Jan 16, 2017, 6:55 am
Last edit by: storewanderer
Older (archived) threads: 2014-16
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- What is EMV contactless?
EMV contactless is a form of contactless/NFC that uses the same security and encryption that is used when inserting a chip card into an EMV-enabled terminal. Other than not having to sign/enter a PIN for smaller transactions, the security is effectively the same as chip and PIN/chip and signature.
In contrast, MSD contactless is an older version that is designed just and only for the United States. This effectively uses much the same flow as a swiped card transaction with the same rules.
- What is CDCVM?
CDCVM stands for Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method. It's a method of telling the terminal that the customer verified their identity using their mobile device. Terminals that support it will waive the signature/PIN requirement typically in place for larger transactions, potentially saving time at checkout.
More info: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202527
- Does EMV contactless need to be supported to support CDCVM?
Typically, yes. (However, there are some exceptions below.)
- Why can't I tap my foreign-issued contactless card at most places in the US?
This is likely because the store does not support EMV contactless. Foreign issued contactless cards typically do not support MSD contactless since other markets have had EMV for quite some time. In contrast, most stores in the US have yet to get the necessary certifications/software for EMV contactless so they are typically MSD-only--if contactless is enabled at all. (See below for a list of stores where your card will likely work.)
- I paid for a purchase with Apple/Android/Samsung Pay and still had to sign for it.
Most likely, the store in question does not have EMV contactless enabled (see above question). However, there are instances where CDCVM does not work even with EMV contactless enabled. Restaurants that allow tip adjust, for example--where the tip amount is written on a paper receipt and entered by the staff later--cannot support CDCVM. It may simply be a matter of the merchant's processor or the POS software in use not supporting it too.
Another common reason is if you used a US-issued AmEx card with a mobile wallet. AmEx currently does not allow EMV contactless support in mobile wallets for these cards, so they always run as MSD contactless. Because of this, CDCVM is not supported (with very few exceptions, as noted below).
Note: if you used Samsung Pay, you may have paid with MST instead of NFC. Since MST emulates the magnetic pulses that the terminal receives when swiping a regular card, the normal magstripe rules apply.
- How can I tell whether EMV contactless was used?
An easy way to tell if you have Apple Pay is to pay with a Visa or MC while in airplane mode. Wallet will then show a transaction amount next to "Payment" for the card that was used. Alternatively, EMV-related information will typically print on the receipt (AID, etc.) if EMV contactless was used.
(Non-exhaustive) list of EMV contactless supporting merchants in the US:
- 7-Eleven
- 99 Ranch
- Albertsons (Safeway, Vons, Pak N Save, Jewel, Acme, Shaws, Star, Carrs, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Haggen, Eagle, Lucky UT/SoCal)
- Apple Store*†
- Athleta
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
- Banana Republic
- Costco Wholesale
- CVS
- DuaneReade*
- El Pollo Loco
- EG Group US (Quik Stop, Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb, Turkey Hill) Note: cashier must press "Electronic Payment" to activate NFC
- Five Below*
- Five Guys
- GAP
- Grocery Outlet*
- Harmon's Grocery
- H&M*
- Jolibee
- Kohl's*
- Lush Cosmetics*
- Maverik
- McDonald's*
- Meijer
- Old Navy
- Panera Bread
- PetSmart
- Ray's Food Place
- Round Table Pizza
- Royal Farms
- Red Ribbon Bakeshop
- Sheetz
- Sherm's Thunderbird Discount Markets Inc.*
- Sprouts
- Staples*
- Starbucks*
- Subway
- Walgreens*
- Weis Markets
- All businesses that use Square and support contactless*
- All businesses that use Clover and support EMV†**
- All businesses that use First Data standalone terminals (e.g. FD100+FD35, FD130) with EMV enabled**
* CDCVM support confirmed
** CDCVM support depends on store/restaurant
† CDCVM supported in MSD mode
USA contactless credit/debit/transit (2017 - 2021)
Oct 21, 2017, 1:04 pm
#2386
Join Date: Oct 2007
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It has been nice to see digital wallets work for issuers who are not offering tap cards to everyone (Chase/American Express). I am still looking for Android options for Barclaycard US (they only do Apple) since they have not been offering tap cards in this market.
Many people like to use/test tap cards for restaurant/fast food transactions, I wanted to update the best reward cards for these:
3% - Synchrony Marvel (only digital wallet tap, MC)
3% - Capital One Savor (both tap card and digital wallet, MC WE)
3% - Citi Costco Anywhere (both tap card and digital wallet, Visa)
From time to time other cards (Chase Freedom/Discover/Citi Dividend) may offer 5% quarterly bonuses.
