EBT Cards on ATM's....

[jh]

Originally Posted by MrMachine

So John,

Do you find dispensing $10.00 bills instead of 20's have made a difference?

Paul,

I don't know the answer since the ATM here has dispensed $10 bills since day one. There are no hard numbers to compare with. My thinking was that people who needed $50 wouldn't mind taking five $10 bills instead of two $20s and one $10. People who needed $500+ at a time might prefer $20 but I might not want them to use my ATM.

There was one occasion when the ATM was out of service. The screen showed cash dispenser error. One guy attempted to use it. I happened to be around. I reset the ATM by switching the power on and off. I didn't know whether it would fix the error so I told him that there was another ATM in the same block. He replied that the other ATM dispensed $20 bills only. He would rather wait a couple of minutes for our ATM to reboot. I didn't ask further. The funny thing was that apparently he had used the other ATM before that charged $0.99 per transaction but he came back to use our ATM that charged $1.99 because he wanted $10 bills.

[MrMachine]

Originally Posted by jh

Paul,

I don't know the answer since the ATM here has dispensed $10 bills since day one. There are no hard numbers to compare with. My thinking was that people who needed $50 wouldn't mind taking five $10 bills instead of two $20s and one $10. People who needed $500+ at a time might prefer $20 but I might not want their business.

There was one occasion when the ATM was out of service. The screen showed cash dispenser error. One guy attempted to use it. I happened to be around. I reset the ATM by switching the power on and off. I didn't know whether it would fix the error so I told him that there was another ATM in the same block. He replied that the other ATM dispensed $20 bills only. He would rather wait a couple of minutes for our ATM to reboot. I didn't ask further. The funny thing was that apparently he had used the other ATM before that charged $0.99 per transaction but he came back to use our ATM that charged $1.99 because he wanted $10 bills.

That's very interesting John.....Thanks!

The only thing is, that handling and loading 10 dollar bills is more of a pain....getting them from the bank, counting them, etc.

Still, I might want to go that route anyhow. The amount of people on Food stamps with EBT cards here is incredible.

[jh]

Originally Posted by MrMachine

That's very interesting John.....Thanks!

The only thing is, that handling and loading 10 dollar bills is more of a pain....getting them from the bank, counting them, etc.

Still, I might want to go that route anyhow. The amount of people on Food stamps with EBT cards here is incredible.

You chose Quarter + Dollar coin combo over DCO. I thought you already had the answer to this similar situation. lol

[MrMachine]

Originally Posted by jh

You chose Quarter + Dollar coin combo over DCO. I thought you already had the answer to this similar situation. lol

Lol....so I guess you are promoting TDBO? (Ten Dollar Bill Only),
Larry would be proud of you!

[CanCanCase]

All 3 (soon to be 4) of my ATMs have dispensed tens since day one also. I geared it around my anticipated "ticket average." What's the statistic in the CLA book? Something like $7 spent per customer per visit? I'm not so "happy go lucky" that I believe my stores will be significantly different, so I went with the something-under-$10 number as a best guess, and so far it's right on.

In our stores, the handling has been mostly a non-issue. Remember, I collect paper from the card system, not coins, but for the most part, ones and fives recycle 100% back into the bill breaker, tens recycle back into the ATM, and I'm left with 20's for handling and deposit. I really feel if we dispensed 20's, I would have to buy from the bank more often... I don't think the traffic would be cut in half, but the bills dispensed would most likely increase creating a greater flow through the machine.

I think in a bar, restaurant, retail or other business where the cover average is greater than $10, the twenty-dollar-bill is the way to go. Just like float, many customers won't want to pull more money than what they need to spend from the ATM.

-Case

[Adamski]

Guys,

I payout twenties from my ATM. This is mainly because the tens that are circulating around here have been in really bad condition for the most part. Further, I don't think the Michigan bridge cards will work in an ATM anyway. My ATM averages just over 2 transactions per day. I don't know how that compares to others here.

We recirculate 10% of our ones (the best ones) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 40% of our fives (the best fives) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 50% of our tens (the best tens) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 30% of our twenties (the best twenties) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate 100% of our dollar coins and non are deposited.

If anyone from Michigan knows how to accept/cash bridge cards, I'd sure like to know how they do it.

[MrMachine]

Originally Posted by Adamski

Guys,

I payout twenties from my ATM. This is mainly because the tens that are circulating around here have been in really bad condition for the most part. Further, I don't think the Michigan bridge cards will work in an ATM anyway. My ATM averages just over 2 transactions per day. I don't know how that compares to others here.

We recirculate 10% of our ones (the best ones) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 40% of our fives (the best fives) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 50% of our tens (the best tens) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate about 30% of our twenties (the best twenties) and the rest are deposited. We recirculate 100% of our dollar coins and non are deposited.

If anyone from Michigan knows how to accept/cash bridge cards, I'd sure like to know how they do it.

Larry, Why not call the company where you bought your ATM?
I bet they'll know.

[Adamski]

Originally Posted by MrMachine

Larry, Why not call the company where you bought your ATM? I bet they'll know.

Paul,

That's a good idea. I'll ask the guys who provide my ATM. I don't own my ATM.

[mjwalsh]

We've noticed that we get more 5s in our 2 changers & car n dog wash bill acceptors than 10s & 20s ... so it is a good fit for us to give out 5s in our ATM from that perspective. Of course ... giving out a bunch of 5s in the first place definitely has a circular effect.

mike

[DaveLevenson]

My ATM dispenses $5 bills. I thought this would be most convenient for my customers, and that it would avoid having too many quarters leaving the store. I also impose a $50 limit per transaction (ten of these $5 bills), and a $1 surcharge. (I have occasionally seen customers run two transactions to withdraw $100 and pay $2 in surcharges.)

I have been told (by someone I'm not sure I believe) that it is not legal to charge an ATM fee for EBT withdrawals in NJ. Can anybody here confirm or refute that? I don't know that any EBT cards have been used in my machine, or whether or not it charges a fee for these. When I bought my machine, the purchase price included installation and administration. I have been told in writing that it meets all current NJ and federal regulations, but I have not seen any itemized statement of these regulations.