Verified by Visa - Activation During Shopping - Pain in the Neck.

It's annoying that when you try to buy something and visa tries to sell you something, but you have no way to opt out. After completing the final step of the order, you click the "Place Order" button and expect to see the order confirmation screen...but no...You see a screen to signup for the "Verified by Visa" program for your own good. Hey, I am trying to buy something, please don't interrupt me...Did my order go through or not, I did push the "Place Order" button, so it's kinda gone through...but I didn't get a confirmation number yet, because I see the Visa signup form...but not way to skip that step. Now Visa tell it's for your own good, but hey...I didn't ask for it and I just want to see if my order went trough. So Visa, please make sure that merchant that will try to sell your service also place a button or link to skip the signup.

So Visa goes in great length to provide a description on the benefits of signup, faqs answer all the questions you may have...besides the one about skipping signup. Even their flow diagram doesn't show how to skip, simply because they want you to signup.

verified_by_visa_howto.gif


Look at their FAQ ...no mention how to opt out.

http://usa.visa.com/personal/security/visa_security_program/vbv/verified_by_visa_faq.html
https://www.securesuite.net/csi/docs/faq.jsp

Update: 3/12

Well 2 days later I didn't get an information but I called Visa and they did put a hold on my card because I didn't complete the process above. What? No way to opt out and then you cancel my transaction. So I went to order the item again, and yes for sure same thing, once I pushed the "Place Order" button I was presented with the following dialog

verified_by_visa_opt_in.png


See a "don't opt in option"? Nope, this is a trap. Annoying. Well, I decided to go ahead and entered the information, then I was presented with the following screen...

verified_by_visa_already_in_use.png


What? Already activated for another of my cards???? Well at least there is a Cancel button this time, and the dialog mentions that I can continue without "Verified by Visa". But pressing cancel presents me with a prompt saying that the transaction will be cancelled, hence I wouldn't be able to order the thing I want to order. Alright, let's try continue...I was presented with a screen showing the name of my wife and asking for a password. Hey, that was the other of my cards they just mentioned above. So know I just need to go find my wife, ask her password and we are good to go...

Yep, that worked. Could it be more difficult to buy something online. I guess Visa will find something new for next time.

Posted by Daniel Wanja
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 12:05 PM

1 comments :: Verified by Visa - Activation During Shopping - Pain in the Neck.

  1. Yesterday I attempted to purchase an AVG internet security package using my Visa Barclaycard. After completing most of the formalities on the AVG site, I encountered the VbV stumbling block. What should have been a straightforward transaction turned into a nightmare. Clearly passwords are case specific and I seem to have input mine incorrectly (what with all the different PWs for different cards and different banks). So, after being returned to the obligatory VbV screen numerous times, I changed my password, but that didn't seem to help either. I ended up not knowing whether my repeated 'abortive' efforts had unwittingly resulted in multiple AVG orders! Next morning I tried my Nationwide CC with similar apparent unsuccessful results. On this occasion, however, I received a surprising E-mail from Nationwide thanking me for registering to Nationwide Verified by Visa and detailing the "Store at which activation took place: AVG" as well as the "amount of purchase: 81.81 GBP". No such confirmation of my order has however come from AVG.

    So total and complete confusion reigns. Despite what Nationwide claim, I haven't a clue whether my order has been accepted or indeed whether I have inadvertently multiple ordered. So, it surely is time to jump ship and simply opt out of this error prone, unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming process. Could you please tell me how I can cancel my VbV participation for each and all of the cards I currently have 'covered'.

    Overall outcome: no business for AVG, no internet security cover for me but extremely time-consuming, and truly awful PR for Visa, Barclaycard & Nationwide etc.

    Dunderhead

    September 8, 2009 10:47 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)