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Philadelphia Bans Cashless Stores

posted by takyon on Tuesday March 12 2019, @07:17AM   Printer-friendly
from the cashless-grab dept.

upstart writes:

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Sorry Amazon: Philadelphia bans cashless stores

This week, Philadelphia's mayor signed a bill that would ban cashless retail stores, according to The Morning Call. The move makes Philadelphia the first major city to require that brick-and-mortar retail stores accept cash. Besides Philadelphia, Massachusetts has required that retailers accept cash since 1978, according to CBS.

The law takes effect July 1, and it will not apply to stores like Costco that require a membership, nor will it apply to parking garages or lots, or to hotels or rental car companies that require a credit or debit card as security for future charges, according to the Wall Street Journal. Retailers caught refusing cash can be fined up to $2,000.

Amazon, whose new Amazon Go stores are cashless and queue-less, reportedly pushed back against the new law, asking for an exemption. According to the WSJ, Philadelphia lawmakers said that Amazon could work around the law under the exemption for stores that require a membership to shop there, but Amazon told the city that a Prime membership is not required to shop at Amazon Go stores, so its options are limited.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:20PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 12 2019, @12:20PM (#813203)

    Let me give the counterpoint: not everyone can get a debit or credit card. So by allowing cashless shops, you are ingraining poverty and crime.

    Depends on your clientele. It's like going to Chanele and then wanting to pay cash-only for $2000 worth of perfume. Sorry, but some places don't want cash. Like Amazon. Amazon's clients are not cash heavy in the first place.

    By requiring that people have access to banking facilities in order to buy basic necessities such as food, you are forcing people to the black market; crime, prostitution, etc; just to get food.

    I see what you did there... giant hyperbole. And which food store doesn't accept cash?? And if you believe that cashless Amazon stores would not allow cash when there is demand, you're probably a little crazy. But they would have some place where you buy credit for Amazon and then you buy whatever againt that credit.

    Nb: in the 21st century, fascism will not be characterised by Hitler and Stalin,

    Nah, you already have Mr. Orange there with his other favorite minorities. 800k without pay for 2 months because he saw something on Fox News. Now how's that for forcing people to food banks?? People that actually work? But no, you go after stores experimenting with cashless.... oh noes!!!!

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by PiMuNu on Tuesday March 12 2019, @04:22PM

    by PiMuNu (3823) on Tuesday March 12 2019, @04:22PM (#813339)

    > And which food store doesn't accept cash??

    In 10 years time (if we allow it) all major supermarkets.

    > And if you believe that cashless Amazon stores would not allow cash when there is demand, you're probably a little crazy.

    Who wants to serve bums, prostitutes and drug addicts? Not much demand there. Except you just created a positive feedback loop and ingrained poverty.