Are Other Minnesotans Having Issues With Store Card Readers?

We have definitely moved into a cash-less society. I’m still surprised when I got to a store and see people using cash, most of us just don’t carry it like we once did. It's even more shocking when I see someone writing a check, that’s like using a dial-up internet connection to my brain. 

The Most Common Message People Are Getting

Paying with a card is supposed to be more convenient for us, the consumers as well as the stores too. That is until it’s not. Have you ever gotten to the register to pay for your items and you get this message on the care reader screen “can’t read card”? 

Maybe you get a message that you need to insert your card instead of swiping, but when you insert your card, you get a chip reader error. This has been happening to me quite a bit lately and it’s very frustrating. 

This problem is not occurring because I don’t have the money to pay for the items I’m trying to buy, so why is it happening. I couldn’t be the only one who finds themselves in this situation, could I? 

Thankfully, the answer to that is no. I did some digging around on the internet, and other people have had the same problem. So, is it something that I’m doing wrong or is something wrong with my card? Or is this an issue with the store's equipment? 

How To Correct The Issue?

The answer to those questions is yes! Well sort of. Most likely the issue is because of static or dirt on your card, specifically around the chip. “Professor Google” says that you should either wipe the card off with a dry cloth or your thumb (because they’re similar in texture you know). You could also do what a store employee told me one time, wipe your card on your shirt. Yep, that worked. 

The problem could also be that the store’s card reader is losing connection with the company’s fund verification system. Especially for stores that have multiple card readers in service at the same time, losing connection to the hub that makes sure you have enough money to pay for your purchases is a real possibility.  

The store’s internet could be slower than other places too. It’s possible the store is having an internet issue or there could be an issue at the verification system site. And I guess it’s possible the temporary problem is one of those “unsolved mysteries” that seem to dramatically clear up out of the blue. 

If you’re like me, and this happens to you often, maybe now you’ll know the steps to take before you start talking loudly about the store’s equipment being pieces of crap. Oh, wait, is that just me? Forget I said anything, carry on.