We have traffic lights in San Diego that make you wait 2 - 3 minutes for no good reason, and none of them are synched so one hits most of them red no matter what speed you are traveling. Its been the age of the computer for 40 years and they still can't get the lights to work right or the laws working right I would say that for the most part, while there are things to complain about, the traffic lights in NYC are not too bad.
Waiting 15 extra seconds for a card transaction isn't anything horrible and I'm always grateful that I have some money to buy things that I need and even for some things that I want and that those things are available for me to buy (see for example: Venezuela) however when things are inefficient and there is no good reason for it to be that way, then it shouldn't be that way.
Personally I'd rather see a card than someone on their phone fumbling for a card at the last minute keeping everyone else waiting for no reason.
Or someone taking out their phone and oops - no more battery...
At least some retailers have a mechanism to let others go ahead and put the fumbler's transaction on hold.
HomeDepot is no slouch when it comes to computers, Cough.
So that is why they are so efficient and always have stock - when you buy something they know they have to restock and Im sure they have sophisticated algorithms that even use advanced math like calculus to determine the rate at which certain items are sold so they never run out of these more popular parts/items and...
Cough
Oh wait - we're talking Home Depot here, right? (giggle - I can dream)
HomeDepot is no slouch when it comes to computers, and neither are the card company data centers so I'm guessing the chip on the card is the slow point. Ha ha - the other day I swiped my card at Home Depot and then quickly realized my mistake so I inserted the card without prompts - oops, it didn't like that. Cashier had to reset some things, but at least he didn't have to rescan the zillion screws, bolts and pipes that he had rung up.
If it really is the card then there really isn't any excuse - I've used a laundry debit card that as soon as you put it in, zip zap the transaction is completed.
This isn't new technology, it's been around for many years and other countries has had these chips in their cards for many many year - the USA is playing catchup here. There is no excuse that these cards do not work as well as others. |
