Collected thoughts on card design (Part 1)

A notch is a bigger physical difference than a smooth chip. It helps more. Anything you can do to help more is always an improvement, accessibility or not.

Think of it like road signs, they’re big and in a clear font to help you see them better, that doesn’t mean you couldn’t read them if they were in Comic Sans. It’s just an improvement that helps everyone.

Plus gloves etc could always stop you feeling the chip, whereas a notch is better.

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Agreed. The threshold should always be ‘what’s the reason not do this?’

Even if it doesn’t make much of a difference to most people, why would not doing it be better?

You’ve answered your own question really. If you get that, why the need to continue the sentence?

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I have no sight problems, but still appreciate the notch on my Transferwise card, as I don’t even have to look at it before putting it in a card reader. So it’s actually a positive design for everyone anyway

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Thanks for the press release.

That makes sense that Holt’s were the first to offer the cards as standard, then, if RBS were the first to develop accessible cards for on-request replacements.

As others have said, in some small ways it’s easier for everyone (trying to insert your card correctly into an ATM in the dark, for example) so no reason not to offer it.

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Ohh im not saying it shouldnt be done, and I agree it should be a standard if proven to be better like you all say “why not”.

But as I have no sight issues myself i was asking if it was purely better to feel for as its more blatantly obvious or is the notch missing also more recognisable (without touching) for partially signted people

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Barclays have offered special high-visibility debit cards to help partially sighted people for years, on request. These come in quite lurid colours to make them stand out, and they have a notch in them.
Also they state that: " Our app has been designed with accessibility in mind, and has been awarded the AbilityNet Accessibility kite mark. This means it’s compatible with most accessibility features, like inverting screen colours on your device and voiceover technology."

You can feel a notch just by picking your card up. With the chip you have to run your fingers all the way over the surface until you can find it.

If you have sensitivity problems with your fingers you may not be able to feel a chip, but you’d still be able to notice a notch.

I’m of the opinion that there’s no reason to not have a notch in all bank cards by design, as it doesn’t disadvantage any customer any.

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Bring back the Mint card!

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My brand new shiny Virgin Money card has a notch.

Simply put, it’s the end you don’t shove in the machine :man_shrugging:

The most noticeable notch is on the Beefeater loyalty card :grin:

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At those prices, no thanks :joy:

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I think i paid something along that line for my Bellroy Wallet and never changed :slight_smile: . The ridge wallet looks fancy but not my style :smiley:

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I was thinking that, but didn’t want to jump in too soon and wasn’t at my PC today

Thinking everything on this topic in last couple of days pretty much

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The thread has certainly drifted at times from the subject header.

I like these tweets from Virgin Money and TSB. https://twitter.com/VirginMoney/status/1354439692989685760?s=19

From a practical point of view, I would say the Virgin Money one is upside down but I prefer the notch being at the top.

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And interesting business card design from Virgin Money. https://twitter.com/VirginMoney/status/1339873827816415232?s=19

When did TSB change their card design. Are all banks going with vertical cards to keep up with challengers :joy:

The tsb one looks great. Even their old one looked pretty good in my opinion. The credit cards also look ace.

It would also appear that tsb.co.uk is down… :roll_eyes:

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Looks alright on my end so not entirely sure. They revamped their whole line of Credit Card designs too:

Student Credit Card

Platinum Credit Card

Advance Credit Card

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On the Current Account Side of things, the Visa Logo is like a foil design

Cash Account

Spend and Save Account

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TSB keeping up with the cool kids. They even launched saving pots aswell :joy:. I feel like everyones going for the vertical cards and to be honest i kind of like it.

What do you all think about a vertical Hot Coral card?

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