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That would mean getting the German government on board. And their track record around these things has been less than stellar, to put it mildly. They always fin
by gmueckl 5y ago
That would mean getting the German government on board. And their track record around these things has been less than stellar, to put it mildly. They always find a way to add wrinkles and complications that make initiatives such as this one pretty much useless in the end.
- Etheryte 5y agoI think the problem many people miss in this context is that it's not a bureaucracy or a technology problem — it's a cultural one. There's a reason cash is king in countries like Germany and Switzerland. As someone who lived in the latter as an expat for a while, they often simply prefer the option you can physically hold. Trust is the name of the game, and I think the cultural bridge will need to be crossed first before adoption becomes the norm.
- logifail 5y ago> There's a reason cash is king in countries like Germany and Switzerland. As someone who lived in the latter as an expat for a while, they often simply prefer the option you can physically hold. It might also be cheaper to use cash, given banking isn't typically free in Germany.
- looki 5y agoI'm not sure why you're trying to say here. Pretty much every German and most definitely every merchant has a bank account. Personally I've never had an account that wasn't free either, although some banks are changing this in light of the low/negative interest rates.
- wink 5y agoI don't agree with this analogy. Most Germans I know (especially those who like cash) are not against the existence of electronic payment at all, but about the choice to have both ways. It's mostly lamenting that you still can ONLY pay in cash in so many places. (Covid has actually improved the situation at a lot of places.)
- nicbou 5y agoI have nothing good to say about digital services in Germany. At best, you get a digital version of the old paper form.