credit cards and plastic bags ???

This is the place for any magazine-related discussions that don't fit in any of the column discussion boards below.
Post Reply
User avatar
dacflyer
Posts: 4748
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 1:01 am
Location: USA / North Carolina / Fayetteville
Contact:

credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by dacflyer »

whats the deal that plastic shopping bags help make a CC work better ?
there's about 2 stores here in town, that my CC will not work on their counter card readers
dirty or weak mag stripe i guess.. either way the clerk will put my card into a plastic bag, then swipe the card again. and it works great. what going on ? is the plastic bag acting like a amplifier ?
static amp ? :P i do not get it, but it appears to work..
gerty
Posts: 314
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:01 am
Location: Tennessee
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by gerty »

My wife works in a small store, she told me about this trick then asked how/why it works.
I didn't have an answer either....
User avatar
sofaspud
Posts: 531
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2002 1:01 am
Location: San Antonio, TX
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by sofaspud »

This is the first I've heard of this, but given a few moments thought my best guess is it has something to do with
the slickness of the bag. I hope someone has a definitive answer to this puzzler.
User avatar
Michael Kaudze
Site Admin
Posts: 16300
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2002 1:01 am
Location: at work
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by Michael Kaudze »

Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. Stephen William Hawking.
User avatar
Michael Kaudze
Site Admin
Posts: 16300
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2002 1:01 am
Location: at work
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by Michael Kaudze »

@ 2:30 is the answer..
Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. Stephen William Hawking.
User avatar
sofaspud
Posts: 531
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2002 1:01 am
Location: San Antonio, TX
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by sofaspud »

Thanks MK. I considered the possibility but didn't think the bag was thick enough to make that much of a difference.
It's certainly easier to see the concept applied with the wax paper and UPC. Mystery solved! If I ever have this happen
at the store I'll get to play geek smarty-pants! :lol:
User avatar
dacflyer
Posts: 4748
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 1:01 am
Location: USA / North Carolina / Fayetteville
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by dacflyer »

Hmm, totally different than what i thought.. thanks :)
User avatar
MicroRem
Posts: 208
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2001 1:01 am
Location: Vancouver, WA USA
Contact:

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by MicroRem »

It was exactly what I thought. I was certain I had no idea why it worked.

Tom
Dimbulb
Posts: 324
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 1:01 am

Re: credit cards and plastic bags ???

Post by Dimbulb »

maybe a form of cleaning and deguassing
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 29 guests