Major Retailers that Support NFC Payments

[The-Real-Deal82]

Most Americans do not care if a store accepts contactless or not in that the use of physical bank cards [credit cards, debit cards] for payment in stores of USA are high while the use of Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay with digital bank cards for payment is low in stores of USA.

But most bank cards today from the big banks of USA most have contactless feature.

Also most Amex credit cards and Discover credit cards of USA have contactless feature today.

I realise that but just don’t get how America is so far in the past compared to Europe and other continents in this regard. It’s rare to go into any establishment where I live and not be able to pay contactless, even street markets accept it. My wife used to do Christmas markets 8 years ago and had a contactless terminal linked to her iPhone for people to pay and it’s just been the norm here for years, well since it was rolled out from 2008. Interesting though.

 

[monstermash]

I realise that but just don’t get how America is so far in the past compared to Europe and other continents in this regard. It’s rare to go into any establishment where I live and not be able to pay contactless, even street markets accept it. My wife used to do Christmas markets 8 years ago and had a contactless terminal linked to her iPhone for people to pay and it’s just been the norm here for years, well since it was rolled out from 2008. Interesting though.

What you call "in the past" is simply "normal" somewhere else.

I could rattle off a whole list of stuff about other parts of the world that seems "in the past" or "weird" in some way.

Some stuff people simply don't care about. I venture a fair guess that I am FAR more of a techno nerd and credit card* nerd than the average person. Even so, even I could not care less if I stick my card in a reader or wave it in front of the reader, or even give it to the clerk to swap through a machine. It's a the same difference to me.

What WOULD piss me off is if I have to enter a PIN. I would just find that completely unacceptable.


* example of credit card nerd: between my wife and I, we have 17 credit cards with a total combined limit over $500K

 

[michaelsanchez0027]

I realise that but just don’t get how America is so far in the past compared to Europe and other continents in this regard. It’s rare to go into any establishment where I live and not be able to pay contactless, even street markets accept it. My wife used to do Christmas markets 8 years ago and had a contactless terminal linked to her iPhone for people to pay and it’s just been the norm here for years, well since it was rolled out from 2008. Interesting though.

There are differences in how European countries use cash and card contactless payments.

In UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Nordic countries, contactless card payments are everywhere in stores and small businesses.

In Germany, Austria, Spain, and Portugal, you will find some small stores and small businesses that are cash only.

I read online that some Christmas markets of Germany and Austria are cash only.

 

[monstermash]

Last time I was in Germany, I had a retailer refuse my credit card because the number was on the back instead of the front. How much more backward can you get than that?

I'm sure they assumed I would just pay cash. Nope. Just walked away and bought elsewhere.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

What you call "in the past" is simply "normal" somewhere else.

I could rattle off a whole list of stuff about other parts of the world that seems "in the past" or "weird" in some way.

Some stuff people simply don't care about. I venture a fair guess that I am FAR more of a techno nerd and credit card* nerd than the average person. Even so, even I could not care less if I stick my card in a reader or wave it in front of the reader, or even give it to the clerk to swap through a machine. It's a the same difference to me.

What WOULD piss me off is if I have to enter a PIN. I would just find that completely unacceptable.


* example of credit card nerd: between my wife and I, we have 17 credit cards with a total combined limit over $500K

I suppose I mean in the past compared to what I am used to and have been for a long time. I haven't swiped a card through a machine for probably 15 years and that was in the days when a cashier would ask you to sign a receipt. Most larger stores now have fewer cashiers too which I don't think is a good thing as it puts people out of jobs. They have been replaced by self serve check outs at a scale of 10/1.

I don't have a need for 17 credit cards though, that sounds quite extreme. I have maybe 2 and my wife has a couple as well but they are usually used for online purchasing for the security element and paid off immediately, I don't need loans generally anymore.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

There are differences in how European countries use cash and card contactless payments.

In UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Nordic countries, contactless card payments are everywhere in stores and small businesses.

In Germany, Austria, Spain, and Portugal, you will find some small stores and small businesses that are cash only.

I read online that some Christmas markets of Germany and Austria are cash only.

Germany can be a strange one for things like that and Spain too, although my visits are usually cashless as I go to places where I can pay via card or Apple Pay usually. The Netherlands is a lot like the UK in terms of banking and how they handle payments and its somewhere I visit a lot as I work for a Dutch/German company. Always a rather seamless experience which is good.

 

[monstermash]

I suppose I mean in the past compared to what I am used to and have been for a long time. I haven't swiped a card through a machine for probably 15 years and that was in the days when a cashier would ask you to sign a receipt. Most larger stores now have fewer cashiers too which I don't think is a good thing as it puts people out of jobs. They have been replaced by self serve check outs at a scale of 10/1.

I don't have a need for 17 credit cards though, that sounds quite extreme. I have maybe 2 and my wife has a couple as well but they are usually used for online purchasing for the security element and paid off immediately, I don't need loans generally anymore.

I don't have a need for all those cards either. It's not like we carry a balance.

