Did you know that electricity impacts card readers? Before asking is this common sense, let’s really think about what a card reader is doing. It turns out a card reader is one component of a Point Of Sales (POS) System. For establishments with older cash registers, it’s a separate tool the cashier uses ton input the total balance for processing. This requires more work from the cashier, but the end result is the same.
So How Do People Pay With Cards?
Regardless of what system it’s a part of, the reader takes the data that was swiped, chipped, or scan. Then it has to send a signal via WiFi to your financial institution to confirm funds are available. This is done in a matter of seconds. If the funds are there, the transaction is approved. Outside of system errors or damaged cards, the exchange is brief. However, connectivity is a big factor in this.
Have you tried to purchase something and you knew that you had enough money to pay for it? You even show the cashier and mamangent that the funds are there. In that situation, the credit/debit card reader won’t/can’t communicated with your financial institution. Thats an examples of connectivity issues without a power outage. If you’re thinking a store with power should be able to connect to WiFi, thats not always the case.
Why Can’t I Pay With My Card During Power Outages
Stores that are operational during a city wide outage, most likely have generators. Depending on the establishment, they may have multiple generators or a few for essentials. Why is this important? Well, the generator can power the point of sales system, but it can’t confirm or deny your card balance without WiFi. Internet and electricity go hand in hand. WiFi needs electricity to generate radio waves. This is how wireless communication is achieved. A power outage would prevent the card reader from receiving the information it needs to complete the transaction. This is why cash is more tangible in these situations, because it is physical currency. Not digital.
Final Thoughts
A store experiencing a city wide outage won’t be able to send or receive a signals with their card readers. It can’t use the internet to verify your available funds. One may argue that credit charges aren’t withdrawn immediately. This doesn’t mean card readers will let a customer with a negative balance incur more debt. Although it’s becoming less common to carry cash, we should still have reasonable reactions for “cash only” situations. Thanks for checking out Mystery Post Tuesday. This one is a bit off the beaten path, but I enjoyed looking into it. Hope you’re back for Motivational Mondays with Trisha!
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