We just got replacement cards for our last
embossed credit card.
Decades ago the raised numerals were used to make imprints with carbon (later carbonless) paper charge slips.
Fault tolerant: no electricity, no Wi-Fi? No problem.
It used to be easier to hop on a plane than to get on a Greyhound bus. Just walk straight onto an
Eastern shuttle, grab a seat, and wait for the flight attendant (dare I say stewardess?) come by rolling a cart with a credit card machine. Click clack.
Does anyone sign the back of credit cards these days?
Comments
I don't like flat cards. They tend to stick together, and if I am not careful, another card comes out with it. This doesn't happen with embossed cards. So, embossing was good after all, beyond the carbon paper that disappeared years ago.
On the upside, I have used expired metal cards as ice scrapers, so there's that.
ISTM we wrote in the amounts by hand. Customer signed. The business kept the more rigid top (bottom?) copy and a thin paper carbon copy went to the customer.
BTW - Service was superior. We pumped the gas, washed the windshield, checked the engine oil. At the customer’s request we checked the air pressure in all 4 tires and added air when needed. All for free. And the gas price was normally between 30-35 cents a gallon.
Thank you for the reply.
Executing 7-12 debit card transactions per month was a requirement.
As you mentioned, credit cards provide much stronger consumer protections.
Now I only use a single debit card to make infrequent ATM withdrawals from my credit union.
I never signed the back of the credit cards and so did not know that the new ones do not require you to sign.
Thanks for highlighting that the new ones are metal and can not be cut to dispose off.
If it works, I won't take the tin snips to it immediately to test its indestructability
1) I never used debit cards, a few showed up many years ago and I just cut them up immediately. CC have better protection = end of story.
2) I got/replaced/opened several CC, including this week, none is made out of metal because I just cut one of the new ones I got. They sent me 2 by mistake.
I don't own frequent flyer/travel/foodie cards and never will.
3) I never signed any CC because no merchant ever denied them.
4) Sure, I get chip malfunction rarely, but after one try I swipe and it passes. Lately tapping works in more places. Wait, lately, I have used Wallet (replaced Google Pay).
5) In Europe, in several countries in the last 2-3 years, Google Pay works everywhere, I don't need to show my CC. Even when I couldn't use Google Pay, tapping can be used everywhere. I don't like to give my CC to anyone, as they do in the US. I prefer the merchant to use a small machine and bring it to me for tapping.
In 2022-3 we were in several countries in the UK and I never used my CC even once, even the public transportation in London accepted Google Pay, what a pleasure.
6) I have been using my CC everywhere, even to charge $1, I hate coins + I get cash back.
7) I use ATM, the worldwide Schwab one. Schwab pays me back all the fees by the end of each month, but I hardly take out cash anymore.
Yes, I know, that technology is a a challenge for some. I made mistakes too but try to learn quickly. It took me several times to get the tapping placement thing right because the placement wasn't the same.
OK, what bothers you next?...maybe your new TV setup?...mmm...technology again.
I play Bridge with people in their 80-90s. The ones that hate technology and refuse to learn, keep suffering and complaining. The ones that learn it are happier.
You can't run away from it. The old way is dying quickly, in most cases, you pay much more.
Call it The Human Condition? Original Sin? No matter; a rose by any other name... And no one in a position to get things back on track (CEOs, elected officials, etc.) will admit that things don't have to be this way, either. This ethical element is just never, ever spoken about.
Although there is a single family membership, but 2 or more membership cards issued are really different and unlinked subaccounts - different logins and order histories. And each time you replace a membership card (because it stops working regularly at gas pumps or checkouts), that is a new subaccount (so, the old order histories are gone, and not carried over).
Recently, I wanted to replace my Sam's member card because it often required multiple tries at Sam's gas pump. The Rep at Customer Service said to just use "Scan-and-Go" from phone app at pump as I use it in the store. I said that I wanted a new membership card anyway. And the Rep reluctantly did that.
Big mistake!
All my Sam's setups were gone/locked because the member card was "reported missing or stolen". And I couldn't reestablish new login until I called the 800 number to remove the block. Then, I could set it up again on my PC and phone app.
Since then, I also tried Sam's phone app "Scan-and-Go" at gas pump and it works like a charm.
I used to pay $1.5 per minute calling abroad, I have used WhatsApp for years paying nothing. Sure, sometimes it's not clear but it's FREE.
Google Maps gives you driving, walking, and public transportation for FREE. Yes, I know Google also gets the info they need to make money, but you have a choice. 40 years ago, you had no choices.
I like choices. Maybe you prefer to drive downtown to city hall, use gas, pay for parking, and pay your bill with cash, and spend 1-2 hours. I prefer paying online in one minute.
Sure, I don't like state/gov bureaucracy, I would fire tomorrow at least 20% of them.
A city near us did just that. They hired private companies to do a lot of stuff and that saved them a lot of money.