UK’s highly renowned credit card company, Barclaycard, has come up with an excellent idea to make people adopt contactless credit cards. With the current system, people have to pay cash at counters which is quite hectic and time consuming. Barclaycard’s new method could help people to manage their shopping and purchases with extreme ease. The most laudable part of their plan is the contactless credit card’s versatility. The company plans to utilize the mobile phone’s design to effectively accomodate such contactless credit cards. Read on to know more about Barclaycard PayTag. 
What’s great
Unlike the conventional credit cards, the contactless credit cards are extremely lightweight and so, they could be carried along with any other items like purse, bags, mobile phones, teddy bears, etc., to mention a few. However, the company is particularly interested to see the public using their mobile phones to utilize these contactless credit cards. As mobile phones have become a necessary gadget for majority of the public, people don’t usually forget to take their mobile phones with them. Sticking the contactless credit cards with the handsets could benefit the users very well.
However, there is no compulsion to use them only on the mobile phones. Literally, one can stick these cards to any item like a book, toys, iPad and many more. Technically called as Pay Tag, this contactless credit card weighs much less and has smaller dimensions as well, when compared to the conventional credit cards. To be precise, this card measure 5cm in length and 2.5 cm in width. Its minute thickness helps the users to stick these cards on the rear panels of their mobile phones. Making an easier payment system would help the public to spend more, blissfully.
As mentioned earlier, the modern generation has become hooked to their mobile phones more than their wallets or other usual carry items. This situation may deepen further with future generations. Barclaycard wishes to provide the right technology to its customers by making them comfortable with payments and transactions. At this point, Pay Tag can be used to make payments for the purchase of products that are worth £15. However, this limit is set to increase in June. Like the conventional contactless credit cards, Pay Tag can also be swiped over a compatible contactless reader. If you stick it on the rear panel of your mobile phone, then you may swipe your mobile phone with the rear panel facing the reader.
What’s not so great
At this point, the maximum transaction amount is quite limited. However, Barclaycard would increase it in the coming months. This feature might be a tough method for the fashion freaks and contemporary gadget buyers who change their handsets often. Changing the handset will make them to peel off this sticky card and paste it back on the new handset. Doing so might increase the risk of losing the card. If the users lose their Pay Tags, then they had to carry the formal procedure to report Barclaycard about the loss and block their cards. The fortunate news here is that Barclaycard agrees to refund those transactions that are made after the users had reported their cards to be lost or stolen.
Things to watch out for
To mention, Pay Tag has a transaction limit of about £15. If users often purchase items that cost more than this pre-set limit, this method doesn’t suit them. Users who change their mobile phones often are advised to approach Barclaycard to stick their Pay Tag on their new handsets. It ensures that the contactless cards stick with their mobile phones and so, minimizes the risk of losing it. Fortunately, current users who have Visa cards can utilize this Pay Tag feature. If this contactless card is lost or stolen, users are advised to report it to Barclaycard as soon as possible, to prevent any misuse of the cards. Though retailers and shop owners don’t adapt with these contactless payments, when many users ask them for contactless payment options, obviously they will adapt to the new technology. However, the new method will take some time to function efficiently, until which users had to wait with patience.
Verdict
Barclaycard has taken a step further to make users comfortable with transactions. Sticking the miniature card with the mobile phones is an excellent idea. However, it might take time for the users and shop owners to adapt this new technology. Barclaycard expects that the number of contactless payment counters will increase significantly in UK to about 150,000 in this year. As we delineate, it takes time for the new method to become practically successful.