Why Friday shows cash isn’t dead!
Visa was in meltdown on Friday, and not because of the hot weather that hit Britain this weekend, but due to a ‘hardware failure’ which affected card payments and sent cashless customers into chaos…
At 2.30pm, just as the nation was preparing to leave work for the pay day weekend, the Visa network crashed and left millions unable to pay for goods across both the UK and Europe.
Major retailers reported failures on card payments and bedlam ensued as queues built up at petrol stations, shopping was abandoned at supermarket tills and outraged cardholders took to social media to vent their frustration.
Following debates on whether or not Britain should become a cashless society, Friday’s incident seems to have further confirmed for us the importance of cash in our everyday lives and has been a stark reminder of the downfalls of relying solely on card payments.
Were you affected by the Visa crash on Friday? Let us know in the comments below.
There will always be that electrical issue, and computer problems with card payments, and the UK energy suppliers cannot guarantee power 100% of the year, nor can any company guarantee that their computer system will work and not get hacked, so cash will always be needed. Indeed I prefer to pay with cash, as the card companies can see what you are spending your money on, its like big brother, they know your every move.
You make a really valid point Richard. There’s the danger of becoming too reliant on modern technology and not being able to cope if it fails us and therefore I feel that the importance of cash can’t be underestimated.