making the credit card almost obsolete. Lidl = German company, they don't need to take credit cards here, hence have adopted it as a policy.

esperanza

Hi the steve,

Just to warn you, there is a 30 cent charge each time you pay with your EC card! It may not seem much, but over time it adds up! Hence, why most Germans prefer to pay by cash. It is mainly the younger generation of Germans who prefer to pay by EC card for convenience's sake, IMO.

pickarooney

What's an EC card? Is it like a chip/pin card, where the money comes directly out of your current account? Everyone uses these to pay for stuff in Holland, but there's no charge per transaction over €5 here.

thesteve

Ah just checked with my bank and there's no charge, I dunno if it's just my bank...

Ya it's a chip and PIN card alright

kazzer

.

esperanza

The Steve,

The charges for EC payments could differ from bank to bank. Which bank are you with? My account is with the Volksbank.

For payments with Maestro, for example when you are outside of Germany, the charges differ. See below.

Was kostet mich Maestro?
Die genauen Kosten entnehmen Sie bitte dem Preisaushang oder den allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen Ihrer Bank oder Sparkasse, die diese Kosten individuell festlegt.