ATM Surcharges Could Be Waived With Commercials

Source


Proposed idea from Clinton Townsend, CEO of a company called Free ATMs NYC. ATM machines would utilize advertisements to replace the ATM fees. In the same amount of time as a normal ATM transaction, users would have the option of viewing an advertisement instead of paying the ATM service fee.

The ad plays during the time the screen's message indicates a transaction is processing, typically 10 seconds or less, Townsend said. Or customers can choose not to view the ad and pay an ATM surcharge of $3.

Personally I actually like this idea, even in a world where advertsisements are everywhere you look. In fact that is probably why i like this idea so much. Advertisements are so commonplace that I barely even notice them most of the time. I wouldnt mind saving 3 bucks and watching an advertisement. Save 3 bucks in 10 seconds, yes please.

The one downside I noted while reading this article originally is the time involved, especialy in high crime areas where i want to get away from the machine and back on my journey as quickly as possible. Apparently the service wouldnt be available in those areas.

Townsend said he plans to place his ATMs "very strategically." "We target a demographic and we place them in safe locations. Not on street corners in high crime neighborhoods, for example," he said. "We don't put our customers in harm's way. Our goal is to make our customers happy."

In high traffic areas this might result in an increase in waiting times at the ATM, but again i dont really mind, because my time is worth it to me, i'd wait in line at the gas pump to save 3cents per gallon, or 3 bucks per 10 gallons, just as i would wait in line at the ATM.

I hope to see them in my neighborhood soon.

It is a sucky idea in my opinion.

One way or another they are trying everything in their power to separate us from our money.
I protest on principal alone.

No effin way man, I'm sick of commercials everywhere I go. Gas stations, walmarts, youtube vids, radio, t.v., bus benches, and now electronic billboards all over southern kalifornia freeways. I long for the days before I was born where quality, durability, merit and reputation earned a product or service it's selling point. First of all they tell you it's just 10 seconds, then, a law will be passed for those with more money to expand those 10 seconds of advertising while you're getting beat to a pulp waiting for the money you'll never get. Notice they give you two choices... no offense man but you played right into it. My choice would be to dump that financial institution on its ass and don't bank anywhere (for good measure). That's what I did.

Originally posted by MaxJohnson
No effin way man, I'm sick of commercials everywhere I go. Gas stations, walmarts, youtube vids, radio, t.v., bus benches, and now electronic billboards all over southern kalifornia freeways. I long for the days before I was born where quality, durability, merit and reputation earned a product or service it's selling point. First of all they tell you it's just 10 seconds, then, a law will be passed for those with more money to expand those 10 seconds of advertising while you're getting beat to a pulp waiting for the money you'll never get. Notice they give you two choices... no offense man but you played right into it. My choice would be to dump that financial institution on its ass and don't bank anywhere (for good measure). That's what I did.

Its not the bank that is instituting this plan. It is a privately owned ATM service, much like you would see in a bar or restaurant. It gives the consumer a choice, where otherwise there would be no choice if you needed to access an ATM. There are plenty of people that have no need for use of an ATM, and this would have no bearing on them at all.

I am glad that there is now a choice for consumers. As far as advertisements go, I have no problem with them at all. I see hundreds a day, one more to save me 3 bucks, no brainer. Save the consumers money any way possible.

I like this Idea simply because:

1.I CAN turn away and not look at the commercial.

2. I CAN'T turn away from the fee.

Commercials are easy to ignore. Fees are not. It's that simple. I like the idea personally.

Incredible, now the greedy profiteers wants to use brainwashing techniques and force consumers to watch their propaganda crap in order to waive fees



People, don't fall for the brainwashing and stop using ATMs that is how you hurt the greedy profiteers.

My bank doesn't charge for ATM Fees as long as we use machines under their name, we don't pay for debit card fees either, that is how you shop for a bank, get the one that will work for you, not you for them.

