[XorNot]

More importantly: NFC happened anyway.

Pretty much all my local merchants have machines that accept NFC payment taps - to the extent that the Commonwealth Bank has an app for the Galaxy S4 which will emulate a debit card tap and be accepted by any machine.

The only time I end up keying a pin or signing is usually when the staff themselves don't realize that I can just tap my card (the machines have big NFC icons on them, but they don't offer the machine to me to tap).

[abalone]

You might consider that the reason staff don't realize you can tap is that nobody uses it, because you can just swipe without a PIN for small purchases. I am not saying this is superior, just observing an example of how even changing consumer behavior is difficult when the value add is minor.

[XorNot]

No in this case it's because they don't present the reader to you - they punch in the sale, then ask you to hand them the card and swipe it.

Also in Australia I've not seen swipe without PIN used very much - a swipe usually requires a pin, whereas tap does not (and is also a lot faster).

[abalone]

Australia has different rules. In the US at least, the PIN is not required for small purchases.

It's interesting you mention Australia because they've taken a different approach to the fee issue. They regulated it away. Cards cost merchants very little. Didn't need bitcoin to do it, just passed a law.

Also interesting: it did not result in a lowering of consumer prices. The merchants kept the windfall.