First Direct and Contactless

Herbalus

Well yes, but then visa wouldn't have a business, I wouldn't get cashback, and the problem would be transferred to theft of cash. I think I prefer cards!

SuperHan

Herbalus wrote: »

Well yes, but then visa wouldn't have a business, I wouldn't get cashback, and the problem would be transferred to theft of cash. I think I prefer cards!

Oh, me too! And I've gone out of my way to get contactless ! I'm just struggling to understand the anti contactless argument...

username

SuperHan wrote: »

Oh, me too! And I've gone out of my way to get contactless ! I'm just struggling to understand the anti contactless argument...

I think it's because people fear what they don't know, and certain tabloids go out of their way to whip up people into a frenzy about nothing.

Plus, also, there also appears to be poor knowledge amongst staff in shops and moreso in pubs/bars about contactless on their stand alone card machines - they default to pin transaction (through rote most likely) when contactless could be quicker.

Personally I think contactless is a useful invention - much quicker to pay for small items in Tesco, drinks in bars and meals at restaurants - I rarely used cash before and it was a ballache to pay by pin as some of the machines had to dialup/authorise with the bank, which even on modern machines takes around 5-10 seconds. Now it's just tap and go.

Perhaps they need to make contactless the default way of paying when the items are below a certain value to drive usage?

Herbalus

username wrote: »

Perhaps they need to make contactless the default way of paying when the items are below a certain value to drive usage?

It'll be a gradual, organic roll out as more shops get the tech and people get used to paying with them. London is way ahead of other parts of the country, some of which are not even being sent contactless cards by default.

dr_adidas01

Herbalus wrote: »

It'll be a gradual, organic roll out as more shops get the tech and people get used to paying with them. London is way ahead of other parts of the country, some of which are not even being sent contactless cards by default.

I'm not sure London is way ahead when it comes to paying with contactless cards.

Sure its way ahead with its oystercard travel system, something I wish they would use here in Manchester as it would make traveling on public transport so much easier.

I've been to a few places in London that had no idea about contactless payments even though there terminal could clearly accept the option.

Londoners like to think there the centre of the UK and lead and every part of the UK follows, which simply isn't true.

Hominu

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

I'm not sure London is way ahead when it comes to paying with contactless cards.

Although the tabloids are now saying that London is way ahead is poisoning everyone with diesel fumes.

bigsy

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

Sure its way ahead with its oystercard travel system, something I wish they would use here in Manchester as it would make traveling on public transport so much easier.

"Millions of London Underground passengers will soon be able to ditch their Oyster cards and gain access to the tube network using only their bank card."

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/jul/25/contactless-bank-cards-replace-oyster

Herbalus

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

I'm not sure London is way ahead when it comes to paying with contactless cards.

Londoners like to think there the centre of the UK and lead and every part of the UK follows, which simply isn't true.

I wouldn't know - I live in the south west. London is a big city adventure from little old Devon, and it's way ahead of us.

It's a matter of investment. In Devon many of the large chains (Tesco for one) haven't upgraded their terminals yet so contactless isn't an option - and indeed, why should they replace functioning terminals so I can buy milk more quickly??

username

Herbalus wrote: »

I wouldn't know - I live in the south west. London is a big city adventure from little old Devon, and it's way ahead of us.

It's a matter of investment. In Devon many of the large chains (Tesco for one) haven't upgraded their terminals yet so contactless isn't an option - and indeed, why should they replace functioning terminals so I can buy milk more quickly??

The Tesco contactless is apparently a pilot in London and M25 area, no doubt it will be rolled out to the rest of the country in time.

It's in Tesco's benefit to get people through the checkouts quicker. If they can shave 10 seconds off the transaction time, then it means it's less time people have to wait, and therefore less potential for them to abandon the queue and go elsewhere. Plus also you'll be able to an increased throughput = potentially more sales?

In America I noticed in Starbucks when you pay by card it's literally swipe and go, they don't ask you to sign anything.

Whereas in England (back in the day when they had the old pin machines with the receipt printer that were dog slow) the wait was longer, as the thing had to dialup and authorise, thus causing a backlog in the queue.