Your bank now offers a Maestro debit card. Why this change? What are the advantages of this new card that replaces your old Maestro?
I want to keep my Maestro card!
That will not be possible. The reason is simple; Mastercard, the company that owns the Maestro brand and Swiss banks have taken the decision to replace your Maestro card with a Maestro debit card.
Rest assured; It won't change your day-to-day life in a negative way.
Advantages or just a business operation for banks?
Both, of course! Let's start with the advantages compared to your old Maestro card:
- You will be able to use it for your online purchases. Where your credit card was needed, most merchant sites switch to accepting your Maestro debit card as a means of payment. This is a small downside for certain players such as the hotel and car rental sectors. They will ask you to use your credit card or, in some cases, provide credit card details as collateral in case of payment via your debit card.
- The user fees are quite reasonable. Of course, it all depends on what you consider reasonable, but you will pay less when transacting abroad and when withdrawing from ATMs abroad. Truth be told, these fees are still high in our humble opinion, but at least it's more affordable than if you make the same transactions with a credit card.
- Do you like tech and use apps such as Apple pay, Samsung pay, Google pay or tools such as Garmin and Swatch pay? You'll be happy to know that these new cards are compatible with these platforms.
These benefits are appreciable and promote a more transversal use of your card when making purchases, both physically and digitally. Is this an advantage for Mastercard and your bank? Of course it is. The more you use your debit card, the higher the commissions and other compensation from technology partners.
In practice
Fear not. You don't have to do anything. If you haven't already done so, your bank will automatically replace your current Maestro card with the new Maestro debit card.
Depending on the bank, a replacement will be automatic and immediate; In other cases, your bank will simply wait for your current card to expire in order to replace it.
What about merchants?
This is less advantageous for merchants, especially small ones who struggle to generate the necessary income to negotiate lower transaction fees with the players concerned.
Because of the Covid period, which has favoured an increased use of cards to make purchases and given the expenses necessary to rent a terminal, pay for its maintenance and pay a percentage of commission to the debit and credit card issuing bodies, the bill is high.
Quite lively debates have been held on this subject and the various representative bodies of issuers and merchants continue to closely monitor the evolution of these fees.
Apple, Samsung, Google... rub their hands together!
The house always wins! For many years, American and Asian behemoths have been focusing on diversifying the services offered by their phones, watches, platforms, etc.
Although the means of payment via smartphone or via your watch are not experiencing the surge seen in Asia, for example, it will not take long to become the usual payment method in Switzerland.
The time and habits of a younger consumer population will lead inexorably towards a steady growth of this type of purchase.
As new debit cards are now associated with the services and tools offered by these brands, this will have an accelerating effect in terms of new purchasing and payment behaviors.
A platform for my children?
And yes, forget about a credit card for your toddler but solutions already exist via prepaid debit cards.
Imagine a website that collects paid household chores for your children. The family car washed? 5 francs. The dishes done? 1 franc. Picking leaves in the garden? 2 francs.
It already exists. In the United States and Great Britain, parents pay for their children's services by paying money into the debit cards used by their children. This type of platform is accessible from 3 years old...
Brands have understood the advantage of associating a minor with their product, their platform, etc. in order to lay the foundation for early customer loyalty.
Pros or cons, these tools exist. We will have to get used to it and be discerning when the financial authorities open up access to the Swiss market to these online platforms.
Summarize
If you haven't already done so, your Maestro card will be replaced by a Maestro debit card.
You will know how to shop online and link your new card to your smartphone or smartwatch.
User fees, especially abroad, will be more affordable than with your credit card, for example. Please note that you will always have to pay fees if you withdraw cash from an ATM of another bank in Switzerland.
Merchants will pay an additional fee. You don't. It remains to be seen if these additional fees will be reflected in the selling prices. Given the current inflation, however, it will be difficult to see if an increase is directly related to these fees.
Is it necessary to keep your credit card? Yes, because at this stage it will be requested if you want to book a hotel, a flight or a rental car.
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