Originally posted by youdidntseeme

I am glad that there is now a choice for consumers. As far as advertisements go, I have no problem with them at all. I see hundreds a day, one more to save me 3 bucks, no brainer. Save the consumers money any way possible.

How do you see it as a choice? As I see it, if someone offered to shoot me in the brain or stab me in the heart I do not see the difference, but hey; I do have a choice I suppose.

In what way does this save a customer money with them spouting off every time you turn around; "here you need this". When has a bank ever been concerned with saving customers money?

Originally posted by CastleMadeOfSand
I like this Idea simply because:

1.I CAN turn away and not look at the commercial.

2. I CAN'T turn away from the fee.

Commercials are easy to ignore. Fees are not. It's that simple. I like the idea personally.

See, this is where they trick you. They force you into a situation where you have to pick the lessor of the evils and play it off as a choice. You have options, sure, but they are one sided and it is not on your side. Either option you pick, they win without any benefit to the customer.

reply to post by Skewed


Exactly, thanks for put it on lame words, I tell you, people doesn't understand that the longer you stay standing in front of an ATM machine the more chances you have to have your identity stolen and be the victim of a crime.

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by Skewed

 

Exactly, thanks for put it on lame words, I tell you, people doesn't understand that the longer you stay standing in front of an ATM machine the more chances you have to have your identity stolen and be the victim of a crime.

edit on 5-12-2011 by marg6043 because: (no reason given)

Really......you can be the victim of identity theft or crime ANYWHERE at ANYTIME.

How does brainwashing work when one doesn't even look at said brainwashing item? Silly people. I guess you guys would rather pay a fee.

Yeah because the banks are so broke they can't afford to just simply drop the fees. Ridiculous.

Switch to a local bank or credit union where there are no fees to withdraw your money.

Originally posted by Skewed

Originally posted by CastleMadeOfSand
I like this Idea simply because:

1.I CAN turn away and not look at the commercial.

2. I CAN'T turn away from the fee.

Commercials are easy to ignore. Fees are not. It's that simple. I like the idea personally.

See, this is where they trick you. They force you into a situation where you have to pick the lessor of the evils and play it off as a choice. You have options, sure, but they are one sided and it is not on your side. Either option you pick, they win without any benefit to the customer.

...oh yeah, btw....my bank does not have a charge on their ATM'S. I win either way.

I'm not forced to do anything. I'm not forced to use an ATM. I can go to the bank and do the same thing. How is an advert one-sided? How do they "win" by me ignoring an advert? I win by NOT watching and getting my money WITHOUT paying a fee. You act as if people are forced to look at screen. Believe me, I can find something to occupy me for 10 seconds while it plays.

Originally posted by CastleMadeOfSand
I like this Idea simply because:

1.I CAN turn away and not look at the commercial.

2. I CAN'T turn away from the fee.

Commercials are easy to ignore. Fees are not. It's that simple. I like the idea personally.

Agreed. This is a win proposal. I support this because I hate ATM fees. 3 $ just to withdraw 20 $? Way to overdraft your account! Then you gotta pay another 25-35 $ in overdraft fees!

Screw all that, just show me some commercials and save me the heartache.

Originally posted by metaldemon2000
Yeah because the banks are so broke they can't afford to just simply drop the fees. Ridiculous.
Switch to a local bank or credit union where there are no fees to withdraw your money.

If you'd actually read the thread you'd realize these are third party ATM's not the ones at your bank.

D If you only have bad choices then a poor one seems good.

In my country a part of the ATMs were taken over by a private money mogul who started charging small ATM fees. IT made such a big public outcry that the charges were dropped.

I would never, ever accept having to pay for lifting money at ATM, nor watching commercials.

Over here it is seen as a good enough privilege that the ATM owner gets to plaster his logo on the machine.

It is a privilege to have your machine at a ATM slot, not a right.

Playing a commercial for you is better than having to pay a fee although I'm burned out on commercials. I couldn't count the amount of times I decided not to watch a video because of a damn advertisement. If I really want to watch it, I'll at least turn the volume off.