I do play the credit card sign-up and points game though. It results in several thousand dollars/year in benefits for spending money I am going to spend anyway.

For example....I just priced out tickets to London at Christmas. For three, it's about $4500. Ouch!! However, I can also get there for 120,000 points and $15 or so. Those are bonus points for signing for 2 cards (with points left over). If I decide to get those tickets, that's like getting $4500 for doing practically nothing!

That's how we end up with so many cards (;

I do cancel them once in a while, otherwise we would have a whole lot more. On my cancel soon list is one airline card and one hotel card.

 

[lartola]

The place where I really want contactless is at gas stations. They all still use chip readers and the incidence of card skimmers is too high. I would hope that the protocols for contactless transactions have more security than just readying the chip.

That’s because many of those readers on the pumps where cards are skimmed are actually magnetic stripe readers, not chip, even though you’re inserting the card. It’s a special kind of magstripe reader where upon inserting you push a button inside to activate the reader, then you’re swiping when you pull it back out.

 

[lartola]

I realise that but just don’t get how America is so far in the past compared to Europe and other continents in this regard. It’s rare to go into any establishment where I live and not be able to pay contactless, even street markets accept it. My wife used to do Christmas markets 8 years ago and had a contactless terminal linked to her iPhone for people to pay and it’s just been the norm here for years, well since it was rolled out from 2008. Interesting though.

It’s easy: they’re not as worried about security, so they prioritize their ease to record transactions over security, even if that means sticking to older technology or methods on the customer’s end. That’s why, for example, most businesses in america have an integrated POS, i.e., the card readers connected to the computer via USB, which is more complicated and costly to update and led to them accepting contactless or even chip much later. That’s also why many restaurants in the US still don’t have portable card readers and must take your card away as was done in the old days (portable card readers are often standalone, meaning the staff would need to charge the card and then record each payment manually in the system).

 

[lartola]

What WOULD piss me off is if I have to enter a PIN. I would just find that completely unacceptable.

I prefer a card with a pin over a card with no authentication whatsoever (which is what the US has done ever since the networks required to no longer use signatures). It makes it too easy for anyone to use a lost or stolen card, and while you might argue that you’re not responsible for fraudulent charges, dealing with the bank’s CS to report the card and/or fraudulent charges is often easier said than done. I’d rather avoid getting fraudulent charges on my card than to have them and rely on my bank to help me out.

 

[monstermash]

I prefer a card with a pin over a card with no authentication whatsoever (which is what the US has done ever since the networks required to no longer use signatures). It makes it too easy for anyone to use a lost or stolen card, and while you might argue that you’re not responsible for fraudulent charges, dealing with the bank’s CS to report the card and/or fraudulent charges is often easier said than done. I’d rather avoid getting fraudulent charges on my card than to have them and rely on my bank to help me out.

I'd prefer a card with no security at all rather than having to enter a pin.

Debit cards require a pin. That's one reason why I don't carry one.

I've had a few fraud charges I had to dispute. It's never been more than a trivial effort.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It’s easy: they’re not as worried about security, so they prioritize their ease to record transactions over security, even if that means sticking to older technology or methods on the customer’s end. That’s why, for example, most businesses in america have an integrated POS, i.e., the card readers connected to the computer via USB, which is more complicated and costly to update and led to them accepting contactless or even chip much later. That’s also why many restaurants in the US still don’t have portable card readers and must take your card away as was done in the old days (portable card readers are often standalone, meaning the staff would need to charge the card and then record each payment manually in the system).

Theres no way I’d let someone walk away with my card in this day and age, I’d be going with it to make sure it wasn’t being skimmed. I also can’t imagine going to a restaurant anymore and not being able to pay at the table with Apple Pay, I guess we are lucky elsewhere.

 

[lartola]

Theres no way I’d let someone walk away with my card in this day and age, I’d be going with it to make sure it wasn’t being skimmed. I also can’t imagine going to a restaurant anymore and not being able to pay at the table with Apple Pay, I guess we are lucky elsewhere.

Exactly. But americans are still ok with letting someone walk away with their card, just as monstermash is ok with a card with no security and finds using a pin unacceptable. I bet monstermash prefers to let the waiter/waitress walk away with his card and will find having the employee charge him at his table with a portable card reader unacceptable.

 

[monstermash]

Theres no way I’d let someone walk away with my card in this day and age, I’d be going with it to make sure it wasn’t being skimmed. I also can’t imagine going to a restaurant anymore and not being able to pay at the table with Apple Pay, I guess we are lucky elsewhere.

I hate it when they bring the stupid card reader to the table. Running the credit card shouldn't be my job as the customer.

 

[monstermash]

Exactly. But americans are still ok with letting someone walk away with their card, just as monstermash is ok with a card with no security and finds using a pin unacceptable. I bet monstermash prefers to let the waiter/waitress walk away with his card and will find having the employee charge him at his table with a portable card reader unacceptable.

Yes. Yes I do.

 

[lartola]

I hate it when they bring the stupid card reader to the table. Running the credit card shouldn't be my job as the customer.

