topic Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards? in SmorgasBoard

Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 20:03:56 GMT

So I got my new Active Cash card in the mail after doing a product change from a Cash Wise and wow does it feeel cheap.. Feels like the REDcard and debit card I have as well. Parents cards are the same as well. Seems like over time the numbers can easily wear off or pick up smuge marks.

I know it doesn't affect them at all but just a personal opinion? It seems the old plastic design that has been around for years was fine. Not sure why they changed it.

Anybody else notice this trend of issuers switching to these cheap cards?

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 20:18:29 GMT

There's no need for a more robust card anymore as swiping is disappearing. Chip, tap, and mobile payments mean they can cut cost in this area. If you're a fan of the environment, it's also better for it.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 20:39:45 GMT

@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
There's no need for a more robust card anymore as swiping is disappearing. Chip, tap, and mobile payments mean they can cut cost in this area. If you're a fan of the environment, it's also better for it.

Hum, This is true. I didn't think about that. I do like this environment.

NFC honestly all around is better for cards and the terminals. No physical abrasion wearing stuff out.

Wish Apple Pay or Google Pay would support the REDcard. Not sure why it doesn't right now and they instead want you to instead use their app. Maybe the Target REDcard MC works with Google and Apple pay?

I wonder down the road if phsycial cards could become optional and you have to request them. We're not quite there yet...

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

iced — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 12:56:45 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
There's no need for a more robust card anymore as swiping is disappearing. Chip, tap, and mobile payments mean they can cut cost in this area. If you're a fan of the environment, it's also better for it.
Hum, This is true. I didn't think about that. I do like this environment.

NFC honestly all around is better for cards and the terminals. No physical abrasion wearing stuff out.

Wish Apple Pay or Google Pay would support the REDcard. Not sure why it doesn't right now and they instead want you to instead use their app. Maybe the Target REDcard MC works with Google and Apple pay?

I wonder down the road if phsycial cards could become optional and you have to request them. We're not quite there yet...

We're not that far off from all digital, either.

At any rate, what a card looks or feels like is irrelevant. It's the account behind it that matters to the merchants.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:16:51 GMT

@iced wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
There's no need for a more robust card anymore as swiping is disappearing. Chip, tap, and mobile payments mean they can cut cost in this area. If you're a fan of the environment, it's also better for it.
Hum, This is true. I didn't think about that. I do like this environment.

NFC honestly all around is better for cards and the terminals. No physical abrasion wearing stuff out.

Wish Apple Pay or Google Pay would support the REDcard. Not sure why it doesn't right now and they instead want you to instead use their app. Maybe the Target REDcard MC works with Google and Apple pay?

I wonder down the road if phsycial cards could become optional and you have to request them. We're not quite there yet...
We're not that far off from all digital, either.

At any rate, what a card looks or feels like is irrelevant. It's the account behind it that matters to the merchants.

Yeah, Many people own NFC enabled phones.

I wonder if any issuer right now allows you somehow to add a card to your Apple or Google Pay wallets right after approval without the physical card in hand? With some temp credit limits I would figure until a period of time passes.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

iced — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:31:56 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Yeah, Many people own NFC enabled phones.

I wonder if any issuer right now allows you somehow to add a card to your Apple or Google Pay wallets right after approval without the physical card in hand? With some temp credit limits I would figure until a period of time passes.

Yes. I used my American Express Platinum for over a month via Apple Pay only before my card finally arrived in the mail.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Horseshoez — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:38:14 GMT

Maybe it is because I live in a semi-rural area, but I can count on the fingers of one hand how many of my local vendors take NFC payments. I expect that'll change in the next few years, but in the meantime, here in rural New England, carrying the plastic is the name of the game.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

iced — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:44:43 GMT

@Horseshoez wrote:
Maybe it is because I live in a semi-rural area, but I can count on the fingers of one hand how many of my local vendors take NFC payments. I expect that'll change in the next few years, but in the meantime, here in rural New England, carrying the plastic is the name of the game.

Funny you say that, because in urban eastern MA, Apple Pay rules the roost now. Aside from some restaurants still living in the stone age, I basically don't have to carry a card around Boston anymore.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

Horseshoez — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:57:14 GMT

@iced wrote:
@Horseshoez wrote:
Maybe it is because I live in a semi-rural area, but I can count on the fingers of one hand how many of my local vendors take NFC payments. I expect that'll change in the next few years, but in the meantime, here in rural New England, carrying the plastic is the name of the game.
Funny you say that, because in urban eastern MA, Apple Pay rules the roost now. Aside from some restaurants still living in the stone age, I basically don't have to carry a card around Boston anymore.

LOL, yeah, I used to work in Boston, very different shopping world down there; up here in New Hamster, especially north of Concord or anywhere west of Manchester things are just a tad different.

Re: Issuers are switching to cheap feeling plastic cards?

icednightpaper — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 03:59:53 GMT

I'll add the durability thing to my list of reasons that card processors should force an NFC mandate. At this point it'd be impossible for a large-scale drop of accepting cards (unless fees were raised too high of course), so it'd be nice to make that final push for restaurants and holdouts.