I was wondering if anyone else out there interpreted the Settlement Agreement for this lawsuit to mean that Wal-Mart can deny all debit M/C transactions? I know the original intent was to deny signature-based transactions. Have you heard of Wal-Mart denying any transactions?

Also, has anyone heard if this effects Visa too?

I believe WalMart has reached an agreement with Visa to continue accepting Visa debit cards. As for MC, WalMart has discontinued accepting signature based transactions (at least in this area.) PIN based transactions (which are processed by your ATM processor, not MC) are still a go, even if they are done with the same card. Similarly, MC credit card transactions still work.

Walmart won't be denying check cards any time soon.
Take a look at your interchange fee schedule for this year, against year. For VISA, last year there were ony a few catagories. This year there is an entire page of them. Different rates for large and small companies, grocery stores, hotels, car rentals, small ticket, large ticket - you name it.
Stores with huge volume sales get the best rates (Guess who tops the list) with an overall drop of 25-30% or so from last year. You've propapbly already seen the drop in interchange income to your institution.

The bottom line is, everyone will probably still take check cards - you will just get a smaller piece of the interchange pie.

Wal-Mart Announces It Will No Longer Accept MasterCard Signature Debit Card

One more reason why I won't be shopping at Wal-Mart. And for those Debit MasterCard customers whose banks charge them for using the PIN based transaction in stores and don't charge them for the signature based transactions, I guess THEIR cost for shopping at Wal-Mart just went up.

Opps - we offer VISA cards (debit cards) - not MC, so I wasn't aware of cut off. I guess Walmart figures that they make enough without bowing to MC.
Hmmm, still not used to the lower interchange fees, though.

I'm having trouble with the link? Is there another way to get to the site?

Go to walmart.com
Scroll to the bottom, click on store info
Click on News Releases then General News
Click on 2003 and it is the upper most release (link)

They handed me a register generated form of why I wouldn't be able to use my MC debit card for a credit transaction. They must have started about the 15th of Feb in this area. I could use it as a debit transaction. The checker had no idea why it wouldn't work she just knew to hand me the piece of paper and ask if it was a MC debit card.