Contactless Cards Proving To Be More Paymentless Than Contactless
Written by Evan SchumanFebruary 22nd, 2008
Contactless cards—which have been pushing accelerated checkout as both a consumer and retail benefit—are running into isolated problems with both. I've been trying to disprove these concerns and have been failing miserably.
Taking some cabs in New York City this month, I was thrilled to see the contactless devices in the backseat, only to be told by three different cabbies to not use them because customers were complaining about getting double-billed. This week, visiting three different grocery chains in New Jersey, tried unsuccessfully to use my contactless card there. The first time, a cashier looked at me as I asked about using my contactless card.
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2 Comments | Read Contactless Cards Proving To Be More Paymentless Than Contactless
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February 22nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
I live in New York. In 30 years I don’t believe I’ve ever been in the same taxi cab, no less seen the same taxi cab driver twice.
How would three cabbies know their customers were double billed ? Credit card processors do not go to the terminal operator when there is a duplicate charge with the same timestamp and reference number.
I believe you’re taking a story that is circulating because cabbies do not want to accept credit cards of any type. Cabbies want good old American cash and they don’t want to pay credit card fees. Has nothing to do with contactless. But the City is ‘requiring’ cabs to accept credit cards and have GPS installed.
AS to issuance of contactless cards, you’re absolutely correct.
If I’ve received a contactless card from Chase, CitiBank, Discover, Bank of America or Amex none of them bothered to tell me the card is contactless.
How does a consumer validate a card is contactless without looking like a fool at CVS ?
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Editor’s Note: Thanks for the comment. As for the cabbie, you’re right that the processors wouldn’t go back to the cab company, but the consumer–seeing it–would likely call the cab company, so it seems plausible.
As the piece noted, it sounded as though it might have been cabbies discouraging contactless, but they all suggested using the card outright. If the cabbies wanted to discourage credit cards, they didn’t try.
As for the card identification, the cards should have a wireless icon on them, but it blends in, looking like just another logo.