Comments on: UI innovation at the gas pump http://www.vinaysethmohta.com/blog/2008/08/11/ui-innovation-at-the-gas-pump/ Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:25:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: vinaysethmohta http://www.vinaysethmohta.com/blog/2008/08/11/ui-innovation-at-the-gas-pump/comment-page-1/#comment-2033 vinaysethmohta Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:40:33 +0000 http://www.vinaysethmohta.com/blog/?p=19#comment-2033 I would imagine that it's one of those incremental conveniences that was never worth the cost. In fact, I'm surprised they did it now. Perhaps the hardware cost difference is now a matter of pennies. Re incremental convenience - the gas stations probably captured 80-90% of the benefit of pay-at-the-pump (in saved time / hassle / poor customer service of paying inside) with just any type of card reader at the pump. Saving users the extra 3 seconds and the frustration of having to re-orient the credit card is a minor added benefit. Put another way, I would have paid a penny more per gallon to go to a gas station that has pay-at-the-pump vs. one that only has pay-inside; however, I would likely not pay a penny more to go to a pump that has a reader that works with all possible orientations of a credit card vs. one that only works with one orientation. I would imagine that it’s one of those incremental conveniences that was never worth the cost. In fact, I’m surprised they did it now. Perhaps the hardware cost difference is now a matter of pennies.

Re incremental convenience – the gas stations probably captured 80-90% of the benefit of pay-at-the-pump (in saved time / hassle / poor customer service of paying inside) with just any type of card reader at the pump. Saving users the extra 3 seconds and the frustration of having to re-orient the credit card is a minor added benefit. Put another way, I would have paid a penny more per gallon to go to a gas station that has pay-at-the-pump vs. one that only has pay-inside; however, I would likely not pay a penny more to go to a pump that has a reader that works with all possible orientations of a credit card vs. one that only works with one orientation.

]]> By: Aaron Beals http://www.vinaysethmohta.com/blog/2008/08/11/ui-innovation-at-the-gas-pump/comment-page-1/#comment-2029 Aaron Beals Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:08:18 +0000 http://www.vinaysethmohta.com/blog/?p=19#comment-2029 I think it might have started out as a cost issue -- to read all orientations, you'd need 4 readers in each slot rather than just one. However, I agree with you. The end-user convenience is worth the cost, and I think that extends to RFID. I've found the T's CharlieCard system incredibly convenient when everyone is using properly (can slow down with tourists). Some places are using RFID for contact-less smartcards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_card#Contactless_smart_card) but it seems that most are small transactions (parking, transportation). I think it might have started out as a cost issue — to read all orientations, you’d need 4 readers in each slot rather than just one.

However, I agree with you. The end-user convenience is worth the cost, and I think that extends to RFID. I’ve found the T’s CharlieCard system incredibly convenient when everyone is using properly (can slow down with tourists).

Some places are using RFID for contact-less smartcards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_card#Contactless_smart_card) but it seems that most are small transactions (parking, transportation).

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