Sandra Andina1
Level 1 (70 points)

Q: “card not available” when using Apple Pay

For the second day in a row, I tried to use Apple Pay at the new Whole Foods in my ‘hood. I have one card registered to it, and have been able to make several Apple Pay purchases with it in Chicago, Vegas and even in Spain. When I brought up Passbook, touched my iPhone 6 to the Apple Pay terminal at Whole Foods yesterday and today and then put my finger on the phone’s fingerprint sensor, I got the same error message: “Traditional Gold Card not available” (with a circled exclamation point next to it). Huh? I used it successfully yesterday online and not half an hour earlier tonight in a restaurant (conventional swiper). The card is paid up and not overlimit. Whole Foods’ mgr. says they haven’t had any problems with anyone else using Apple Pay terminals.

 

What up?

iPhone 6, iOS 8.3

Posted on Apr 30, 2015 8:57 PM

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Sandra Andina1

Q: “card not available” when using Apple Pay

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  • by Baumer,

    Baumer Baumer Apr 30, 2015 9:52 PM in response to Sandra Andina1
    Level 1 (100 points)
    Apr 30, 2015 9:52 PM in response to Sandra Andina1

    Does it say anything interesting in the Passbook app, itself?  You may have to delete and re-add the card.

  • by Sandra Andina1,

    Sandra Andina1 Sandra Andina1 Apr 30, 2015 10:38 PM in response to Baumer
    Level 1 (70 points)
    Apr 30, 2015 10:38 PM in response to Baumer

    There is no indication of anything amiss in the Passbook app itself--I called AmEx and they verified my card is currently paid up, valid, and registered with and activated for use in Apple Pay. (In fact, I used it with Apple Pay at another Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago).  The customer svce. rep says the problem could be due to this particular Whole Foods store having opened just yesterday, and that the reason no other customers or cashiers there reported problems using Apple Pay could be that they were using debit cards or credit cards other than American Express Gold. He advised me not to delete the Gold card unless I hear otherwise from AmEx, and he opened an “incident report” to see if other Whole Foods stores have suddenly started reporting problems with AmEx cards, Gold or otherwise.  To be on the safe side, I added a couple more cards.