It’s not, they actually do everything, not you. You just get to see what’s going on with your card. And you have the option to use your phone instead (apple pay, google wallet), which you don’t or at least becomes very difficult if they don’t bring the card reader to your table.

 

[tmiw]

It's still a few decades too late IMO but FWIW I am slowly seeing pay at the table more and more now (and at the places that still don't have it, more often than not they'll tap my card for me instead of inserting it). I would think if pay at the table was really something not wanted by American customers, no restaurant would be bothering to spend the extra money.

Also, with Home Depot finally starting to enable tap, it's basically everywhere we go to now for all intents and purposes. I'm fine with needing to insert just at Walmart the 2-3x/year we have to spend money there or whatever.

 

[russell_314]

I'd prefer a card with no security at all rather than having to enter a pin.

Debit cards require a pin. That's one reason why I don't carry one.

I've had a few fraud charges I had to dispute. It's never been more than a trivial effort.

The answer to this is Apple Pay or whatever contactless payment your preferred device supports. You never have to enter a PIN (for credit) and if you lose your “cards”, no one can even see them much less use them.

What annoys me is if you use a debit card with Apple Pay, some places require the PIN to be entered. This really isn’t a big issue for me because I rarely use a debit card. There are just so many advantages for using a credit card.

 

[russell_314]

Also, with Home Depot finally starting to enable tap, it's basically everywhere we go to now for all intents and purposes. I'm fine with needing to insert just at Walmart the 2-3x/year we have to spend money there or whatever.

It’s nice to see things in the USA moving into the 21st century. I Avoid Walmart unless I absolutely need something that I can’t get somewhere else. if there’s an alternative store, I will go there even if it is more expensive. Besides, it’s better to support a smaller business than a mega corporation like Walmart. Not against mega corporations but we need to make sure they at least have some competition.

 

[lartola]

It's still a few decades too late IMO but FWIW I am slowly seeing pay at the table more and more now (and at the places that still don't have it, more often than not they'll tap my card for me instead of inserting it). I would think if pay at the table was really something not wanted by American customers, no restaurant would be bothering to spend the extra money.

Also, with Home Depot finally starting to enable tap, it's basically everywhere we go to now for all intents and purposes. I'm fine with needing to insert just at Walmart the 2-3x/year we have to spend money there or whatever.

It was certainly something not considered necessary by restaurant owners for years, despite that it was already in use in the whole world except the USA, until now. Likely because more people want to use mobile wallets and the restaurants not having pay at the table impairs them from doing that.

 

[Tagbert]

Theres no way I’d let someone walk away with my card in this day and age, I’d be going with it to make sure it wasn’t being skimmed. I also can’t imagine going to a restaurant anymore and not being able to pay at the table with Apple Pay, I guess we are lucky elsewhere.

Most restaurants in the US now bring payment terminals to the table or you go to the register to pay. It’s pretty rare for them to need to take it away anymore. Perhaps in a high end restaurant? I wouldn’t know.

Most retail businesses have switched to contact-enabled registers. Not everyone knows you can do that, though. The big chains grocery stores have also finally adopted NFC payments. Most of the remaining retail holdouts are some big chains like Home Depot and Walmart who seems to have delayed for their own reasons. With Walmart, they are trying to get people to pay using their QR-based payment app.

The other hold out is gas stations who seems stuck in the 90’s techwise. Even farmer’s markets have modern tech but Shell Gas can’t afford to update their payment terminal?

 

[garyjones027]

Theres no way I’d let someone walk away with my card in this day and age, I’d be going with it to make sure it wasn’t being skimmed. I also can’t imagine going to a restaurant anymore and not being able to pay at the table with Apple Pay, I guess we are lucky elsewhere.

If you want to use Apple Pay in restaurants of USA where they take your bank card, first make sure that the restaurant takes Apple Pay. Then, ask the server that you want to use Apple Pay to pay your bill. The server will take you to the card reader, where it is located in the front or the kitchen. You will receive the receipt there.

 

[StaceyMJ86]

When I go out to eat at restaurants that do not process payments at your table, I either use my Cash App card, or my PayPal debit card, since I transfer the exact amount I’m using, and lock my card, until the next time that I will be using it. I do not use my debit card for online or at gas stations anymore. I use Apple Pay wherever I can use it at.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

If you want to use Apple Pay in restaurants of USA where they take your bank card, first make sure that the restaurant takes Apple Pay. Then, ask the server that you want to use Apple Pay to pay your bill. The server will take you to the card reader, where it is located in the front or the kitchen. You will receive the receipt there.

Just like the 90’s but without the Apple Pay lol.

 

[lartola]

If you want to use Apple Pay in restaurants of USA where they take your bank card, first make sure that the restaurant takes Apple Pay. Then, ask the server that you want to use Apple Pay to pay your bill. The server will take you to the card reader, where it is located in the front or the kitchen. You will receive the receipt there.

Which defeats the purpose of using Apple Pay.