Why Won’t the Vending Machine Take my Card? 7 Reasons
Whether it’s fresh fruit, milk, juice, candy, or crackers, there’s a lot that you can get from vending machines. Vending machines can be found almost anywhere, from apartment communities to hotels, hospitals, schools, offices, retail shops, and manufacturing facilities.
More than 6.9 million vending machines are currently located in the US, and most of them accept cards.
But in some cases, this might not work.
So, why won’t the vending machine take my card?
A Vending Machine might fail to take your Card if it is declined by the bank due to suspicious activity, insufficient funds, or your card is blocked because of multiple failed payments. If you’re using an old vending machine, it won’t accept your card as it lacks the technology.
In this article, we’ll tell you more about how to use a card with the vending machine, so keep on reading.
RELATED READ: Why is My Debit Card Not Working On Vending Machine?
Why Won’t the Vending Machine Take My Card?
Being unable to process your card payment from the vending machine and get the snack or beverage you want can be quite frustrating.
But here are some reasons why your card may not be accepted at a Vending Machine:
- Your debit or credit card might have expired.
- The bank might flag this transaction as fraudulent because you’re away from the location where you normally use your card.
- The vending machine is too old or located in an area with an older demographic. This is because older people are more likely to use cash, and there will be no need to install a card reader on the machine.
- The machine’s operator didn’t pay the card reader fees, so the machine is temporarily unable to process card transactions.
- The machine might have reached its maximum transaction limit. Banks occasionally put limits on the number of transactions that you can do on a credit or debit card or the number of limits that a machine is able to process for security purposes.
- You might have reached your account’s limit, or you don’t have sufficient funds to pay for your purchase.
- The machine isn’t equipped to accept your particular card.
Do Vending Machines Accept Debit Cards Only?
Most card-accepting machines will accept debit cards, regardless of the issuer. Likewise, all sorts of cash, including coins and paper bills, are accepted by vending machines.
Credit cards aren’t typically designed for such small-scale transactions. This is why using your credit card might not work if you want to buy something from a vending machine.
How to Use a Card At a Vending Machine?
A lot of people prefer to use cards over cash for several reasons.
First, cards help you keep track of your expenses and know exactly when, where, and how your money was spent.
Moreover, if you ever lose a credit or debit card, your money isn’t lost forever, as you can immediately suspend it and dispute any transactions that you haven’t authorized.
Whether you’re using a debit or credit card, there are several steps that you can follow to make a purchase from a vending machine.
- Check the insignias on the machine and see if one of them is your card’s logo. Some machines are only compatible with several insignias but might not work with your Visa or American Express card.
- Check the magnetic strip on the card reader to see if it’s located to the right or the left, and place your card accordingly.
- Swipe the card in the reader, making sure that it goes from the very top to the very bottom.
- Wait for a message that says “Approved.” This indicates that the vending machine’s company has temporarily authorized a payment from your card to be able to charge you for your purchases.
- Type the number on the machine’s keypad for the item you’ve selected and wait for it to drop. Repeat the process if you need to buy several items.
- Press the “End” button on the reader. This will stop the temporary authorization, so your card can’t be used after you’ve made your purchases. Of course, if you forget to do so, the authorization might expire after a few minutes or when someone else uses the machine, but to avoid any inconvenience, you should end your transaction.
Do Vending Machines Charge Higher When You Use Cards?
Most vending machines don’t charge extra when you use credit cards, but some of them do. These machines charge extra because credit card companies charge the machine’s operator after every transaction.
Some machines also charge extra when you use debit cards because the vending machine’s operator has to contact the customer’s bank to verify that there are funds in the account to cover the purchase they’re making. Again, this can lead to a delay in the transaction.
Can a Vending Machine Charge You Twice for an Item?
It’s quite common to have your debit or credit card charged twice for a vending machine transaction.
This is called an authorization hold, equal to the price you’re being charged after buying an item from the vending machine.
However, this doesn’t mean that the amount has been deducted from your balance just yet.
As a matter of fact, the money will be transferred from your account at the end of the day when the vending machine’s owner or company submits all card payments to the bank to have them cleared.
This protects the company in case you’re to reach the card’s limit or don’t have enough funds after the purchase.
After the money is transferred from your account to the company’s account, the hold is removed, and this usually happens within one to two days.
However, if you still see this hold on your balance, you should contact your bank, and it will contact the company to resolve this issue.
RELATED READ: Why Does Coca-Cola Vending Machine Charged Twice?
Summary
A vending machine might not accept a card if the machine is too old or doesn’t have a reader. In some cases, it might not be designed to read your particular card.
In general, most machines will accept debit cards, but some of them won’t take credit cards.
After using the card, you should press the “End” button to make sure that you’ve stopped the temporary authorization that enables the machine to charge you for your purchase.
