Advice for UK retailers
Preparing for the needs of overseas cardholders
This year, over 30 million cardholders from overseas will visit the UK and will make a significant contribution to the UK economy by spending over £14 billion*.
As the tourist season gets into full swing, UK retailers are urged not to miss the opportunity to serve customers from overseas by knowing how to accept valid forms of payment. While many cards are now chip and PIN enabled in the UK, retailers are urged not to reject foreign credit and debit cards just because they do not have this function.
On 14 February 2006, the UK made the switch to chip and PIN. Many foreign cardholders visiting the UK this summer will still need to use their old style signature cards. This can cause problems if checkout employees do not know that they can still accept these cards for payment.
Cards with a magnetic stripe, but no chip and PIN facility, are still valid and can be used in all card terminals. The machine will recognise that a signature is needed and a prompt will appear to inform the till operator of this.
According to Visa Europe: “The UK will see a record number of tourists this year, but retailers can only reap the benefits by knowing how to accept foreign non-chip and PIN enabled cards. It is vital that retail outlets make sure that their staff know how to use them correctly as rejecting a foreign card out of hand will damage the UK’s reputation as a tourist destination and negatively impact on the retailer’s bottom line.
“The message to checkout staff is clear – if the card has a chip, dip it in the terminal, if it doesn’t swipe the card and let the card terminal do the rest.”
Chip and PIN – facts for retailers
Since 14 February 2006, all UK chip and PIN cardholders use their PIN when paying with their card.To avoid any confusion about whether to ask cardholders to enter their PIN or provide a signature, retailers should always ensure the card is inserted into the terminal and follow the prompts. The terminal will read the card and will recognise if a signature or a PIN is needed.
Some consumer groups will still sign when using their debit and credit cards. This includes:
- People with old-style magnetic stripe cards
- Cardholders from countries where chip and PIN has yet to be introduced
- Disabled people who are unable to use their PIN
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