Cranky Customer

You don't say in the article which browser you are using. I had a problem with a couple of website's ecommerce pages and Firefox. When I go to the same site with IE, it goes thru fine. Don't make any sense, but there you go.

I am using Firefox, it's true. However since the customer service representative had the exact same problem, even after taking my credit card information verbally, I don't think it's browser related.

I have seen problems happen with computer programs that create an error message that is not releated to the acutal problem. While I can see that this may happen inadvertantly it is not good customer service. As much as possible programs should catch problems like this and give a correct error message.

A colleague of mine recently had the same issue. It appears to be related to the fact that Expedia have changed the way that they process billing addresses.

His billing address is outside of the US, so in the past he had to massage his address into the US-only format.
However, when he came to book flights this time, there was an international address option, which he dutifully clicked. This had an entry for a unit or flat number (which his address contains).

He then got the failed credit card issue. He reattempted with the previous method of massaging the address into the US style. Again, no luck.

He also booked his tickets elsewhere (for a small saving and a great inconvenience).

Based on my experience caring and feeding our in-house (and home-grown) credit card processing system, I'm surprised that they can't just look it up and see exactly what error it's returning and go from there.

If it's a problem on the credit card cartel's side, I have to admit that they give excellent error codes and make it fairly easy to understand what's going on. If it's on the local side, it should be easy enough for someone to get in there, ripping and tearing, to figure out the issue.

Companies are usually pretty aware that it's much harder to get new customers than retain old ones.

Oh, the 'outside-the-US billing address' problem. That's a big PITA. I've got an APO address, which usually translates to a US address, but my credit card company helpfully has my German phone # on file. Nobody likes that combo.

I have used Expedia for all business and personal travel. I own a small business, travel includes trips to China and Austraila, as well as cross country.

I recently booked a weekend get-away, immediately realized it was for the wrong weekend and called the 800 number to change the dates.

I was told there would be a $25 fee. I explained that my original reservation was minutes old, that I spent a lot of money with Expedia, and they were about to lose my business over $25.

She noted that she would pass that information along.

Needless to say the $25 showed up on my credit card statement and Travelocity got a new client.

We used to have a recurring problem when trying to pay our AT&T Wireless bill online (long before they became Cingular). Back then, they only took credit/debit cards, no direct bank withdrawals. So we'd enter the debit card info, submit, and get an error back saying the card was declined. Try again, several times, double-checking the info... same thing over and over again. Strangely enough, though, when we'd finally give up and go log in to the bank, there was every attempt, in the pending section, indicating that each attempt was actually approved, and now all our available funds have been drained for the next 24-72 hours until the authorizations expire...

Hey, the same thing happened to me last week! I'm a U.S. address using Netscape 7 (I know, I know) and had a Visa card denied. I then went through the hassle of rebooking (on IE) with a MasterCard which, thankfully, worked.

I wouldn't have bothered at all except that it was a ticket for an out-of-town family member who is set up to manage their travel in Expedia.

As for me, it's the first and last time I'll bother with Expedia -- especially after hearing I'm not the only one with these troubles.

My wife was just recently trying to schedule a trip to California (taking our boys to Disneyland!) and we had everything laid out in Expedia. We had scheduled the flights, the car, tickets to Disney and other locations, etc. (We found the hotel and booked it seperately.)

We got our tax refund, my wife went to confirm the reservation... and the flights were "all booked." The reservations had little quirks in them, which made her think that something was wrong with the reservation.

She went to Travelocity, and the exact same flights were available for the exact same price. Sigh!!

Expedia falls into the "too big, too fast" bucket, I think.