Using petrol station apps for fuel

[LeadFarmer]

For anyone using petrol station apps when filling their car with fuel…

I use the BP app when filling my car at petrol stations, makes it nice and easy, open the app and unlock the pump, fill up and drive off with payment linked to my credit card.

However, I’ve just had a letter and photo from Forecourt Eye (third party debt collector) stating I failed to pay for £67 of fuel back in April, plus their admin fee of £60 reduced to £30 if paid within a certain time.

I reckon my phone app disconnected during filling meaning I drove off without knowing payment hadn’t been taken. I’ve settled their invoice but got the admin fee reduced to £10 as in my mind it was the fault of the BP app, and they agreed. Perhaps there shouldn’t have been an admin fee at all under these circumstances?

So a warning to others who use these apps

[JakeT]

I prefer going into the shop for this reason, I’m a little particular. Always want a receipt, in case there’s any issue.

With phones being not allowed on the forecourt, do you have to do all of this in the car first?

[The Mad Monk]

JakeT said:

With phones being not allowed on the forecourt,

I think that was yesterday.

[DMG34]

I use the BPme app, few clicks before getting out of the car, fuel up, back into the car and a few clicks to finish.

Easy to see that payment is confirmed and you can always look back at your previous transactions should you need proof of payment.

[sleepezy]

JakeT said:

With phones being not allowed on the forecourt, do you have to do all of this in the car first?

Yes you do - led to a not that amusing episode the 1st time I used the BP app where I was standing by the pump wondering why it kept cutting out and me needing to reset the purchase, and the kiosk attendant was trying to wave to me to tell me to put the phone away (exacerbated by him thinking his PA system was working, which it wasn't so he couldn't work out why I wasn't paying attention to what he was telling me to do).

All resolved in the end - I gave up and paid in the shop at which point all became clearer. From then on I've stayed in the car until approved, and after until I'd received the payment confirmation which is pretty much instantaneous. In fact, mainly led to me going to the local Esso instead and doing it the old fashioned way.

[emperorburger]

This is an example where apps are an utter waste of time. We already have pay at pump, all they need to do is enable them for Apple/Google pay in order to make the process more efficient.

[Krikkit]

Is this starting to replace pay-at-pump? Majorly off-putting if so.

[Bennet]

I was all for it as an idea, but the Esso app just crashes on my iphone when I try to use it.

[jurbie]

The Shell app works quite well with a receipt emailed immediately if you need extra confirmation that payment went through.

The only thing I wonder about is how much it's costing the actual retailer, I was always under the impression that they wanted me to walk through the shop to be tempted by the endless crisps and chocolate because that's where they actually make their profit.

I guess Shell, BP and Esso don't make any money out of that side, just the franchise owner, so they don't care but I do worry that it's possibly costing the site owner something.

[deckster]

emperorburger said:

This is an example where apps are an utter waste of time. We already have pay at pump, all they need to do is enable them for Apple/Google pay in order to make the process more efficient.

Yes but there is no benefit to them in you paying that way. They want you to install their stty apps so that (a) they can harvest your personal info and push you "special offers", and (b) you will be more likely to use them than the competition. Same as all these loyalty schemes.

[GriffoDP]

I regularly use the Esso app on my bike. As soon as I have selected the £ 'amount' and clicked Next or whatnot, I get a pop-up from my bank app telling me that the 'amount' has been taken. Then I fill to around that and ride off knowing that the money was reserved at the start of the process. The settlement or refund or however it all works (i.e I say "max 40 please" and then get to £28, am 'owed' £12) comes back/gets balanced within a few days. Although I've stopped paying attention.

if the BP one doesn't reserve the amount with the bank first, I can see how that could cause issues.

[emperorburger]

Undoubtedly, it's a cheaper solution compared to upgrading pumps to provide them with PDQ functionality. There will always be an element of customers who will spend longer dicking around with an app rather than going in to the shop to pay for their fuel.

Maybe it's the points for the sherry glasses.

[biggles330d]

Don't get them myself. It's not as if it saves you from standing in the cold pumping fuel. Is it really that much of a hassle to go into the shop for a couple of minutes? Maybe I'm a Luddite, but I'm fed up of everyone going 'app' and trying to collect my data at every turn under the pretence that its somehow doing me a favour. The guys and girls in the pay booth can thank me for trying my best to ensure they keep their jobs. It's not as if getting rid of them would have any impact at all on the price of a litre.

[mmm-five]

I can't claim my expenses without a physical receipt, so don't use these apps.

The only thing that annoys me is when I'm filling up in the middle of the night at a pay-at-pump only site and then realise their printer is fooked/out of paper and can't get a receipt (yes, sometimes all pumps refuse to give receipts/reprints). Have to make sure I go back to the same garage some time in the next week to try to reprint one.

Luckily I need 3 out of every 4 receipts to cover my claimable mileage, so I can normally get away with it if I'm careful.

[emperorburger]

I doubt there is any scenario where one of these apps is going to be any quicker than pay at pump. Were they to introduce tap and pay it would simply highlight how cumbersome an app is for this use case.

[Limpet]

I really struggle to see any value whatsoever in using an app over pay-at-pump.

As we go electric we are going to be forced to register with multiple providers, download their apps and share a load of personal data just to be able to make good use of the fragmented public charging infrastructure.

Refuelling with a card or cash is something we're not going to be able to do for much longer. Enjoy it.

Edited by Limpet on Monday 6th December 12:40

[snotrag]

GriffoDP said:

if the BP one doesn't reserve the amount with the bank first, I can see how that could cause issues.

It does. What the Op suggests is not possible. No fuel comes out until a £99 payment has been pre-authorised and checked with your bank.


I know this as I use it every week and last week it wouldnt unlock because I was trying to use my old card, had to put the new card details in.

.

[carl_w]

LeadFarmer said:

I reckon my phone app disconnected during filling meaning I drove off without knowing payment hadn’t been taken. I’ve settled their invoice but got the admin fee reduced to £10 as in my mind it was the fault of the BP app, and they agreed. Perhaps there shouldn’t have been an admin fee at all under these circumstances?

Surely the app only needs to connect to authorize the pump? From then on they know who you are and have your card on file so they can bill you. Sounds like a poorly written app.

[Chubbyross]

I use the apps all the time, the Shell one being my favourite. To those who say there’s no point, it saves considerable time and saves the poor sods behind having to wait while you queue in the shop. I wish everybody used them and then garages can stop being shops. The number of times I’ve been stuck behind some idiot who’s decided to do the weekly grocery shopping before shuffling back to the car.

[Edinburger]

sleepezy said:

JakeT said:

With phones being not allowed on the forecourt, do you have to do all of this in the car first?

Yes you do - led to a not that amusing episode the 1st time I used the BP app where I was standing by the pump wondering why it kept cutting out and me needing to reset the purchase, and the kiosk attendant was trying to wave to me to tell me to put the phone away (exacerbated by him thinking his PA system was working, which it wasn't so he couldn't work out why I wasn't paying attention to what he was telling me to do).

All resolved in the end - I gave up and paid in the shop at which point all became clearer. From then on I've stayed in the car until approved, and after until I'd received the payment confirmation which is pretty much instantaneous. In fact, mainly led to me going to the local Esso instead and doing it the old fashioned way.

As far as I know, the only reason we're not allowed to use phones on the petrol station forecourt is in case a spark from your phone ignites any fuel.

Have you ever seen a spark from a mobile phone?!

if there's another reason, please tell me!