Free beer and burger provided by the festival for weekend ticket holders

[Vieuphoria]

Assumptions assumptions.

[AcademicPistol]

I am a presumptions devil but you heard it here first!

Barclays to back electronic festival wristbands!

[The Mean Bean]

Cashless wristbands are not to benefit the punters, they're so the sellers don't have to deal with large sums of cash takings, it makes the punter's life harder to make theirs easier.

[Vieuphoria]

I am a presumptions devil but you heard it here first!

Barclays to back electronic festival wristbands!

[mooseman]

With cash in your pocket you're a thief away from a crap weekend.

The rest of your points made evidence on hypotheticals... I especially like:

"Even the less queuing is bollocks, as proven by the bigger queues than they'd be for entrance in handling paper tickets."

Seriously? As proven by something that is a suggestion?

[mooseman]

Cashless wristbands are not to benefit the punters, they're so the sellers don't have to deal with large sums of cash takings, it makes the punter's life harder to make theirs easier.

[LondonTom]

And your cashless wristband can't be stolen?

[The Mean Bean]

It's not really harder for the punters, they simply transfer money from there bank account, just like paying for a festival ticket online. With todays mobile technology it could easily be done from your phone and the internet. It will make it alot easier to pay for things for everyone involved as it means no loose change.

[mooseman]

I'm not trusting my money to these people, and you've completely assumed that, you actually don't know how it would work. And what when the inevitable glitches in the system happen? You're left with no money. And you have to spend that wristband at the festival, I like to take more than I need to the festival and spend as little as possible, I've got enough money to see me through although I don't want to have to spend it all, what's the betting they'll actually give you that money back afterwards? Do O2 give you you're existing credit back if you switch networks? What's wrong with cash anyway? Does the job perfectly, it ain't broke so let's not "fix" it.

[LondonTom]

Yes I have assumed that as it really is the easiest way it could work. There shouldn't be any glitches in the system if it has been developed properly and tested before it is put in place, it is a very simple idea that has been used in variations forms for many years. A refund system would also be very simple to implement, it would most likely include a charge, but I see no reason why it wouldn't happen. I'm on a contract phone so don't have your peasant problems with pay as you go.

[eFestivals]

It's not really harder for the punters, they simply transfer money from there bank account, just like paying for a festival ticket online. With todays mobile technology it could easily be done from your phone and the internet. It will make it alot easier to pay for things for everyone involved as it means no loose change.

how does spending a greater amount of time doing all the necessary things to be able to make a purchase make things a lot easier?

The amount of time it takes to put money on the wristband is hugely greater than any time saving there is when making a purchase.

Edited July 11, 2012 by eFestivals

[mrtourette]

I'm not interested in any cashless 'solution', whether it be token bars or wristbands. If you have money in your pocket then what you don't spend is yours, other systems are too open to abuse by the organisers (ie tokens only available for specific days and can'rt be used on other days, money loaded onto a wristband not being refundable, etc.).

[Justiceforcedave]

http://www.retailtechnology.co.uk/news/isle-wight-festival-expands-cashless-trials

It reads

"All of the main bars throughout the site and a number of catering outlets accepted the RFID wristbands, provided by manufacturer ID&C, across the weekend.

Visitors using the wristbands could spend up to £20 in a single transaction and after the festival, any unused credit would be automatically refunded to their card."

Sounds ok, but I'd still rather have cash. £20 per transaction? That'll barely buy a burger these days

[ar1]

Cashless wristbands are not to benefit the punters, they're so the sellers don't have to deal with large sums of cash takings, it makes the punter's life harder to make theirs easier.

[eFestivals]

Bloc Weekend had an electronic entrance system last weekend.

That worked well, eh?

[mooseman]

Oh good a nice charge for us to access our money. Are you a banker?

[eFestivals]

I think a system in which you purchase a wristband before the festival with a certain amount of money on would work well.

it can only work well if everything with the system works properly 100% of the time. If the system doesn't work, you're fucked.

Banks can't keep their systems working; any festival system will be less robust.

If a system like this was all there was at a fest and the system breaks down, then there's going to be a MASSIVE public disorder incident.

[kaosmark2]

And as for cash doing the job perfectly, are you actually serious? How many times have you lost money? How many times have you been short-changed? Ever ripped a note or had one go through the wash? It doesn't do the job perfectly as it is out done by debit cards. I have no idea why you take more than you need to and then spend as little as possible, there are machines in the wall that lets you take out more - or do you keep it under your mattress away from them pesky banks.

[Vieuphoria]

Is that the reason that thing got cancelled?

[eFestivals]

Is that the reason that thing got cancelled?

I can't say with any certainty.

But from the info we've had - which we're currently trying to verify - it's looking like it was, yup.

[mooseman]

it can only work well if everything with the system works properly 100% of the time. If the system doesn't work, you're fucked.

Banks can't keep their systems working; any festival system will be less robust.

If a system like this was all there was at a fest and the system breaks down, then there's going to be a MASSIVE public disorder incident.

[eFestivals]

banks ... mostly keep systems running and working all the time

yep, they do. But they have a controlled environment in which to run their main-frame systems which are as solid as a rock (I know, I used to work on them), shit loads of staff, and shit loads of 'redundant' systems as a back-up system to any failure.

Festivals will have a twenty-something with a few years experience of IT support who is over-awed with gadgetry, with the system running on a PC.

Spot the difference?

[Vieuphoria]

You're assuming that to be the case.

[mooseman]

yep, they do. But they have a controlled environment in which to run their main-frame systems which are as solid as a rock (I know, I used to work on them), shit loads of staff, and shit loads of 'redundant' systems as a back-up system to any failure.

Festivals will have a twenty-something with a few years experience of IT support who is over-awed with gadgetry, with the system running on a PC.

Spot the difference?

[eFestivals]

It will probably be more advanced than that and as long as it can cope with the demands, it will be fine.

so what you're actually saying is this...

If it doesn't all go horribly wrong, everything will be just fine.

Well no shit sherlock. How long did it take you to work that one out?