Rasheed
Many people like to use/test tap cards for restaurant/fast food transactions, I wanted to update the best reward cards for these:
3% - Synchrony Marvel (only digital wallet tap, MC)
3% - Capital One Savor (both tap card and digital wallet, MC WE)
3% - Citi Costco Anywhere (both tap card and digital wallet, Visa)
From time to time other cards (Chase Freedom/Discover/Citi Dividend) may offer 5% quarterly bonuses.
Rasheed
Oct 21, 2017, 2:05 pm
#2387
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I tried paying with my Diners Club MC and PIN wasn't asked for either, so IHOP likely disabled it. Better than rejecting my card or not using EMV I guess but still, IHOP seems like one of those places where having the terminal ask for tip wouldn't have been a problem.Considering that, would it make sense to mark the remainder as supporting contactless?
Oct 21, 2017, 2:44 pm
#2388
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What exactly happened with your DC - regular signature slip transaction, or No CVM?
Oct 21, 2017, 2:47 pm
#2389
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Oct 21, 2017, 2:54 pm
#2390
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Posts: 3,251
Speaking of this, I went to another IHOP this morning. When it was time to pay, their PIN pad was hidden behind a fairly high wall between the customer and the POS, making contactless impossible. I tried paying with my Diners Club MC and PIN wasn't asked for either, so IHOP likely disabled it. Better than rejecting my card or not using EMV I guess but still, IHOP seems like one of those places where having the terminal ask for tip wouldn't have been a problem.
Considering that, would it make sense to mark the remainder as supporting contactless?
I tried paying with my Diners Club MC and PIN wasn't asked for either, so IHOP likely disabled it. Better than rejecting my card or not using EMV I guess but still, IHOP seems like one of those places where having the terminal ask for tip wouldn't have been a problem.Considering that, would it make sense to mark the remainder as supporting contactless?
Oct 21, 2017, 4:08 pm
#2391
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H Mart must be an individual thing as today's experience @ Bellevue. WA was swipe only, Samsung Pay via MST, no CVM.
Oct 21, 2017, 6:46 pm
#2392
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Maybe. I hope it's just an isolated case and not all that common. I'm not sure they get any specific training on it either other than "this is how you turn on the PIN pad for credit cards".
Oct 21, 2017, 9:53 pm
#2393
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Another positive experience at a Safeway (the one in Mtn View on Shoreline Blvd a little south of US101), with Apple Pay. No tap logo, but the little green dots were present on the screen. The cashier wasn't surprised when I paid with my phone, so clearly I wasn't the first one doing it.
Good deal.
Good deal.
Oct 21, 2017, 11:46 pm
#2394
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Another positive experience at a Safeway (the one in Mtn View on Shoreline Blvd a little south of US101), with Apple Pay. No tap logo, but the little green dots were present on the screen. The cashier wasn't surprised when I paid with my phone, so clearly I wasn't the first one doing it.
Good deal.
Good deal.
Oct 22, 2017, 12:26 am
#2395
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 2,495
It has been nice to see digital wallets work for issuers who are not offering tap cards to everyone (Chase/American Express). I am still looking for Android options for Barclaycard US (they only do Apple) since they have not been offering tap cards in this market.
Many people like to use/test tap cards for restaurant/fast food transactions, I wanted to update the best reward cards for these:
3% - Synchrony Marvel (only digital wallet tap, MC)
3% - Capital One Savor (both tap card and digital wallet, MC WE)
3% - Citi Costco Anywhere (both tap card and digital wallet, Visa)
From time to time other cards (Chase Freedom/Discover/Citi Dividend) may offer 5% quarterly bonuses.
Rasheed
Many people like to use/test tap cards for restaurant/fast food transactions, I wanted to update the best reward cards for these:
3% - Synchrony Marvel (only digital wallet tap, MC)
3% - Capital One Savor (both tap card and digital wallet, MC WE)
3% - Citi Costco Anywhere (both tap card and digital wallet, Visa)
From time to time other cards (Chase Freedom/Discover/Citi Dividend) may offer 5% quarterly bonuses.
Rasheed
I can't seem to get a Contactless Card out of Chase despite ongoing efforts, which will continue.
Oct 22, 2017, 12:28 am
#2396
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Another positive experience at a Safeway (the one in Mtn View on Shoreline Blvd a little south of US101), with Apple Pay. No tap logo, but the little green dots were present on the screen. The cashier wasn't surprised when I paid with my phone, so clearly I wasn't the first one doing it.
Good deal.
Good deal.
Or they are just that demoralized and indifferent that they don't even care to comment.
The one where I often get comments is Rite Aid, it is like they have just never seen any Tap cards before, at any location.
Oct 22, 2017, 12:31 am
#2397
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I just noticed the 7-Eleven (US) Rewards App now has a "Save to Android Pay" option in their App.
