Going paperless and cashless

Our lives are becoming more and more reliant on mobile technology, from everyday social media contact, to text messages and calls, organising your life, and booking tickets and storing personal data. It’s hard to remember a time where we didn’t use our phones to do so much. It seems we are slowly moving to a paperless and cashless society because of our smartphones and tablet devices.

Recent research suggests 81% of Brits are happy to switch from paper tickets to e-tickets for their travel, additionally 30% of Brits happy to use digital wallets for payments and 65% of people they surveyed prefer tap-and-go services for small payments instead of cash. The study conducted by Cartridge Save showed that most people preferred using e-tickets for travel because its easier than paper tickets.

“I do like the ease, of not having to print tickets or queue at ticket machines.”

“I find it easier to have tickets for travel on my phone, one less thing to look for in a bag.”

“It depends on mobile device reliability and scanable apps. Also, if wanted, tickets as souvenir.”

With paper tickets the study found that one major concern for a lot of people was security. Those not comfortable using their mobile phones for travel tickets were concerned about the security implications.

“It really depends. Paper doesn’t lose charge, although it would be one less thing to worry about if you have your phone with you.”

“I would prefer it on paper in case my phone battery runs out and I’m unable to travel.”

Security was also a concern when it came to using digital wallets and tap-and-go contactless card payments. Digital wallets are apps on your phone which you can use to pay for goods and services in shops or online, they work similar to tap-and-go bank cards, which for small transactions allow you to just tap against card machines to make payment, rather than type in your pin. Both these services have restrictions of £30 maximum spend, although using digital wallets online don’t.

Cartridge Save found that only 30% of people actually use digital wallets, whilst more know what they are, 70% didn’t because they had concerns. Tap-and-go contactless bank cards however were more popular for transactions, with 65% of people preferring them for small payments instead of cash.

Interestingly Sweden is one of few countries which have embraced going cashless, cash transactions only made up 2% of the value of all transactions in 2015. Whereas in shops cash is used for only one in five transactions. A lot of this is because in Sweden retailers are legally entitled to refuse coins and notes, preferring electronic payments. In addition banks, buses, street vendors and even churches now expect plastic or virtual payment over cash, even for donations.