# Amazon store will not take cash **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 24, 2019, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906 "2019-11-24T05:46:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/41 "2019-11-26T21:47:23Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Isn’t that the reason for some of the cash free bans? Supposedly it discriminates against the poor and homeless who are aren’t likely to have a bank account or credit card. I’m fine with letting the business decide if they want to go cash free. A place that sells sandwiches to white collar office workers in the business district might go cash free to speed things up and avoid dealing with cash. A place that sells 40 ounce bottles of beer will certainly accept cash and be used to the homeless person coming in with spare change. Yes, this is the reason for no cash payment bans: Quote: "A growing number of lawmakers don’t think so. From Philadelphia to San Francisco, several cities and states have passed or are considering bills that prohibit retailers from refusing to accept cash, a policy they say shuts out the millions of Americans who don’t have a bank account, lack credit cards or don’t have photo identification. "In a city with a 26% poverty rate, it is critical we do what we can to support equal opportunity for all residents,‘’ Lauren Cox, a spokeswoman for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, said of the city’s new law banning cashless businesses, set to go into effect Oct. 1. "There are socioeconomic reasons why many households throughout the U.S. are unbanked. Until we can remove such hurdles, we need to ensure that Philadelphia is a place where all people can enjoy and benefit from fully participating in all aspects of our economy.‘’ End Quote Source: [https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/09/09/going-cashless-if-you-do-these-cities-youre-breaking-law/2124163001/](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/09/09/going-cashless-if-you-do-these-cities-youre-breaking-law/2124163001/) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/42 "2019-11-26T21:49:49Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > The stealability of merchandise is not affected one way or the other by policies regarding method of payment. Um what??? Go back and read the post that I was replying to, okay? ---
**Author:** ![albino\_manatee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/albino_manatee/32/2_2.png) [@albino\_manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/albino_manatee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/43 "2019-12-01T15:53:17Z")
shopping carts with attached hubs can be hacked _(wifi/bluetooth)_ … the terminal with attendant scanning the items can be exploted _(skimming)_ … returns can be compromised. all the attendant needs to do is turn around … and an exploiter can, within three seconds, manipulate the cord’s/display’s connection … circumventing current/future transaction. and there’s always breaking/entering the store after hours … to hijack any/all avenues. imo … the best transaction is using gift-cards … difficult tracing any relevant personal data. and, if you paid cash for a gift-card at, say, best-buy … there is no data to be stolen … unless one considers the item\*(s)\* being purchased as being data. however … you should _read_ the small print on back of that gift-card you just chose … it may expire, it may decrease in value, it may incur processing fees … this is your responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/44 "2019-12-01T16:03:37Z")
Cash is on its way out. Economists have said for years that one of the easiest ways to significantly reduce international crime is to eliminate cash. At some point it will be impossible to resist the benefits of cashlessness. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/45 "2019-12-01T16:35:09Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > Yes, this is the reason for no cash payment bans: > > Quote: "A growing number of lawmakers don’t think so. From Philadelphia to San Francisco, several cities and states have passed or are considering bills that prohibit retailers from refusing to accept cash, a policy they say shuts out the millions of Americans who don’t have a bank account, lack credit cards or don’t have photo identification. > > "In a city with a 26% poverty rate, it is critical we do what we can to support equal opportunity for all residents,‘’ Lauren Cox, a spokeswoman for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, said of the city’s new law banning cashless businesses, set to go into effect Oct. 1. "There are socioeconomic reasons why many households throughout the U.S. are unbanked. Until we can remove such hurdles, we need to ensure that Philadelphia is a place where all people can enjoy and benefit from fully participating in all aspects of our economy.‘’ End Quote > > Source: [https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/09/09/going-cashless-if-you-do-these-cities-youre-breaking-law/2124163001/](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/09/09/going-cashless-if-you-do-these-cities-youre-breaking-law/2124163001/) It seems like the solution to these problems is to provide basic banking services to people at low cost, not to mandate that businesses keep inefficient practices. I mean, we recognize that providing money for economic activity is in the government’s mandate. Maintaining an infrastructure to store and move electronic money is conceptually no different than printing money–and honestly probably cheaper in the long run. I will always suspect that pushes to preserve cash are rooted in organized crime. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/46 "2019-12-01T18:49:07Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > It seems like the solution to these problems is to provide basic banking services to people at low cost, not to mandate that businesses keep inefficient practices. I mean, we recognize that providing money for economic activity is in the government’s mandate. Maintaining an infrastructure to store and move electronic money is conceptually no different than printing money–and honestly probably cheaper in the long run. > > I will always suspect that pushes to preserve cash are rooted in organized crime. Exactly. Pandering to Luddites, conspiracy theorists, and well meaning but misguided homeless advocates isn’t the answer. Instead of forcing businesses to keep an antiquated payment system in place city wide, let’s design a 21st century solution to the unbanked. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/47 "2019-12-01T19:48:19Z")
