tellhimfred.com

As someone that uses cash a lot, this commercial drives me absolutely INSANE.

You’ve likely seen it. It’s the Visa commercial where everyone is moving like an assembly line, and at the end, they pay for their purchases using their Visa card. But, one rebel decides to pay with cash, and slows the whole thing down.

Now, why does this make me mad?
1. The problem the ad depicts is the absolute opposite of what happens in reality.
2. The proposed benefit is actually the problem.
3. The annoyance felt by the people using their cards is actually what I feel when waiting in line because someone in front of me has to use their debit card to buy a newspaper and a pack of gum.

Honestly. When I head over to Store 24 and use two one-dollar bills to buy a Red Bull, my transaction is MUCH faster than the woman that has to dig through her wallet to grab the right card, hand it to the clerk, wait for it to dial up and run the card, sign it (or put in her pin), and when the whole thing is over, fold up her receipt nicely after examining it and returning it to her purse. I’m not making this up….it happens all the time.

And yes, I realize that the ad is for the Visa check card. So there are some benefits to the Visa Check card as opposed to cash. But the ad in question isn’t talking about the fact that if your visa check card is stolen, you get your money back. They aren’t talking about how you can use it online unlike cash. No. The commercial is telling you that it is faster to use the Visa check card than it is to use cash, and that’s just a LIE!!!!

Another thing- I just went to the Visa Check Card website, and here’s one thing that stood out to me:

No need to use your PIN—just sign as you would for any Visa card.

So you don’t actually put in a pin number- you have to sign your receipt!!!! Now watch that ad again…..do you see anyone signing a receipt? Nope. Not a single one. But they want you to think that using this thing is faster than paying with cash?

God that makes me mad.

From the FAQ section at Visa’s web site:

How do I pay with a Visa check card?

Visa check card transactions can be completed in a number of ways: by signing a receipt; making a purchase on the Internet, by mail, or over the phone (receiving protection from Visa’s Zero Liability policy*); or by entering a personal identification number (PIN).

What are the advantages of paying with the Visa check card?

Quicker checkout: swipe, sign, and go. You don’t have to worry about having sufficient cash in hand or writing a check. Merchants also benefit from accepting Visa check cards with guaranteed payment and reduced costs from handling fewer paper checks.

See that? Swipe SIGN and go. How is that faster? It ISN’T.

Okay, I’m done ranting. Every time I see that commercial it makes me so angry, so it’s nice to have gotten that out. Rahhhh!