Personal Finance

Apparently Visa does work at No Frills

  • Last Updated:
  • Sep 20th, 2014 10:43 am
Tags:
None
Newbie
Dec 30, 2012
6 posts
EAST YORK

Apparently Visa does work at No Frills

We're new to No Frills, and the first a couple times we did use our RBC Avion card.

Later on, we were told they only accepted Master Card and Debit - after an interesting conversation with the cashier, he told me that "technically" Visa does work, however, they just don't want to pay for the merchant fee.

This is so silly.
22 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 6, 2005
1784 posts
652 upvotes
St. John's
Use of Visa is a frill.

There are no frills. End of story. Accept it and move on.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 15, 2006
9183 posts
3861 upvotes
Toronto
Most No Frills do not accept visa. There are a few around that do accept visa, but they are not the norm.

We still get the bonus points for grocery (with our credit card), by buying PC gift cards at Loblaws or RCSS, to use at NF.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Aug 29, 2012
9300 posts
10314 upvotes
Of course, Loblaws stores have every incentive to push for MasterCard, since they're also pushing for the PC Financial MasterCard. It means that every time a customer pays with their PC MasterCard they don't have to pay for the merchant fee to a third party.

On every invoice when you don't pay with it there's even a message saying that you lost out X points that you would've gotten if you'd paid with their MasterCard.
Deal Addict
Feb 5, 2009
2808 posts
940 upvotes
Newmarket
Costco only accepts amex, so what ;-) stores can make up their own rules as long they are not breaking the law, and accepting all credit cards is not a law.
Don't dwell on it.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 4, 2009
4191 posts
5292 upvotes
on the links!
Both NF stores in my area accept Visa. I feel so verklempt.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Jun 29, 2012
662 posts
171 upvotes
Vancouver
A new No Frills opened up last Friday here. They said they will only accept Visa up until August. So ridiculous.
Banned
Nov 27, 2006
2200 posts
445 upvotes
Toronto
oh man the sky is falling, they dont accept visa
Deal Addict
Feb 10, 2013
4782 posts
1327 upvotes
Richmond
just go to a rcss and buy gift cards with your visa
Deal Addict
User avatar
Apr 20, 2012
1876 posts
1480 upvotes
Waterloo, ON
My Frills also accepts Visa. On time they wouldn't let me use it for a purchase under $25, but other times they have.
Member
Jun 25, 2010
468 posts
94 upvotes
Hamilton, ON
I like how No Frills doesn't use Visa, because (optimistically) their prices are slightly lower...but then they accept MasterCard so you lose out if you don't have a Mastercard, which is silly and defeats the purpose of trying to offer a lower price. :facepalm:
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 11, 2005
20136 posts
2963 upvotes
Is No Frills trying to argue that Visas merchant fee is higher than Mastercards? That is not true. This sounds like one of those "made up by the cashier on the spot to get you out of their face" situations.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
Deal Addict
User avatar
Apr 15, 2011
1484 posts
380 upvotes
IOwnAndPwnU wrote: I like how No Frills doesn't use Visa, because (optimistically) their prices are slightly lower...but then they accept MasterCard so you lose out if you don't have a Mastercard, which is silly and defeats the purpose of trying to offer a lower price. :facepalm:

Debt card or cash... Comon
Deal Fanatic
Feb 15, 2006
9183 posts
3861 upvotes
Toronto
We buy PC GCs at Loblaws or RCSS, and use at NF. No roblem.
Sr. Member
Mar 15, 2011
559 posts
193 upvotes
Toronto
Arrgh wrote: We buy PC GCs at Loblaws or RCSS, and use at NF. No roblem.

Off topic question - when you buy PC GCs, do you get PC points on the gift card value? And do you get any PC points when redeeming at No Frills?
Jr. Member
Jul 20, 2013
196 posts
22 upvotes
aidan83 wrote: We're new to No Frills, and the first a couple times we did use our RBC Avion card.

Later on, we were told they only accepted Master Card and Debit - after an interesting conversation with the cashier, he told me that "technically" Visa does work, however, they just don't want to pay for the merchant fee.

This is so silly.
Well... If you want to hear the long explanation on why a merchant says they don't take Visa but MC instead and vice versa, you might wanna read below. Otherwise, move along nothing else to see ;)

The long story is MasterCard and Visa's board members are basically the same people when you take a deeper look at who's affiliated with who. MasterCard and Visa basically outsourced all of the electronic processing front-end to First Data. When you have the same entity being the frontend for processing these transactions, naturally their systems would have been integrated into a homogeneous system. In other words, this basically means First Data will gladly take in cards starting with a 4 or a 5 and they won't care either. They're being paid by MasterCard and Visa to do the dirty work :P

So basically being exclusive to one brand is there for political reasons. Same thing with Olympic Venues.
Deal Addict
Jan 2, 2013
1640 posts
442 upvotes
Mississauga
I've used it on multiple occassions. Never been told I couldn't use it - except I'm pretty sure the tap function didn't work for Visa, but the card itself definitely works!
Deal Addict
Feb 10, 2013
4782 posts
1327 upvotes
Richmond
brunes wrote: Is No Frills trying to argue that Visas merchant fee is higher than Mastercards? That is not true. This sounds like one of those "made up by the cashier on the spot to get you out of their face" situations.
look on the no frills faq page. that is the official reason. visa is a more expensive form of credit. as a mc issuer , they are probably getting a discount on mc acceptance much like Costco did with amex
Banned
User avatar
Feb 12, 2009
1129 posts
290 upvotes
Vaughan
bluebellrose wrote: look on the no frills faq page. that is the official reason. visa is a more expensive form of credit. as a mc issuer , they are probably getting a discount on mc acceptance much like Costco did with amex
No Frills website says they accept Visa.

Loblaws is dedicated to providing the maximum amount of savings for our customers. To keep our prices as low as possible, we must also keep our costs low. There are a number of ways in which we try to do this. Accepting MasterCard and Visa as the only form of credit card payment is another example of how we keep our costs down. American Express is a more expensive form of credit to our business, which is why we chose to carry only MasterCard and Visa much in the same way that we may only carry certain national brand groceries if they represent greater value for our business and our customers. Using President's Choice MasterCard reinforces our mission of offering our customers innovative products at great prices. It is a no fee card with a tremendous loyalty program which provides our customers with "PC points" which can be redeemed for free groceries and other rewards.
Deal Addict
Feb 2, 2007
1108 posts
1118 upvotes
GTA
rsxmachine wrote: No Frills website says they accept Visa.

Loblaws is dedicated to providing the maximum amount of savings for our customers.
No Frills != Loblaws.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)