If they'd advertise ear plugs, I would be behind that!

Originally posted by CastleMadeOfSand

I'm not forced to do anything. I'm not forced to use an ATM. I can go to the bank and do the same thing. How is an advert one-sided? How do they "win" by me ignoring an advert? I win by NOT watching and getting my money WITHOUT paying a fee. You act as if people are forced to look at screen. Believe me, I can find something to occupy me for 10 seconds while it plays.

edit on 12/5/2011 by CastleMadeOfSand because: (no reason given)

Personally, I do not like the fees to get my money, and I do not like the commercials telling me what I want. I have been on this planet long enough that if there is something I want I know where to get it or find it, I do not need someone shoving it down my throat. Just give me my damn money and let me be on my way.

Originally posted by marg6043
Incredible, now the greedy profiteers wants to use brainwashing techniques and force consumers to watch their propaganda crap in order to waive fees

People, don't fall for the brainwashing and stop using ATMs that is how you hurt the greedy profiteers.

My bank doesn't charge for ATM Fees as long as we use machines under their name, we don't pay for debit card fees either, that is how you shop for a bank, get the one that will work for you, not you for them.

edit on 5-12-2011 by marg6043 because: (no reason given)

It must be nice living in utopia, but here in the real world where I live, and have lived through the years, none of this is practical or reasonable.

I usually shop after dark when the crowds are gone, that means I cannot just go to a bank since they close at like 4pm usually. Also what if my bank is on 7th street and I lived on 50th street, yet the grocery store is on 48th street? Why should I waste all this gas just to go to the bank? My food is only 2 blocks away but I have to drive 80 blocks to get it?

I don't want to drive 40 streets just to use an ATM under my banks name, then 40 blocks back, that's unreasonable. That will eat my 3$ ATM fee right there in gas prices. All those red lights kill gas mileage.

Please don't prevent this wonderful no-fee private ATM proposal simply because you don't use them in the first place. Just leave it alone and let me, the private ATM user, embrace this wonderful cheap money-saving concept.

Just get out of the way please. You don't even use this, your opinion is not applicable. There are millions of people who have their lives ruined by these stupid fees, and this is our chance to escape them.

No one is 'forced' to watch it, we can turn around and look away, cover our ears. Do billboards force you to look at them? Are you forced to not change the channel when commercials come on? Does a page in the newspaper or magazine force you to look at it? No...you can look right past it for FREE.

Commercials keep the price of products down and are almost always in favor of the consumer.

Originally posted by Skewed

Personally, I do not like the fees to get my money, and I do not like the commercials telling me what I want. I have been on this planet long enough that if there is something I want I know where to get it or find it, I do not need someone shoving it down my throat. Just give me my damn money and let me be on my way.

Right a bank should be your slave and hold your money for nothing? They should pay their workers with gratitude rather than actual paychecks?

How on Earth can a bank exist if it doesn't have some sort of incentive to exist in the first place?

I agree that there are excessive and illegitimate fees, but some sort of fee is necessary to keep the corporation afloat in the first place.

They have bills to pay too, like electric, renting a location, taxes, paying workers, etc. There has to be a way to balance out this situation and fees are how it is accomplished.

reply to post by Zaphod


I understand about the third party machines. I know how they work, hell I install the internet lines for them. Some of these are ridiculous. They love to gouge. At bars it can be anywhere from the 3 to 5 dollar fee. At the strip club down the road its a six dollar fee. At this music festival I went to this summer it wad an eight dollar fee.

Effin crooks.

Big banks are no better. The Canadian govt tried to get the banks to ditch these fees a few years back. Apparently the banks said they needed these fees to keep the machine network operational. It was found out that the machines only required ten percent of the total profit the banks made off these fees to actually maintain the network and machines.

The banks fought and fought though and they won.

Personally I don't use these third party machines. They are slow and I have been ripped off once or twice by them and had to go into my bank branch several times to rectify the situation.