Most businesses across Australia have started phasing out cash payments since most customers prefer to use plastic.
However, some are still refusing to accept the ‘cashless society.’
In South Australia, the Grand Hotel in Glenelgie said that they would start accepting cash again, though they still prefer to use electronic options.
In Western Australia, the Mary Street Bakery had to change its decision to stop accepting cash due to the overwhelming amount of customers who refused to pay in plastic.
According to Paul Aron, he decided to bring back the cash option because it was important to protect his employees and make sure that everyone was able to come.
He also didn’t want his customers to feel left out.
He noted that being cashless could potentially alienate some of his customers.
Although it may seem effortless for customers to switch back to cash, doing so requires a significant alteration in the way the business operates.
Aron noted that it took his accounting team about an hour and a half to count and reconcile all of the cash drawers in his stores.
He also said that the sudden closure of bank branches made it harder for him to bank.
According to data, only 13 percent of Australia’s transactions were made with cash.
This means that almost everyone in the country is still using cash even though they have to pay higher fees due to surcharges.
There are also concerns about the potential impact of the cashless movement on the elderly and rural communities.
In Australia, businesses are free to establish their own payment system, even though banknotes are legal tender.
Some prefer to remain cashless, while others would like to be cash-only. It seems that customers have mixed feelings about this issue.