Contactless Credit Cards (Tap and Pay)

[arkane]

---

@SOGGIE wrote:

---

@wasCB14 wrote:

---

@arkane wrote:

Since none of my cards offer a contactless option, I simply use my phone (Samsung Pay) to achieve the same result. 

---

I might potentially use a phone as a primary means of payment, but batteries can fail and apps can have problems. I would want contactless as a feature on the physical card when possible.

---

My exact feeling. And for those who do not have a smartphone with NFC capability, the workaround is a smartwatch with both the Wear OS (works for Android and Ios), Bluetooth and NFC capability such as the Huawei 2 Sports: https://youtu.be/J2MWjV2eaF4

Best Buy sells it the cheapest.

---

Do contactless cards require upgraded pos terminals that support NFC? If so then I'd argue you're more likely to be restricted by the terminal's ability to accept tap and pay rather than any technological issues from the phone.

Also I guess I'm lucky because Samsung Pay uniquely has MST (the old LoopPay) in addition to NFC, which prety much works with any terminal with a magnetic swipe present (ie 99.9% of pos terminals). So far my success rate has been 100% so I really can't complain.

[Anonymous]

---

@SOGGIE wrote:

---

@wasCB14 wrote:

---

@SOGGIE wrote:

---

@wasCB14 wrote:

---

@arkane wrote:

Since none of my cards offer a contactless option, I simply use my phone (Samsung Pay) to achieve the same result. 

---

I might potentially use a phone as a primary means of payment, but batteries can fail and apps can have problems. I would want contactless as a feature on the physical card when possible.

---

My exact feeling. And for those who do not have a smartphone with NFC capability, the workaround is a smartwatch with both the Wear OS (works for Android and Ios), Bluetooth and NFC capability such as the Huawei 2 Sports: https://youtu.be/J2MWjV2eaF4

Best Buy sells it the cheapest.

---

I don't know much about Huawei or that particular product, but I'd guess most people with any interest in a smartwatch have a NFC-capable phone by now.

---

How many folks do or do not have a smartphone with NFC capability is not my guess or even relative to my point. The intention in my statement was to inform those who would find such information useful. Additionally, some folks don't carry their phone, and choose to wear a smartwatch that has talk/text/data and NFC capability instead. #ManyOptions

---

I would say 90% of the people out there who own a phone have one with NFC capability. The last 3 iPhone cycles have had NFC smartphones, and popular Android phones (Samsung, LG, Sony, etc.) have had NFC for even longer than that. 

I think NFC cards are better... But let's not pretend NFC capable smartphones are seldom used today. Not everyone likes the smart watch fad... Myself included... I just have no interest in it. 

[wasCB14]

Metal contactless Schwab Platinum received via Fed Ex. SPG coming via snail mail.

The physical differences reported a year ago (bigger chip, lighter, matte back) are still present.

[Loquat]

I wish more merchants would accept contactless card and I wish more lenders would offer it.  It could be pure bad luck on my part but I've had more issues with chip cards than I care to recount.  From PenFed to Amex (which for some reason has the biggest chip on my PRG and Platinum) to Citi DC and lastly my then Chase Ritz Carlton...they've all at some point had issues with the chip and had to be replaced.  I use ApplePay when possible but it isn't widely accepted either considering that it's been available for a while.

Hopefully lenders will get there soon...

[mdd0214]

Sorry if a bit off topic, but I have some Luddite questions. I have an iPhone X with Apple Pay. Am I to understand that I can use this on most merchants now? I guess I need to look for the little )))) symbol? I'm not limited to just those that indicate Apple Pay? I used it once for Apple Pay at a store that had the Apple logo. Just don't want to feel like a complete noob waving my phone around at the store.

[Loquat]

---

@mdd0214 wrote:

Sorry if a bit off topic, but I have some Luddite questions. I have an iPhone X with Apple Pay. Am I to understand that I can use this on most merchants now? I guess I need to look for the little )))) symbol? I'm not limited to just those that indicate Apple Pay? I used it once for Apple Pay at a store that had the Apple logo. Just don't want to feel like a complete noob waving my phone around at the store.

---

Even if a merchart accepts NFC doesn't mean they will accept ApplePay.  The only place you can use ApplePay is the place that displays the ApplePay symbol. For example, my local 7-11 accepts NFC but doesn't work with ApplePay.

[Anonymous]

---

@Loquat wrote:

---

@mdd0214 wrote:

Sorry if a bit off topic, but I have some Luddite questions. I have an iPhone X with Apple Pay. Am I to understand that I can use this on most merchants now? I guess I need to look for the little )))) symbol? I'm not limited to just those that indicate Apple Pay? I used it once for Apple Pay at a store that had the Apple logo. Just don't want to feel like a complete noob waving my phone around at the store.

---

Even if a merchart accepts NFC doesn't mean they will accept ApplePay.  The only place you can use ApplePay is the place that displays the ApplePay symbol. For example, my local 7-11 accepts NFC but doesn't work with ApplePay.

---

a) I'm not sure where you're located but at least around here, 7-Eleven doesn't accept NFC at all.
b) Even if it did, all of the NFC payment systems use the same communications protocol, so they should all work if one does (whether there's a logo for a specific one or not).

[Anonymous]

---

@mdd0214 wrote:

Sorry if a bit off topic, but I have some Luddite questions. I have an iPhone X with Apple Pay. Am I to understand that I can use this on most merchants now? I guess I need to look for the little )))) symbol? I'm not limited to just those that indicate Apple Pay? I used it once for Apple Pay at a store that had the Apple logo. Just don't want to feel like a complete noob waving my phone around at the store.

---

In theory, yes. However, a lot of places don't show that symbol at all despite accepting it (which is a poor user experience, but I digress). 

Anyway, https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/where-to-use/ is a good place to start to find places that accept it. There's also https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/payment-technologies/contactless/contactless-locator.html but that map is less reliable in my experience. Hope this helps!

[zerofire]

The ones that do not show the logo are usually smaller merchants that use stock terminal firmware from their processor. Even in those firmwares it will say that you can "TAP" to pay.

I just got off the phone with PenFed and they said that contactless cards are still only beginning to be implemented. Anyone with AmEx cards has the feature ready to go but if you have a Visa then you are SOL. You have to wait until the end of Fiscal Q1.

[Anonymous]

---

@Gollum wrote:

---

@wasCB14 wrote:

So for most cards, Amex will only include the contactless feature upon request?

It seems odd that Costco cards get contactless but Prestige/Premier/AAExec/AAPlatinum don't.

---

The POS terminals at Costco's original store (4th Ave. S., Seattle) can't even take contactless.

---

I was told they are converting the gas pumps first then they will convert in store. Just today I noticed the pumps have the signal )))) but they are not active yet.