Using phone to make payments

[otherclive]

At times I used to catch the bus into work. Never ceased to surprise me how many times it would arrive at a stop and as they got on ladies of a certain age would then open their handbag to get their purse out. Then being “ helpful” to the driver would rummage through it to give the driver the exact fee if that was even possible. It wasn’t as if the bus arriving was a surprise event.

 

[Beachball]

Well I am hoping my debit card works because we having a meal at a Pub this weekend to celebrate a special day but for backup my wife been putting money in a jar .

 

[Buckman]

You missed a bit there Andy - the shopper that carries the scan gun, meticulously puts every item neatly into the bags in the trolley and then gets to the checkout and it picks that person for a re-scan. It happened to me on Monday - only mine was the rescan , that after the damn gun stuck halfway round the store as well. Never again I tell you, never again!

Similar happened to us in Sainsburys using the phone to do a "Smartshop". Got to the till behind someone else. With Smartshop no need to unload trolley. However the lady behind us started off loading her stuff onto the conveyor belt.

When the person in front of us had finished we moved forward and scanned in our shopping, but at the same time the till assistant moved the conveyor belt and before we could say anything she had started scanning the stuff behind us instead of waiting.

Took nearly half an hour to sort out the mess and everything had to be rescanned. using Smartshop we saved about £4, but won't be using it again and go back to deliveries!

 

[Buckman]

Well I am hoping my debit card works because we having a meal at a Pub this weekend to celebrate a special day but for backup my wife been putting money in a jar .

Why wouldn't your debit card work?

 

[Beachball]

Why wouldn't your debit card work?

Some years ago we were away and for some reason it would not work and we ended going to our bank and they order me a new card still got the cash out .

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

I’ve been to Co-ops up and down the UK and they all seem to follow the same pattern; Queue the length of the shop and one till open. They only ever call for assistance when there is about ten people waiting. And don’t get me started on scratch cards….

 

[Buckman]

I’ve been to Co-ops up and down the UK and they all seem to follow the same pattern; Queue the length of the shop and one till open. They only ever call for assistance when there is about ten people waiting. And don’t get me started on scratch cards….

When we first came to England, Co-oP was the only supermarket in our town. Expensive and they loved seeing people queue 10 deep. Tesco opened opened in the next town about 6 miles away so a no brainer and we have not grace the floors of a Co-op since 1997 or thereabouts.

 

[Raywood]

I have never trusted the phone for payments and so far have never had a problem using cards or cash. Generally people have not caused me a problem when they are ahead of me in a queue any more than those using cards or cash.

 

[Jcloughie]

I've never used any of the pay-by-phone methods, although I see plenty of people do it and it does seem to take a bit longer than contactless card - because whatever unlock method you use, you have to unlock your phone (face recognition, finger print or whatever), whereas a contactless card is ready to go as soon as it's out of your wallet, so one less action.

I don't particularly have anything against pay-by-phone, just haven't yet had a need for it.

But I agree with the comments about people to whom it comes as a constant surprise that they have to pay for the shopping - on a similar note I worked at a chip shop at weekends when I was in college, and an amazing number of people would queue for ages before their order was taken, then once they were at the front of the queue, only then would they start scanning the price list to decide what they wanted.

Equally amazing was the proportion of people who would spend what seemed like ages trying to decide what to have, then order exactly the same thing they'd ordered for the previous ten Saturdays.

I have not used the phone for contactless payment but only because I have not got the hang of it and cards are easy. But for security, it has to be better. All the benefits of contactless cards plus the added security your phone provides.

Regarding people being unprepared when deciding what they want. Some establishments ask for it. The menus or information is not clear until you get to the assistant. Then you have irritated people behind you. An example of this is MacDonalds drive throughs. We rarely use them, but when we reach the order point it is only then that the choice becomes visible. If we ask, for example, “what is the wrap of the day”. You can hear the assistant's frustration.

John

 

[otherclive]

I have not used the phone for contactless payment but only because I have not got the hang of it and cards are easy. But for security, it has to be better. All the benefits of contactless cards plus the added security your phone provides.

Regarding people being unprepared when deciding what they want. Some establishments ask for it. The menus or information is not clear until you get to the assistant. Then you have irritated people behind you. An example of this is MacDonalds drive throughs. We rarely use them, but when we reach the order point it is only then that the choice becomes visible. If we ask, for example, “what is the wrap of the day”. You can hear the assistant's frustration.

John

Went into Macdonalds in Chester last weekend. Decided against the drive thru for same reason as you. Got to counter and the large screen showing the offerings was scrolling between other screens advertising other stuff. So I went to one of the stand alone ordering stations. Very simple but after looking through it I still had what I always have….. Chicken Macsandwich, regular fries and double espresso.

 

[Challenger]

I now avoid those sort of service stations where it is also a Sainsbury, ASDA, Tesco etc outlet. Admittedly some have separate tills for fuel only, but they are very sparse on the ground.

I'm happy to use 'pay at pump' . at every opportunity.

 

[Gagakev]

Someone sitting not to far away from me doesn't like to carry around too much change in her purse. So there are times when we've got to the check out and the purse comes out and there's the scrabbling around for all the loose change to get rid of. At times there's not enough so it all goes back and the card comes out.

If you are behind us anytime I'm the one looking embarassed and I apologise.

I must have your OH's twin sister, Lego land shop in London at weekend she purchases two items for grand daughters, opens purse and starts counting the pennies out, oh my what are you doing...........
I'll meet you outside I say and off I went.

 

[Buckman]

I'm happy to use 'pay at pump' . at every opportunity.

If I could use pay at pump I would use it however I cannot use it as I have a fuel card.

 

[Beachball]

I'm happy to use 'pay at pump' . at every opportunity.

I am happy to pay at a pump but if my wife with me she will go in and pay cash

 

[GaryB]

All of our local car parks are now "pay by phone", even the mobile sandwich-van at work is cashless. I suppose those that still use cash are now falling into a minority? There was a discussion on the TV this morning about the decline in High Street banks that generated some interesting discussions!

 

[Raywood]

I am happy to pay at a pump but if my wife with me she will go in and pay cash

We use our Barclaycard that has double cash back on vehicle fuel. It is still not a lot but helps.

 

[Jcloughie]

There are some homeless people who are set up to accept instant cashless payments. It was reported on the TV, but that was in Bath. , There posh there!

John

 

[GaryB]

There are some homeless people who are set up to accept instant cashless payments. It was reported on the TV, but that was in Bath. , There posh there!

John

We were in York last year and saw buskers doing the same.

 

[otherclive]

There are some homeless people who are set up to accept instant cashless payments. It was reported on the TV, but that was in Bath. , There posh there!

John

We lived outside Bath in Bradford on Avon and one Big Issue seller could take card payments. I don’t see it as a problem particularly as they can’t then get mugged and a days takings stolen.

 

[J.Lo]

If it is so fast, why do we always seem to end up behind someone whose phone will not process this transaction and they have to use a card anyway? Very annoying for those luddites in the queue behind them!

I’m 83 and been using my Apple Pay for 5 years or more since my cards were stolen and used contactless. My phone works as fast as a card, never any problems and the safety is you’ll need my thumbprint to use it.