ATTENTION: What are they thinking??

They could pay with ATM cards rather than checks. I do not understand why
they do not use ATM cards.


"Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Richards wrote:
>
>> to the cashier. Unfortunately, most check writers are not considerate of
>> their fellow human beings or else they'd use a
>> credit card.
>
> Well, that's... unrealistic.
>
> Not everyone qualifies for or wants to pay the interest on a credit card.
> And at least at the grocery store, where I still see a decent number of
> people paying with checks, the process has been speeded up to the point
> that it's not a big deal.
>
>
>
>
> --
> JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
> Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
>
> "In case anyone was wondering, that big glowing globe above the Victor
> Valley is the sun." -Victorville _Daily Press_ on the unusually large
> amount of rain the Southland has gotten this winter (January 12th, 2005)

---

› See More: ATTENTION: What are they thinking??

"Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Not everyone qualifies for or wants to pay the interest on a credit
card.

Steve, I'm suprised to hear you say that, as sharp as you usually are.
We're talking about ATM cards here, not unsecured credit cards. No one
who has a checking account is denied an ATM card if they ask (at least
I've never heard of anyone being denied, nor would I understand why anyone
would be denied one) so it would stand to reason that everyone should keep
their damn checkbooks at home and embrace the 20th century and use their
ATM cards.

> And at least at the grocery store, where I still see a decent number of
people
> paying with checks, the process has been speeded up to the point that
it's not
> a big deal.

Now, some people just CAN'T understand how to use a checking account
without having the checkbook (specifically, the ledger part) in front of
them for EVERY transaction (I know a guy like this) and that's STILL not a
problem. You just bring the ledger with you and keep the damn checks at
home. Easy!

It isn't difficult unless one wishes to make it difficult for oneself.

> JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET
(4638)
> Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
> "In case anyone was wondering, that big glowing globe above the Victor
> Valley is the sun." -Victorville _Daily Press_ on the unusually large
> amount of rain the Southland has gotten this winter (January 12th, 2005)

Kevin M.
"Know your enemy, and know yourself; in one-thousand battles
you shall never be in peril." -- Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*
"Contentment... Complacency... Catastrophe!" -- Joseph Chevalier

Yes, the first time someone writes a check on one of our stores, we
have to write their DL# on the check and enter it into our computer.

I take many checks a day, and I am only one of the cashiers. Almost
all are not begun to be filled out in advance. I pay extra
attention/scrutiny if I notice a check is filled out in advance,
especially if it is signed in advance.
I do take more credit/debit card sales than paper checks and we now
have Pay By Touch which can be credit, debit, or express checking.

I am under the impression that it is much safer not to pre endorse
checks in case they are lost or stolen.

Jerome Zelinske wrote:
>
> I am under the impression that it is much safer not to pre endorse
> checks in case they are lost or stolen.

I'm not suggesting that they be endorsed *too* early, but how
'bout before leaving home/work, on the way to the bank?

The other killer is the people, who, undoubtedly aren't very
good at math, having to balance their checkbooks while in line! <g>

Notan

"Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> John Richards wrote:
>
>> to the cashier. Unfortunately, most check writers are not considerate of
>> their fellow human beings or else they'd use a
>> credit card.
>
> Well, that's... unrealistic.
>
> Not everyone qualifies for or wants to pay the interest on a credit card. And

I've never paid a penny in credit card finance charges since I always pay
the monthly balance in full. If one is used to 'pay as you go' (checks or debit
card), it should not be a hardship to pay up once a month.

> at least at the grocery store, where I still see a decent number of people
> paying with checks, the process has been speeded up to the point that it's not
> a big deal.

The grocery store checkout line is the most common place where I wait and
fume as check writers slowly begin to write out all the check info AFTER the
purchases have been tallied.
I like the new credit card readers they have at modern checkouts,
where you can swipe and sign right on the screen as the purchases are
being entered by the cashier -- a real time saver.

--
John Richards

"Jerome Zelinske" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Yes, the first time someone writes a check on one of our stores, we
> have to write their DL# on the check and enter it into our computer.

