In message , at 23:36:53 on Sat, 25 Feb
2012, Adam H. Kerman remarked:
I routinely spend amounts of the order of a thousand dollars at
retailers by Chip and PIN card, and it's a one-shot process.

If that's true, then I suspect your credit limit is stored on the card.

It isn't. What you have to accept is that things are done differently in
USA vs the rest of the world.

No, I don't believe that your purchases aren't getting authorizations, sorry.
The account has to be verified as active and that your available credit
is sufficient for the transaction. It's basic fraud fighting.

They are getting authorised, but by C&P, not by the "two step process"
you were speculating about.
--
Roland Perry