Paying for prints from UK

I Simonius · May 14, 2007

I notice that my credit card charged me for an overseas transaction (i.e. a print from SM in USA)

How can I avoid this?

Andy · May 14, 2007

Simon King wrote:

I notice that my credit card charged me for an overseas transaction (i.e. a print from SM in USA)

How can I avoid this?

Hello, can you be more detailed? What did they charge? How much was the charge? Seems a bit unfair, perhaps look at another credit card company?

I Simonius · May 14, 2007

Andy wrote:

Hello, can you be more detailed? What did they charge? How much was the charge? Seems a bit unfair, perhaps look at another credit card company?

Thy only charged about £1 or so - I can't lay my hand onit immediatley - I guess I will try to rmeember not to use that card next time!

I Simonius · May 14, 2007

Update _ actually I just looked it up and they charged me 2.75% of the total - I phoned them and apparemtly all credit Cards do it ( Is that true?) and it\'s calleda foreign transaction fee or a curency conversion fee

So if I made an oder for say £500 worth of prints it would cost me £13.75 ( that's an additional $27) wichis like paying for postage twice!

Would this happen if I used paypal? can I use Paypal?

anyone else come across this and/or have a solution???

ivar · May 14, 2007

My credit card does not charge me extra for the conversion as far as I know

only the conversion rate that they use, not anything extra on top of that

caroline · May 14, 2007

ivar wrote:

My credit card does not charge me extra for the conversion as far as I know only the conversion rate that they use, not anything extra on top of that

hi Simon
Just checked my sttaement and it looks as though my credit card co has just done a straight conversion

denisegoldberg · May 14, 2007

My experience when traveling outside of the US and using a credit card is that I am charged the amount that reflects the current day's exchange rate and there is no additional fee. Seems like you should see the same thing (in reverse).

I've also ordered things from both the UK and Canada, and in all cases I have seen a single charge to my credit card, no additional fee.

That has been using a "regular" credit card. I have not attempted a foreign transaction using my debit card.

--- Denise

I Simonius · May 14, 2007

caroline wrote:

hi Simon
Just checked my sttaement and it looks as though my credit card co has just done a straight conversion

sounds good - mind if I ask who you use

I was using Capitol One

Sounds like most things in the UK they sting us over the odds every time! (e.g. CDs DVDs, Adobe software etc)

caroline · May 14, 2007

Simon King wrote:

sounds good - mind if I ask who you use

I was using Capitol One

Sounds like most things in the UK they sting us over the odds every time! (e.g. CDs DVDs, Adobe software etc)

Yes, every time

(
Currently using MBNA

caroline · May 15, 2007

caroline wrote:

Yes, every time (
Currently using MBNA

Here is a message I asked of MBNA yesterday and their reply:-

When making purchases over the internet to a company in the USA for example where the payment is calculated in dollars, do you charge a fee in addition to the conversion of the money. Please see my statement for April
Date: 5/14/2007 3:10:44 PM

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="Alt1" align="left" width="140"></td><td class="Alt2" align="left" width="640">Thank you for your recent question.

Exchange rates are based on Visa / MasterCard / American Express rates on the specific day that the transaction is completed. We also charge 2.75% foreign exchange transaction fee which is built in to the exchange rate. This fee will be included with the transaction amount on your statement.

</td></tr></tbody></table>So they do charge but conceal it withing the exchange rate - at least you could see what you cc is doing.

I Simonius · May 15, 2007

aha!

I think it's a cheek and wonder wheter someone like 'watchdog' would be interested in doing a bit of an expose on this because I for one think it's a rip off, we are alray using the card to buy things what more do they ant? ( well more money obviously)

To restate my other unanswered question (anyone???) , does PP (PayPal) charge for foreign transactions from te UK and why does SM not accept PP?

Paying for prints from UK

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