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15 EUR in France is the minimum to pay by card almost everywhere, and do you believe that, even cash is not always accepted !!
Paying with 200 or 500 EUR notes is almost refused everywhere too (I don't speak about to pay 2 euros with a 200 EUR note, but even to pay 200 EUR with a 200 EUR note is rarely possible)
Where do you live Oli(vier)?
Because where I live (admittedly, in the country) it isn't a problem.
A €200 note? Never actually seen one! Even 50 and 100 notes are scarcely seen.
[quote user="ablaumeise"]
Because that we have - nearly everyone has an ec-Card (
Location: Germany
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I am surprised no one has mentioned Contactless payments which are becoming more popular here in the UK. Even Barclaycard offer a contactless card that you stick to your mobile phone and then pay by placing the card over the reader.
I believe that smart phone payments are still on there way to the consumer. I have a Starbucks card app for my iPhone and I pay using that instead of finding debit/ credit cards or cash.
It is the way forward.
15 EUR in France is the minimum to pay by card almost everywhere, and do you believe that, even cash is not always accepted !!
Paying with 200 or 500 EUR notes is almost refused everywhere too (I don't speak about to pay 2 euros with a 200 EUR note, but even to pay 200 EUR with a 200 EUR note is rarely possible)
Where do you live Oli(vier)?
Because where I live (admittedly, in the country) it isn't a problem.
That's probably a relic from the old days when cards were imprinted mechanically when you bought something with them. The banks charged for handling them and it didn't make any sense to even send in very small payments. Of course this might still be the case with online transactions with certain banks - but there's no technical reason for it. While developing the point of sale systems we use, I routinely tested it with 10 cent payments with no problems at all, you still receive the money (with the regular comission subtracted from the sum).
The reason Amex (and Diners') aren't that popular is that somebody - guess who - pays for those lovely "free" gifts. Visa, Mastercard and Eurocard typically charge less than 0.5% of the purchase, while Amex can be as much as 4% in some cases. As a merchant, no thanks - so far, not a single sale has gone down because of not accepting them. You also might not get as good a discount when paying with them 👍
A €200 note? Never actually seen one! Even 50 and 100 notes are scarcely seen.
We get them all the time, €500 as well (thankfully, usually for puchases larger than that). The last time I personally needed them was buying cars in Germany - forget about cards and bank transfers for that, and a 5 cm stack of notes would be awkward to carry...
The most cash-free country I've seen so far is Iceland. In the '90s I still bothered exchanging some currency, no need at all nowadays.
n Holland it's not common to use CC, we prefer to pay cash.
Hoi Leslie. You live in another Netherlands than I do?
Because in the country I live in the most transactions are made by Bankcards (PIN). I agree the use of CC isn't common. But Visa and MC are accepted on a lot of places.
n Holland it's not common to use CC, we prefer to pay cash.Hoi Leslie. You live in another Netherlands than I do?
Because in the country I live in the most transactions are made by Bankcards (PIN). I agree the use of CC isn't common. But Visa and MC are accepted on a lot of places.
Must be since this discussion is about Credit Cards, similar as Credit Loans.
Visa etc. here in Holland are mostly accepted in Hotels, restaurants etc. and not in shops. Ever tried to pay your groceries with a CC other then countries like the UK or France? Some shops do but still not common!
Btw, where is your countrie? As Lee mentioned, showing your CC here in Holland has a show off attitude, but for how long?
The last time I personally needed them was buying cars in Germany - forget about cards and bank transfers for that, and a 5 cm stack of notes would be awkward to carry...
Well, how do you pay for (used) cars in other places?
Personally, I think it's stupid, too. After I sold my old Saab 9000 I was stuck with 3000€ in 500€-bills. Couldn't pay with them anywhere and the next office of my bank was 200km away (other banks wanted a huge provision to exchange them for smaller bills). But then again, what other way is there? When I bought another car half a year later I also paid in cash; there really isn't a way to pay by bank transfer 'on site' and what private seller would accept a credit card?
Well, how do you pay for (used) cars in other places?
Over here, with a card at a business, or bank transfer between individuals (all you need is a computer with access to the Interwebs - also, a tiny bit of trust if that is from one bank to another so that the sum isn't immediately visible on the receiving account).
I agree cash is actually most straightforward for both parties - at least until the East Europeans (sorry, but that's where they come from) figure out how to make proper counterfeit Euro notes. Then again, I really didn't feel too comfortable leaving ~15,000 at the hotel, and even less when carrying it with me downtown at night...
In Greece you can't even get rid of a 50€ note (at least if you expect any change). It's like leper or some other malady. Over here it's regular money, even the ATMs won't give you smaller than twenties. 😮
As Lee mentioned, showing your CC here in Holland has a show off attitude here in Holland...
I also found that in Holland, getting a bundle of notes out to count them before paying for something is considered showing off. As is driving a nice car , which I was told is considered showing off. Also wearing designer clothes, I was told by a Dutchman, would be considered 'showing off' ...
It seems that in Holland, if you have any money, you hide it and don't spend it for fear of being called a show-off ?
Am i wrong here - and have spoken to the wrong people, both in the UK and the Netherlands?
One thing I do love about BeoWorld is the different cultures around the world. It's fascinating reading and learning about them and I sometimes feel very lucky to be able to come to one place and speak to so many people in so many countries !!
From a British perspective, being British, I can with some confidence say that the UK apes America in many ways - especially with consumerism. However, in the UK, when you're working hard and doing well - people don't like it at all and get either suspicious, jealous or blank you completely... but in the US, people who do well and work hard are celebrated. That's pretty much the only thing about the UK I don't like.
I could waffle on, but this is about credit cards not national identities !! 🙂
Lee
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