Because of that, it has changed the way credit cards are accepted. There are no more of those slider machines that take an imprint of your card. Increasingly the store clerk doesn’t even have to handle it, as you either slide the card yourself, tap it on a reader, or insert it in a chip reader. That is, unless you have decided to rely on mobile payments such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. This form of payment can be used both online or increasingly more and more at stores. Have you embraced mobile payments yet?
Our Opinion
Simon explains he’s been using an app that lets him purchase digital bus tickets to show when boarding, which means he makes constant use of Google Pay. “A great convenience for me!” Damien notes that while his country is quite technologically advanced, and a lot of retail shops are supporting both Apple Pay and Google Pay, he finds himself “quite reluctant to use it.” He finds it faster to “just tap my credit card for contactless payment.” Alex admits to using Apple Pay to some extent. There are two things that stop him from using it more. One is that “it can cause confusion with cashiers since it’s a less common payment method.” Secondly, because acceptance of Apple Pay isn’t universal, he still has to carry his wallet with his debit card. “Otherwise, I can still easily get caught out.”
Sayak only uses mobile payment apps on a need basis and keeps them disabled when they’re not in use. After he experienced a phone theft, he has been wary about carrying sensitive information on his phone. “Giving a thief access to a mobile payment app and one-time passwords on the same phone is like giving him the keys to your bank account.” He notes, too, that banks are forcing customers to use mobile apps, but he wonders what is wrong with doing the same transaction on a mobile browser. Fabio explains that when there’s an app that he really wants or needs he uses Google Pay but tries to use it as little as possible. Ryan adds that he would use mobile payments if he lived in the United States, noting that the banking system there is very fractured with many people using smaller, regional banks, which makes it harder for them to adopt newer technology. In Australia, it’s dominated by just a handful of companies, and that “allows new technologies to be embraced and put into practice nationwide very quickly.” He notes his debit card has “tap and go” functionality, allowing him to tap his card, not insert a PIN, and not sign, and that technology has been around for a number of years. So he doesn’t use Apple Pay, as it gives him little advantage. As Alex said, Apple Pay isn’t really universal. I sometimes see the Apple Pay logo but not always. Because of that, I use Apple Pay whenever I can online. But when I’m out and about, I insert my card in the chip reader. And I do live in the U.S. and have a debit card through a credit union that is very hard to work with because it often doesn’t have new technology as Ryan noted, yet am still able to not use a PIN and not sign, and I’ve done that for a number of years as well. Conversely, I’ll add my sister works for one of the largest banks in the U.S., and she does not use mobile payments, not even online.
Our Opinion
Do you just tap your card or insert it in a reader and find that’s easier than using Apple Pay or Google Pay? Or do you try to use mobile payments as much as possible, ignoring the debit card and/or credit card you have in your wallet? Have you embraced mobile payments yet? Join our conversation and add your thoughts in the comments.