Many merchants also want a home telephone number and address, if
it's not already preprinted on the check. If I was a merchant, I'd insist
on that type of ID because without it, they'd get burned with many bad
checks.

From a consumer privacy standpoint, I'd rather have the merchant get
my credit card number or ATM/debit card number. If any fraud is
committed with that information, the bank guarantees to cover me.

--
John Richards

"Jerome Zelinske" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:R%[email protected]...
> I am under the impression that it is much safer not to pre endorse
> checks in case they are lost or stolen.

Agreed, but endorsing just before you get to the cashier should be safe.
Usually there is a wait at the checkout line anyway.

--
John Richards

"Mij Adyaw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bdFQd.80265$bu.71774@fed1read06...
> They could pay with ATM cards rather than checks. I do not understand why
> they do not use ATM cards.

Best go back and read the fine print on your debit card. On the first one a
bank sent me, it's clearly stated that you have two days to report it or ALL
the money drained out of your account is your responsibility.

As for credit cards, few merchants have upgraded to the devices that print
only the last four digits of your credit card number. That leaves a copy for
clerks that may have been screened for drugs but not for other things that
would constitute 'violation of their rights'. In a department store I most
frequently visit, the keypad for pins can be read from ten feet away in a
180 degree circle. That's not secure.

"Thurman" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> As for credit cards, few merchants have upgraded to the devices that print
> only the last four digits of your credit card number. That leaves a copy for
> clerks that may have been screened for drugs but not for other things

I don't know what mom 'n pop stores you frequent, but probably 100%
of the major stores and 95% of smaller merchants that I use print only
the last 4 digits. In the past 35 years of credit card use, I experienced
only two cases of that type of fraud. Both happened on out-of-town trips,
and both were quickly resolved by the card issuer. The credit card also
gets me a 5% rebate on purchases at gas stations, drug stores and
grocery stores, and a 1% rebate on everything else. It certainly beats
carrying a lot of cash or messing with checks.

--
John Richards

Mij Adyaw wrote:
> They could pay with ATM cards rather than checks. I do not understand why
> they do not use ATM cards.

I do. ATM card fees are outrageous.

--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"In case anyone was wondering, that big glowing globe above the Victor
Valley is the sun." -Victorville _Daily Press_ on the unusually large
amount of rain the Southland has gotten this winter (January 12th, 2005)

Kevin M. wrote:
> "Steve Sobol" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Not everyone qualifies for or wants to pay the interest on a credit
>
> card.
>
> Steve, I'm suprised to hear you say that, as sharp as you usually are.
> We're talking about ATM cards here, not unsecured credit cards.

Then the proper term is "debit cards" - the person to whom I was replying said
"credit cards."

And the fees for using ATM cards can be very high, even on POS purchases (as
opposed to ATM withdrawals at a bank that isn't yours). Depends on the bank and
the merchant. We have a Bank of America CampusEdge Checking account because my
wife was in the process of getting her bachelor's degree when it was opened.
Was free back then. Is still free because now we're doing direct deposit.
However, merchant fees vary widely from free to over a dollar per transaction...

--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"In case anyone was wondering, that big glowing globe above the Victor
Valley is the sun." -Victorville _Daily Press_ on the unusually large
amount of rain the Southland has gotten this winter (January 12th, 2005)

John Richards wrote:

> I've never paid a penny in credit card finance charges since I always pay
> the monthly balance in full.

You obviously have credit cards that have grace periods. Not all cards do. Some
charge interest the day after you make the purchase.

--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"In case anyone was wondering, that big glowing globe above the Victor
Valley is the sun." -Victorville _Daily Press_ on the unusually large
amount of rain the Southland has gotten this winter (January 12th, 2005)

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 17:02:52 -0800, Steve Sobol <[email protected]> wrote:
>John Richards wrote:

>> I've never paid a penny in credit card finance charges since I always pay
>> the monthly balance in full.

>You obviously have credit cards that have grace periods. Not all cards do. Some
>charge interest the day after you make the purchase.

Can you name a single example?