It would appear based on this that actual Contactless acceptance is coming back to 7-Eleven. There is one location I have visited in Sparks, NV where Contactless is ENabled, Chip has been DISabled (?????), but the Contactless does not process and shows a Decline then on the receipt shows "unknown card," only Swipe processes. What is the point of having their loyalty in Android Pay, if you still have to dig out cash or a physical card to run the transaction?
It would appear based on this that actual Contactless acceptance is coming back to 7-Eleven. There is one location I have visited in Sparks, NV where Contactless is ENabled, Chip has been DISabled (?????), but the Contactless does not process and shows a Decline then on the receipt shows "unknown card," only Swipe processes. What is the point of having their loyalty in Android Pay, if you still have to dig out cash or a physical card to run the transaction?
Oct 22, 2017, 12:54 am
#2398
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As for the others, I suspect Chase and most of the other major banks won't bother unless the mobile wallets get way more customer/merchant acceptance. At that point, they'll likely save money by getting people using contactless cards/their own apps over Apple Pay, etc. even taking into account the extra cost to make those cards/apps.
Citi may roll out contactless to more cards based on what they did with the Costco card. However, I suspect that was something Costco/Visa asked for as opposed to something Citi wanted to do. If that's the case, the last paragraph applies to Citi too.
Capital One is going all in on it, though, at least for a few of their cards. I'd be interested to see what their mobile wallet usage looks like relative to the others.
Oct 22, 2017, 1:54 am
#2399
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I believe Safeway trained its employees about the feature of tap being enabled because nobody at any Safeway has noticed or even thought anything of my tapping a card to pay...
Or they are just that demoralized and indifferent that they don't even care to comment.
The one where I often get comments is Rite Aid, it is like they have just never seen any Tap cards before, at any location.
Or they are just that demoralized and indifferent that they don't even care to comment.
The one where I often get comments is Rite Aid, it is like they have just never seen any Tap cards before, at any location.
Oct 22, 2017, 2:28 am
#2400
Join Date: Mar 2011
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AmEx doesn't market it well, unfortunately. That plus CS not really knowing much about them means that it'll likely take several attempts to get one. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for most people as a result, especially since Visa in Apple/Android Pay apparently works on transit now.
As for the others, I suspect Chase and most of the other major banks won't bother unless the mobile wallets get way more customer/merchant acceptance. At that point, they'll likely save money by getting people using contactless cards/their own apps over Apple Pay, etc. even taking into account the extra cost to make those cards/apps.
Citi may roll out contactless to more cards based on what they did with the Costco card. However, I suspect that was something Costco/Visa asked for as opposed to something Citi wanted to do. If that's the case, the last paragraph applies to Citi too.
Capital One is going all in on it, though, at least for a few of their cards. I'd be interested to see what their mobile wallet usage looks like relative to the others.
As for the others, I suspect Chase and most of the other major banks won't bother unless the mobile wallets get way more customer/merchant acceptance. At that point, they'll likely save money by getting people using contactless cards/their own apps over Apple Pay, etc. even taking into account the extra cost to make those cards/apps.
Citi may roll out contactless to more cards based on what they did with the Costco card. However, I suspect that was something Costco/Visa asked for as opposed to something Citi wanted to do. If that's the case, the last paragraph applies to Citi too.
Capital One is going all in on it, though, at least for a few of their cards. I'd be interested to see what their mobile wallet usage looks like relative to the others.
I don't know. The vast majority of my transactions are Contactless. Aside from Kroger and certain restaurants, I can pretty much use Tap everywhere I go now, including some well priced gas pumps in locations I actually visit, thanks to Maverik. Either the Tap American Express Card or using various Chase cards via my phone.
If Chase would issue me physical Contactless Cards, I would not use the app on my phone I don't think. But I do find the phone tap pay App to be easier than inserting a Chip card and waiting.
I don't exactly base my purchasing decision on if a place has Tap. However, to give an example, there is a spot where Maverik and Quik Stop (Kroger) operate near each other. Both generally have the same gas price; Maverik gives .02/gallon off with loyalty card, Quik Stop gives .03/gallon off with loyalty card. Maverik pump is a few seconds easier to use as it does not prompt for zip code like Quik Stop does, but that doesn't exactly matter much. What really started making me select Maverik over Quik Stop was the installation of Tap. Basically, all things were generally equal between the two.
To give another example, a Sprouts (with Tap) recently opened across from the Kroger (Smiths) (No Tap due to anti-Tap Kroger) that is convenient on my commute. I am not too impressed with Sprouts, find it to be quite expensive, inconsistent on quality, often out of stock on ad items, and do not like a cashier ordering me to unload the hand basket I was using as she stands there staring off with no customers. So the fact that they offer Tap has no impact on my purchasing decision because there are other factors about the place that keep me from visiting it more than once a week.