All who read this post take a lesson about credit cards.

We pay a lot of money for the privilege of using credit to purchase things. By all means take advantage of what you are paying for. The credit card is a third party escrow. You agree to do business with them. The vendor agrees to do business with them. The credit company has leverage with both. The credit company mediates disputes.

If you ever receive something other than what you thought you were going to receive, take it back. No matter that it was purchased online, mail order, whatever. If it is wrong, it is wrong. Refuse to pay for it. Refuse to pay to ship it back. Demand a reversal of charges. Make the vendor arrange for a freight pick up. You will leave it where UPS can find it. Otherwise, it goes in the trash. Vendor disclaimers are bogus.

Credit cards are a beautiful thing. They really give the buyer a lot of power. A good credit company will back the buyer, they value the business.

Please do not confuse a credit card with a "Visa" check card. Check cards are completely different from credit cards, just like writing a check, the money is gone. Absolutely no recourse if you are screwed. That is why they are being pushed so hard. Do not use them. Never pay for product by check.

Case-in-point. My wife lost $ 1000.00+ to Eastern Airlines back when $1000.00 was a lot of money. She paid for flights with a check. Eastern went under. Money was GONE. Credit cards, naturally, were covered from bankruptcy.

jocko

Also: Credit card issuers make a lot of money, even from users who rarely carry a balance. They charge vendors 1-2% on every charge. A heavy credit user can generate a lot of money for the bank. On balance, the vendor needs Visa a lot more than the buyer and pays dearly for it.