> [@albino\_manatee](#): > > shopping carts with attached hubs can be hacked _(wifi/bluetooth)_ … the terminal with attendant scanning the items can be exploted _(skimming)_ … returns can be compromised. all the attendant needs to do is turn around … and an exploiter can, within three seconds, manipulate the cord’s/display’s connection … circumventing current/future transaction. and there’s always breaking/entering the store after hours … to hijack any/all avenues. > > imo … the best transaction is using gift-cards … difficult tracing any relevant personal data. and, if you paid cash for a gift-card at, say, best-buy … there is no data to be stolen … unless one considers the item\*(s)\* being purchased as being data. however … you should _read_ the small print on back of that gift-card you just chose … it may expire, it may decrease in value, it may incur processing fees … this is your responsibility. The advantages you listed for gift cards are exactly why scammers ask for them as payment. There’s also the money laundering aspect, which along with scams is why many gift cards have a value limit and some stores limit the number you can purchase in a day. In addition, the last time (years ago) I bought a prepaid Visa card instore, my ID info was required. It may have been because it was over $100. I’ve since bought prepaid Visa cards online, but of course they have my payment info. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/48 "2019-12-01T19:57:48Z")
I know some people who just prefer to have cash on hand. One of my friends would cash his entire paycheck and carry it on him, paying for everything in cash. Part of the reason was to hide how much he earned, which varied from paycheck to paycheck from his wife. He would give a certain amount to his wife to pay the bills and keep the rest for himself. He loved to go to hostess bars and the few times I went with him, he’d flash a bunch of hundreds in his wallet. A couple of times I had to bail him out because he didn’t have enough to pay his electric bill. His wife told me that she had no idea how much he earned. Thankfully they divorced after he went through his mid-life crisis and had an affair, spending most of his money on the other woman. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/49 "2019-12-02T01:24:55Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The hell they can’t. Is there stuff in the store? Then the store can be robbed. Cash might be worth more to a thief than… anything else. Using up stolen cash is easy. Stealing something small is also easy, but stealing a lawnmower or a countertop dishwasher wouldn’t be so easy. Even worse, selling the ill-gotten loot… > [@Spiderman](#): > > Why? There are lots of (poor) people that are unbanked/underbanked. Someone should try solving that problem. I read about a homeless person who was having trouble (living at a hotel temporarily) because they had no ID. They were a young adult living with family. Rather than making it easy to do things without ID, wouldn’t it make more sense to get people ID? I really think there should be a charity that helps with that. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/50 "2019-12-02T04:43:55Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Instead of forcing businesses to keep an antiquated payment system in place city wide, let’s design a 21st century solution to the unbanked. Is **THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE** obsolete? Well, in some places, yes. Or, sort of. [Legal tender - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_tender) > [@](#): > > Under U.S. federal law, cash in U.S. dollars is a valid and legal offer of payment for antecedent debts when tendered to a creditor. By contrast, federal statutes do not require a seller to accept federal currency or coins as payment for goods or services simultaneously exchanged. Therefore, private businesses may formulate their own policies on whether to accept cash unless state law requires otherwise.[3][4] So **WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE** means a business can set any legal standard for payment. Not heroin, forced sex, or your first-born. Well, maybe sex: **15% DISCOUNT WITH BLOWJOB** might be okay in Nevada. That “antiquated payment system” provides a bit of anonymity. ANY banking or credit system for “the unbanked” will demand to know exactly who’s who, same as certain slimy social media. It’s more cement in the wall of ubiquitous surveillance rising around us. (That’s a metaphor.) I would very much prefer some of my purchases not be known to bankers, government, the private firms they sell or leak data to, any hackers and identity thieves, and my wife. :eek: And cash beats cards when power and phone are cut off, much too common here in California recently. I prefer another “antiquated system” imposed by some governments, hand-counted paper ballots, but that’s elsewhere. I have a simple rule for this topic: If they don’t want my cash, I’ll find a business that does. Remember, when cash is outlawed, only outlaws will have exact change. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/51 "2019-12-02T05:01:55Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Is **THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE** obsolete? Well, in some places, yes. Or, sort of. [Legal tender - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_tender) > > So **WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE** means a business can set any legal standard for payment. Not heroin, forced sex, or your first-born. Well, maybe sex: **15% DISCOUNT WITH BLOWJOB** might be okay in Nevada. > > That “antiquated payment system” provides a bit of anonymity. ANY banking or credit system for “the unbanked” will demand to know exactly who’s who, same as certain slimy social media. It’s more cement in the wall of ubiquitous surveillance rising around us. (That’s a metaphor.) I would very much prefer some of my purchases not be known to bankers, government, the private firms they sell or leak data to, any hackers and identity thieves, and my wife. :eek: And cash beats cards when power and phone are cut off, much too common here in California recently. > > I prefer another “antiquated system” imposed by some governments, hand-counted paper ballots, but that’s elsewhere. I have a simple rule for this topic: If they don’t want my cash, I’ll find a business that does. Remember, when cash is outlawed, only outlaws will have exact change. And that’s fine. While there’s no risk of me running a business, I’d never accept cash. I’d challenge you to find any brokerage firm that will accept cash. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906/52 "2019-12-02T05:05:47Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Amazon is opening stores; they will have scanners at your cart; as something goes into your cart, it is scanned & added to your total. When you leave, your acct is charged. You won’t need to check out in the traditional manner of going up to a cashier or even a self-serve checkout. In France I’ve seen supermarkets offering similar services to their cardholders. There are handheld scanners you can use to check prices or take items; when you put the scanner back, your account is charged. One of them had people helping the customers and running visual checks of the carts because the system was just being introduced; once people knew how it worked, they didn’t even run the checks. No idea whether the locations chosen have very polite people who don’t even consider stealing from the supermarket once their age is in double digits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-store-will-not-take-cash/843906.md?page=2)