Archived Check-less debit pilot?

[Jettajunky]

There's a store in my district that is piloting check-less target debit card apps. As in the guest does not need a check in order to process the app. Is anyone doing this? How does it differ from the regular way?

 

[redeye58]

Supposedly they could swipe a debit card that is currently tied to their acct in lieu of a check.
I'd be curious to see how it could get past proprietory info gates that would restrict the level of info. They'd have to swipe their debit card & enter the PIN to allow access to the routing info. Sounds dicey but if it works....

 

[Jettajunky]

Awesome! Sounds much better, there are sooooo many times I talk it up and the guest and I both get excited only to find out they dont have a check. :-(

 

[go ahead]

As long as there is high security behind what Target does. I am sure though Target wouldn't do anything to risk privacy/security of sensitive information.

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

They have to be careful with how they protect the info, but if they are, this will greatly increase the amount of people who will sign up for the debit card...a lot of people are wary of credit cards and their high APRs

 

[Sasha]

I would love it if they would do that at my store, as long as they have the option for the check as well. Many times Guest want the Debit card, but don't have a check. (Who does now a days?) and they think they can use their debit card to sign up and then they are very disappointed they can't sign up!

 

[Kalaen]

Actually, the checkless debit-card application pilot is rather lame. It actually doesn't help what-so-ever. Here's how it works:

All cash lanes get a yellow fake check. When someone wants to apply for a Target debit card and they don't have a check on them, the cashier can use this fake check instead. However, the application never gets approved "in-store" anyways (always "requires further processing"), so the Guest never gets the 5% that day. Instead, they have to call a number on a an additional insert you have to give them, so they can tell Target their account and routing number. Target will then "approve" their account, but they still have to wait for the card to be mailed to them in order for them to get the 5% off.

Most of the people who get told about the pilot basically end up asking cashiers who would possibly want to do it, and just bring a check with them the next time they come in.

 

[DotWarner]

I've actually done this as the guest and it's just like Kalaen described it. I decided to go ahead and do it anyhow. I got approved and now I have to wait for the card to arrive in the mail. It wasn't that bad and the guy on the phone was helpful.

 

[redeye58]

If that's the case, look for it to be a big flop.

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

If the only difference is that you're tricking the computer with a "fake check", couldn't any store hypothetically do this?
On a similar note, we found out the other day that the system will accept a folded blank piece of paper as a check and all #0's in leu of scanning an ID for payment.... (clearly this was voided afterwards).

 

[Jettajunky]

In reality Pos will accept any Id # as long as it has the correct amount of digits for your states id #. Since you said it was voided I'm guessing you already know that's a huge no no.

 

[redeye58]

Okay, that's a recipe for disaster right there....

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

In reality Pos will accept any Id # as long as it has the correct amount of digits for your states id #. Since you said it was voided I'm guessing you already know that's a huge no no.

LOL yep. It began with troubleshooting a check printer; this was completely found out by accident.

 

[mrknownothing]

Supposedly they could swipe a debit card that is currently tied to their acct in lieu of a check.
I'd be curious to see how it could get past proprietory info gates that would restrict the level of info. They'd have to swipe their debit card & enter the PIN to allow access to the routing info. Sounds dicey but if it works....

I really wish they would implement that. I rarely get guests to apply for RedCards, but I have had several guests who were interested in the Check Card but they didn't have their checkbooks! It would be so much easier for guests to apply for the Check Card if it didn't require a check.