Speaking of the More page … here’s more news

… when we checked its automated list of updated West Seattle-related news, after linking to it in our previous post, we learned of this news that also seems worth a home-page mention: The company behind Pay-By-Touch fingerprint-authenticated payment — which West Seattle Thriftway was the first retailer to use (making history in 2002) — is shutting down. The article briefly quotes Thriftway owner Paul Kapioski; we’ll see if we can find out more tomorrow about how this affects the store. (According to this news release, the shutdown is effective as of late tonight.)

miws March 20, 2008 (12:07 am)

I was at Thriftway just tonight. (Okay, it’s just past midnight, so last night). Even though I was paying cash this time, I was surprised to see that the Pay by Touch Co had shut down. I signed up for it early on, and used it frequently. Sad to see it go.

The signage at the register insisted that customers’ account info was secure, and the records of it had been/would be destroyed.

Mike

WSB March 20, 2008 (12:49 am)

Thanks for the update. I’m losing my eagle-eye – I was in Thriftway around 9:15 pm, and the signs must have been up then, but I clearly missed them.

Sue March 20, 2008 (3:55 am)

I never used it, but my husband used Pay by Touch all the time. Or rather, he attempted to use it. Half the time it didn’t seem to work, didn’t acknowledge him, or then required him to punch in so many ID numbers to verify that it would’ve been easier to just swipe a credit card.

old timer March 20, 2008 (7:05 am)

I guess all those customer’s fingerprints are in the asset mix and for sale to the highest bidder.
Hmmm, I wonder when those will come around to bite the unwary.
With airplane boarding, indeed ANY transportation, soon to become a true 1930’s Germany experience, ‘good’ fingerprints may be worth a bunch.
Oh well, just tin foil rantings from an old man.

private24 March 20, 2008 (7:09 am)

Good riddance! Let’s hope it’s just the beginning of a trend. I’ll be damned if I want some private, for-profit entity collecting my biometric information — or anyone else’s.

Heaven help us all when people accept such intrusion for a small bit of convenience.

Rockergirl March 20, 2008 (8:16 am)

As mentioned above the system did not work the majority of the time – turned into more of a pain to try and use – no wonder they were not successful in staying in business! Thanks for the vote of confidence that our fingerprints will be “secure and have been destroyed” – hopefully this is the case – definitely something to think about before I sign up for anything like this before.

flipjack March 20, 2008 (10:26 am)

They should have just went with retina scanners to begin with, way more reliable.
All Hail TO BIG BROTHER!

miws March 20, 2008 (9:13 pm)

I realize some of the above comments may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the only enticement to sign up for and use this system was payment convenience. Customers using it, would not have to fumble with cash, checks, or any number of cards they might have.

Unlike customer loyalty cards, a customer did not have to use PBT for sale savings. I don’t know if they tracked purchases with it, but I’m sure they could with a credit/debit card as well. And personally, I don’t care if they track mine or not. If I’m purchasing anything “embarrassing”, it’s going to bother me more for the cashier I see when I go there all the time to see it, than the owner or manager that may or may not recognize me as a regular customer, since they may not be on the floor on a regular basis while I’m shopping there.

I have been very pleased that Thriftway has refused to issue loyalty cards, and hope they continue the policy. Again, it doesn’t bother me personally that they might track my purchases, but many people are bothered by it, and I don’t think it’s fair to all but force them to sign up just to get sale prices. (And yes, I realize one can give a fake name and/or number.)

Mike

Brian March 21, 2008 (6:16 am)

I don’t think that a lot of people understood the fraud protection element of Pay-by-Touch. By using biometric data, the risk of fraud is far less, which leads to lower costs for everyone (we ultimately pay for stolen credit info through increased costs and fees).

I used Pay-by-Touch ALL THE TIME and rarely experienced a problem. I stopped carrying my wallet to the store. One of the few times the scanners were down, the manager let me have my items for free! I will miss it.

goldfinger March 21, 2008 (6:22 am)

Mr Rogers
As I wake up this morning I find myself disgusted with your self centered me first approach.

I came to PBT knowing the chance for success was 50/50. During my time on the front line I’ve become a true believer in what we’ve created and felt the odds had increased due to our budding success and ever improving results.

Following many succesful meetings speaking with retailers/CPG’s and even consumers the receptivity of the smart shop/payments combo has been unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of selling. So much so that with true leadership I am of the belief that given the right business model, we had the value prop to make this dog hunt.

Your ego combined with many misguided decisions pushed this once proud ship directly into our iceberg of death.

In the process you made a mess of many lives who bought into the dream, we having stood by your side only to see this once capable ship come to an untimely demise behind a too proud incompetent captain who failed to realize his limitations.

Defeat when you know victory was eminent is always the worst kind of loss.

Our fate was sealed by your selfish/reckless behavior.