If your payment card is unable to be read in the card reader then its one of three things:
- The card reader is bad.
- Payment card is demagnetized.
- The strip on the payment card is damaged and the whole card needs to be replaced.
The thing that annoys grocery clerks are customers who know their payment card can no longer be read in the reader because the strip is damaged. These cards have to be replaced but due to the customers negligence, we have to type in the digits in front of the card every time to process the order and they keep coming in with the same excuse…
Lazy Larry: My card doesn’t slide.
I check his ID to match the card and start typing in the number.
Lazy Larry: It’s pretty beat up. I have a new one on the way.
One week later… Lazy Larry: My card doesn’t slide. It’s supposed to be here this week. Three weeks later… Lazy Larry: My card doesn’t slide. The new one is coming. One month later… Lazy Larry: My card doesn’t slide. Should be here in a couple days. Me: …
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
And then they get mad at you when you tell them that you have to run it as credit….It amazes me how people can go that long with their card damaged and always having someone punch in the card number at every store they go to.
I think this is amazing how you have such great stories!!!! They really are so interesting. It does make me more conscience at the grocery store!
@Alicia – Hopefully we’re not being too petty…
I never minded cards that were demagnitized or worn out – I hated the people who insisited they had money on it – um,no.you.don’t. Get over it. Running it thirty two times isn’t going to make 263 dollars appear in your account. Can I delete this now so your ice vream doesn’t melt and I can have it re stocked?
What I hate is when people write checks at the grocery store. Or worse, use CASH! It takes forever. If you know you’ll have to write a check, can’t you at least have it all filled out except for the amount part? Do you really — just now — have to find your checkbook, gingerly and slowly tear out a check, find a pen, write very slowly and deliberately, mess up a few times and have to start over, check and re-check the amount, then hunt for your ID, then hand it all over a half hour after you started? Or maybe this only happens with these slow people down here in NC.
@Lorelei – Not just NC Lorelei, worldwide!
i’m with Lorelei, the check writers hold up the line, also. Do I detect a new post coming on this?!
@Suzicate – You sure know how to read my mind Suzicate! Now what am I thinking?
My card slides perfectly-my library card.
Also my gym membership card.
I could probably do a manual entry blindfolded… >.<
oh yeah, wouldn’t that just be the best feeling ever? hahahaha!
Lorelei, I understand about the check, but what is wrong with cash? At the store where I shop, the coins come out of a machine and the checker only has to give me change for my bills. It only takes about half a minute, no more than using my credit card. I suppose some shoppers have disorganized wallets and have to hunt for their cash? Hey, what scares me is those scissors! Fortunately, Paul sounds pretty level-headed and not likely to actually use them to do something disastrous.
@Margaret – Hehe, cash is indeed the fastest way to pay but yet looking for money is almost as bad as writing a check from scratch. Hmm, level-headed that’s not entirely true, Margaret =P
Oh man, I loathe people who spend about 5 minutes fishing out the exact change. What in the hell?
I’m a cash customer but seriously.
Tonight I bought some items and the bill came out to like $15.72 and I gave the cashier $20. Simple transaction. Out comes the change, he hands me my bills, I’m on my way.
Some people would still be in line looking for 2 pennies in their change purse.