Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) I am totally "p*ssed off" by the official Vancouver 2010 shop at the moment. I just wanted to order something and then I had read in the "FAQs" that this shop dare not to accept payments by other credit cards than by VISA only.... That borders on insolence - I won't order another credit card just to be able to order merchandising from the Olympic Games! When the IOC don't want to get my money - then this should be! I just wonder if I would be able to order tickets with EUROCARD/MASTERCARD or if I had to order a VISACARD, too... Edited January 24, 2010 by Citius Altius Fortius 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 How shite is that? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. I know sponsorships mean a lot, but this isn't the same as, for example, only being able to buy Coca-cola in the venues. This isn't going to win VISA any new business and will lose VANOC money. People aren't going to get a new card just to get a soft toy. Stupid, stupid policy I completely agree. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheal_warren Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 I ordered one of their official torches (Minature size) in October last year and It took nearly 3 months to arrive. Was very annoyed at how slow they were. They never even replied to my emails. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) thanks for your support, Rob! yeah that is definitely shooting in the foot - maybe such policy works in North America, but in Europe it doesn't work - I WON'T EVER ORDER ANOTHER CREDIT CARD - when I am in the USA I use my EUROCARD or I go to an ATM (I have to admit that I haven't been to Canada so far) - I even could get money with my bank card at WESTPAC in Oz without any fees (due my bank cooperates with WESTPAC), why should I order a VISACARD? One credit card is totally enough - with several credit cards you can loose very fast the overview about your expenses!!! @ michael, that doesn't is good customer service (by the way it is a scandal, that there is no contact form on the IOC website) Edited January 24, 2010 by Citius Altius Fortius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 Well exactly, I've only had a Visa for a few months now, before that I only had a Mastercard. I've never seen a shop only offer one credit card before on the internet. I've been to online shops where I can't use a debit card, which is a little annoying, but to only offer one credit card is terrible service. As you said, if VANOC and the IOC don't want people's money, that's their lookout. Visa is on board with London 2012 as well. We'll have to see how they work that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure facts Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 Well, you'd better be prepared for it Rob, it's going to be the same in London. It's part of Visa TOP contract: VISA is the exclusive credit card for the Olympics, meaning it's the only one that you can use to pay in all official retail place: venues, Olympic Village, Official Website... It's been like this for years (at least since Athens, probably longer). It's only really annoying for on-line shopping, otherwise, you can always use cash to pay on-site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 of course you are not guilty of it, pure facts, but that is really annoying - this is even a reason for me to order a VISAcard never Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) I guessed it'd probably be the same for London, and that's rubbish. I guess CAF won't ever be able to buy Olympic merch online then. Edited January 24, 2010 by RobH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) ... lol - exactly Rob! well that saves my money - I refuse to be blackmailed in my personal financial decisions by the IOC! Edited January 24, 2010 by Citius Altius Fortius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 It's part of Visa TOP contract: VISA is the exclusive credit card for the Olympics, meaning it's the only one that you can use to pay in all official retail place: venues, Olympic Village, Official Website... It's been like this for years (at least since Athens, probably longer). Actually, since I think Los Angeles 1984 when American Express was the Official Credit Card Sponsor of those Games (but I think they also took Visa on the side then..) I know Lillehammer-Atlanta was exclusively VISA (when they paid $40 mil for TOP rights then); couldn't use AmEx or the others at the Official venues. But I believe the same thing goes for the World Cup which is MasterCard territory. It's just the way the cookie crumbles. So have been using my VISA more often than not because they always dangle the FREE Olympic package if you use Visa and then somehow win one of the lotteries. As we tell Pillan, you can't win it if you ain't in it. (Sorry, can't support you on this one, CAF...but I'm just play by the existing set-up...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faster Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 There was a lot of anger here that when the ticket application only accepted Visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 I'm not surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 (edited) ... me neither ... When ticket applications for Olympic Games are available online only and then just one credit card is accepted the IOC shouldn't be astonished that there is an "uproar" It isn't important if it is Visa, Amex or Mastercard - this restriction on just one card is unbelievable - I even would complain by the IOC!!!! Edited January 24, 2010 by Citius Altius Fortius 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4gamesandcounting Posted January 24, 2010 Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 People aren't going to get a new card just to get a soft toy. Stupid, stupid policy I completely agree. Afraid I will cave in this week and get one. Being there for two weeks I will need one I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2010 Afraid I will cave in this week and get one. Being there for two weeks I will need one I think! well - Vancouver is a metropole, where you can get money on ATMs and other credit cards will be widely accepted too. I suppose you are customer of a widely spread common bank in London, which has definitely offices in Vancouver too resp. has a correspondence bank in Canada, where you can get money without any fee... