CHRISTMAS CHAOS: Thousands of Westpac Customers Left High and Dry as EFTPOS Outage Wreaks Havoc on Peak Trading Day
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- More than 3000 customers report EFTPOS outage, crippling businesses and leaving shoppers stranded
- Westpac website confirms merchant systems degraded, EFTPOS terminals and online eCommerce platforms hit with intermittent issues
In a devastating blow to businesses and shoppers alike, Westpac’s EFTPOS system has crashed, leaving thousands of customers in the lurch on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
The outage, which began shortly after 12:30pm on Wednesday, has sparked widespread frustration, with more than 3000 customers reporting issues accessing banking services.
A Westpac spokesperson admitted that the bank was aware of the problem, saying: “We’re working to restore services as quickly as possible and apologise to customers for the inconvenience.”
But for many businesses, the apology may come too little, too late. With peak Christmas trade in full swing, the EFTPOS outage has brought sales to a grinding halt.
One customer took to social media to express their dismay, saying: “It’s down at my company as well, so we can’t do any sales.”
Retail customers have also been hit hard, with many reporting that their cards are declining and they are unable to access their bank services.
A message on Westpac’s phone line confirmed the extent of the problem, with a representative saying: “We are aware of certain issues impacting merchant terminals. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Meanwhile, DownDetector reported that more than 1000 customers experienced issues around 1pm, with the number expected to rise as the day wears on.
Fortunately, NAB and Commonwealth Bank operations remain unaffected, but for Westpac customers, the wait for a resolution continues.
As one customer tweeted: “It’s peak Christmas trade and we need a fast response. Can’t believe Westpac has let us down like this.”
Investigations are underway, but for now, Westpac customers are left to wonder when they’ll be able to access their cash again.
Westpac’s website offers a glimmer of hope, stating: “We hope to have you back up and running as soon as possible.”