Comments on: R.I.P. Pay By Touch http://www.thecatalystcode.com/theconversation/blog/2008/03/31/rip-pay-by-touch/ The Catalyst Code Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:34:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Dan L. http://www.thecatalystcode.com/theconversation/blog/2008/03/31/rip-pay-by-touch/#comment-373 Dan L. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:03:44 +0000 http://www.thecatalystcode.com/theconversation/blog/2008/03/31/rip-pay-by-touch/#comment-373 I have some other reasons why Pay-by-Touch failed to take hold. Besides the entirely correct ones you have listed. My reasons come from my personal experience in using the product at a supermarket near my house, at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, for the past 6 months or so. (1) PBT required a 7 digit PIN, or at least that was the implementation this supermarket performed. Another PIN to remember. It is hard enough to remember things including PINs, passwords, logon IDs and even where my keys or eyeglasses are. This was irritating at first, but I got used to it. (2) Like all things perched on stalks at the cashier line, it was sometimes hard to see the POS screen or the side-by-side finger pad. (3) About 20% of the time, I couldn't get the device to read my finger, despite much rolling of the finger, taking it off & replacing it. The detector seemed clear but didn't work and I reverted to the debit card. It was never clear to me why the devices didn't work sometimes, maintenance, hardware or software faults, or my own finger. (4) I undertook to use PBT because of the novelty of the process, my payments-centric thought process & to save the retailer some fees. It took all of those things for me to do the process. Not many people have that same set of preferences & inclinations. So I imagine they had problems signing people up, and even more getting people to use the device once they were signed up. I have some other reasons why Pay-by-Touch failed to take hold. Besides the entirely correct ones you have listed. My reasons come from my personal experience in using the product at a supermarket near my house, at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, for the past 6 months or so.
(1) PBT required a 7 digit PIN, or at least that was the implementation this supermarket performed. Another PIN to remember. It is hard enough to remember things including PINs, passwords, logon IDs and even where my keys or eyeglasses are. This was irritating at first, but I got used to it.
(2) Like all things perched on stalks at the cashier line, it was sometimes hard to see the POS screen or the side-by-side finger pad.
(3) About 20% of the time, I couldn’t get the device to read my finger, despite much rolling of the finger, taking it off & replacing it. The detector seemed clear but didn’t work and I reverted to the debit card. It was never clear to me why the devices didn’t work sometimes, maintenance, hardware or software faults, or my own finger.
(4) I undertook to use PBT because of the novelty of the process, my payments-centric thought process & to save the retailer some fees. It took all of those things for me to do the process. Not many people have that same set of preferences & inclinations. So I imagine they had problems signing people up, and even more getting people to use the device once they were signed up.

]]> By: Del Tonguette http://www.thecatalystcode.com/theconversation/blog/2008/03/31/rip-pay-by-touch/#comment-521 Del Tonguette Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:56:43 +0000 http://www.thecatalystcode.com/theconversation/blog/2008/03/31/rip-pay-by-touch/#comment-521 Well written and right on... Growth by acquisition. Hemorraging cash Over eager investors Poor managment Bad business model and plan, and most important, requiring the consumer to make a fundamental behavioral shift in the way they do business/make a payment. Oh, by the way, I'm talking about the future of Mobile Payments. Well written and right on…

Growth by acquisition.

Hemorraging cash

Over eager investors

Poor managment

Bad business model and plan, and

most important, requiring the consumer to make
a fundamental behavioral shift in the way they do
business/make a payment.

Oh, by the way, I’m talking about the future of
Mobile Payments.

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