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dn607 Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 I am not sure why everyone here is complaining about why VANOC is only accepting VISA? Visa paid to be a sponsor for the Olympics. Mastercard or AMEX could have done the same. I don't hear people complaining that they cannot buy Pepsi at the Olympics when Coke is the main sponsor. There is a reason why these companies paid huge amounts of money to be a sponsor..... They want the exculsive business and if you don't like it then just use cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottS Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 ATMs at venues also only accept VISA cards. So if you're planning to pay with cash make sure you get it before you get to the venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsnotmypuppy Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 VISA has been the only accepted card at Nagano, SLC, Sydney, Torino, Athens, Beijing etc etc - it is the TOP contract and it is widley publicised. Mastercard has a similar deal with the FIFA World Cup - you can only buy tickets with a Mastercard. The simple way around it is cash if you are going to the Games or try your luck on eBay. What annoys me more is that VANOC wont post to Australia - so we cant use the Olympic Shop online at all. NZ can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faster Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Visa is pretty dominate in Canada to begin with, out of our big banks only one is non-VISA. If you want a mastercard you have to go out and look and Amex is not widely accepted. So it won't be a big deal. I think the worst thing is that there will be no debit at the games because debit is predominately mastercard based. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 What annoys me more is that VANOC wont post to Australia - so we cant use the Olympic Shop online at all. NZ can. I didn't realise that - I was counting on going online to get my traditional games t-shirt! Hmmm. Could I trouble someone to pick me up one for suitable re-imbursement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memorabilia Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 That's the rule of the games... First do not blame VANOC, they could not do anything regarding this. As mentionned this is because of IOC Top Sponsors marketing program and VISA exclusivity. Somes said that IOC is losing money by only accepting VISA. In fact, studies shown that the % of loss (clients that will never buy tickets, merchandises... with a visa card) is very small compared to the high and long term contract they have with VISA. And most people found solutions if they do not have a visa card : using cash on venues or using a relative/friend's card to order on line... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micheal_warren Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 VISA has been the only accepted card at Nagano, SLC, Sydney, Torino, Athens, Beijing etc etc - it is the TOP contract and it is widley publicised. Mastercard has a similar deal with the FIFA World Cup - you can only buy tickets with a Mastercard. The simple way around it is cash if you are going to the Games or try your luck on eBay. What annoys me more is that VANOC wont post to Australia - so we cant use the Olympic Shop online at all. NZ can. Really that stinks that they wont post to Australia. I wonder why when they post to New Zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceNarcissus Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 Thought I'd bring it up in this thread. But you would think that the official shop supplier would offer earmuffs just like the ones Quatchi wears. Wouldn't that be great? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citius Altius Fortius Posted January 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 (edited) That's the rule of the games... First do not blame VANOC, they could not do anything regarding this. As mentionned this is because of IOC Top Sponsors marketing program and VISA exclusivity. Somes said that IOC is losing money by only accepting VISA. In fact, studies shown that the % of loss (clients that will never buy tickets, merchandises... with a visa card) is very small compared to the high and long term contract they have with VISA. And most people found solutions if they do not have a visa card : using cash on venues or using a relative/friend's card to order on line... Of course I know that sponsorship is very important for sport events and that many international events won't be possible without it, but I also think that our economy requires a general medium of exchange = money. 1 €/US$/CA$/AU$/NZ$/£ is 1 €/US$/CA$/AU$/NZ$/£ - no matter if I have a bank account by bank B or bank A or a credit card from D or C. I esteem it as generally wrong that an online webshop or ticketshop except money from a special credit card only - no matter if it is the IOC with VISA or FIFA with MASTERCARD. The sponsorship by e.g. car/PC manifacturer is in my point of view something completely different, since such sponsorship doesn't interfere in a general thing like a payment is... You mention that most people found solutions to buy something without the 'required' credit card - then why do they restrict the payments options just on one credit card? I think a TOP sponsorship with credit cards are just a vexations (no matter if it is the IOC with VISA or FIFA with MASTERCARD)... Edited January 25, 2010 by Citius Altius Fortius 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBModerator Posted January 25, 2010 Report Share Posted January 25, 2010 I think you can use one of those Visa gift cards - you add money to it for your purchase, spend it and be done with it. Just an idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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