Archive for July, 2010

Shopping online is easy and generally secure, but using your debit card online can result in account balance issues and less protection against fraud. We do not want to discourage you from shopping with your check card, but we do want you to be aware of how your card works.

At CampusEmporium.com we do not actually charge you until we are ready to ship your order. However, we do place an authorization hold on your account to verify that you have enough money to pay for your order. When using a credit card, you almost never see this occur. Debit cards are different. If you monitor your account online you can see these holds and they can remain on your account for up to 5 days. Therefore you must be sure you have enough money in your account to cover both amounts while the authorization is in place. For this same reason, prepaid gift cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) will often be declined, as the authorization temporarily maxes out the card.

What is an authorization hold?

Pre-authorization is the practice within the banking industry of authorizing electronic transactions done with a debit card and holding this balance as unavailable either until the merchant finalizes the transaction or the hold “falls off.” Authorization holds can fall off the account (thus making the funds available again) anywhere from 1–5 days after the transaction date depending on your bank’s policy.

“Non-PIN based” debit card transactions, like on CampusEmporium.com, are a two-step process, consisting of an authorization and a settlement (charge).

When you submit your order, our system connects to our credit card processor, which verifies that your account is valid and has sufficient funds to cover the amount of the order. At this step, the funds are “held” and deducted from your balance but are not yet transferred to us. At the end of the day, when we know your order is complete and ready to ship, we submit the final charge amount to the bank. At this point the funds are truly removed from your account.

This process often looks like a double charge. On your online statement you may see two debits from us for the same amount. At this time both amounts are unavailable to you, but one will drop off and one will be charged.
This process is not instantaneous: the transaction may not appear on your statement or online account for one to two days.

If you carry a low balance in your debit account OR do not have enough funds on your gift card to cover the authorization and charge, we recommend using a credit card for online shopping. The authorization process can result in overdraft issues on accounts with low balances. If you monitor your account online or rely on the ATM for your balance info, you may see the authorization appear then disappear, or see a balance higher than what it actually is. The actual charge may not post until a day or more after the authorization. If you have assumed you were not charged and spend that amount, you could incur overdraft charges. We are not responsible for any overdraft charges in this specific situation.

Multiple Authorizations

Occasionally, for security reasons or in error, a merchant may authorize your card twice, creating a double hold on your account. This most often happens when your billing information is out of date, mistyped, or does not match what your bank has on file. We must verify this information for your own security and to prevent card fraud, so this may happen after you place an order with CampusEmporium.com. Please type your information carefully and keep your information current with your bank.

Voided Transactions
If you order is canceled or your charge is voided, the authorization may remain on your account for a few days. If necessary and upon your request we can attempt to remove the hold. However, many banks do not allow us to do so. So in some cases a merchant may void a transaction, but the hold can remain on the account for a short time.

General Security Issues
Unfortunately debit card users are often not given the same protection and assistance as a credit card user. If you are a victim of card fraud or theft you may be held liable for most or all of the transactions. Sometimes you may have less time to report fraud- as little as 2 days for debit as opposed to up to 60 days with credit. At worst, if a thief gets your card and your PIN they can completely clean out your account, leaving you with no money and no recourse.

CampusEmporium.com goes to great lengths to keep your information secure- such as using 128-bit encryption at checkout– but we can’t guarantee you’ll be safe on other sites. Shop carefully with trusted sites and choose a PIN that is unique—PINs that use your birthday, 1234, 0000, etc. are very easy to guess.

However you choose to pay, we thank you for shopping with Campus Emporium. If you have any questions about this or anything else please call us at 540-552-1051 or 866-488-9327.

Summer has arrived in Blacksburg, and with it comes new students, great community events, and (mostly) beautiful weather. We at Campus Emporium want to make sure you have all the Hokie gear you need for a great summer.
With temperatures creeping into the 90’s, keeping cool is a must. Wearing lightweight and breathable clothing can help you beat the heat, like our VT Inferno Sleeveless Shirt for guys, or our adorable VT Ruffled Tank and Hokie Heart Tank for ladies.

Another great warm weather choice is Under Armour– its lightweight moisture transporting fabric keeps you dry, and some garments even offer UV protection. We’ve just received a shipment of Virginia Tech Under Armour Catalyst shirts, which are made from recycled water bottles! Hop over to our VT Under Armour shop to shop our latest men’s and women’s styles.

When dressing for the heat, don’t forget your feet! Keeping your feet cool can help you feel cool all over, so air out those piggies! We’ve got two great suggestions for you: our new VT Rhinestone Flip Flops and our insanely popular VT Piro Shoes. For men and women, Piro shoes offer super lightweight comfort and ventilation. A special mesh in the sole also prevents the growth of odor causing bacteria, keeping you feet fresh. After a summer of hitting the pavement, simply throw them in the washer to brighten them back up.

Although it’s important all year round, summer is definitely the time for protecting yourself from the sun. Wearing a hat, like one of our Virginia Tech Visors, and a pair of quality sunglasses is a great start to staying safe from the sun. The most effective form of protection is sunscreen. Doctors recommend you wear at least SPF 15 every day, but you should definitely increase your protection in the summer. Believe it or not, Campus Emporium’s got you covered there, too! We now carry small bottles of VT Sunscreen for summer festivals and game days so Hokies don’t go home with faces matching their shirts.

Our last bit of advice for beating the heat is to stay hydrated. Water is the best– add lemon if you need flavor– and drinking it cold can help lower your body temperature. Keep water handy all day long with our Virginia Tech Camelbak Water Bottle to help you remember to drink. CamelBaks are BPA free, spill-proof and dishwasher safe and feature an easy to use bite valve. They’re a little pricier than cheapo bargain bottles, but worth every penny.

Now that you’re ready for summer in Blacksburg, head out of the A/C for one of our great community events. On July 17th from 9-2 is Art At the Market, where local artists will be displaying and selling their artwork near our new Farmer’s Market. There will also be breakfast served– don’t miss it!
On August 6th and 7th is Steppin’ Out, our largest event of the year. Over 150 artists, crafters and countless food vendors flood the streets of downtown Blacksburg with amazing merchandise and munchies. This year is the event’s 30th anniversary, so it’s sure to be the biggest yet! T-Shirts are now available at select downtown merchants including Campus Emporium.