Why are there so many wallets on Kickstarter?(kickstarter.com)
kickstarter.com
Why are there so many wallets on Kickstarter?
https://www.kickstarter.com/stories/wallets
15 comments
That's similar to what I use and so long as I'm fairly disciplined about not letting stuff I don't really need to carry around pile up in it, it's pretty compact. I went through a period of trying other options for wallet or wallet plus phone and I came back to a relatively thin and basic but pretty standard bi-fold wallet.
I think a lot of it is that most people don't need to carry either too much plastic or too much cash these days. Most of the gas and store credit cards are gone or at least not widely used. A lot of information is on your smartphone. Many people use cash less.
As a result, a lot of people are experimenting with minimalist wallets or phone cases that can be used instead of wallets.
I think a lot of it is that most people don't need to carry either too much plastic or too much cash these days. Most of the gas and store credit cards are gone or at least not widely used. A lot of information is on your smartphone. Many people use cash less.
As a result, a lot of people are experimenting with minimalist wallets or phone cases that can be used instead of wallets.
I've got something like that. I find that whenever I look at the designs on kickstarter and elsewhere they all don't have space for coins.
I've got 9 coins in my wallet right now (I live in a country with $1 and $2 coins) so having a wallet with no space for them isn't really an option.
I've got 9 coins in my wallet right now (I live in a country with $1 and $2 coins) so having a wallet with no space for them isn't really an option.
Was just having this conversation with a (recently ex) European. When I in the US (regrettably) end up with coins I dump them in a jar when I get home and periodically bring them in for redemption in "real money." Doesn't really work when you have $1 and $2 coins. Mostly I avoid using cash on a day to day basis.
I dump my coins in a jar when I get home and we have $1 and $2 coins (Australia). It's really not that big a deal having your minimum purchase price of things be $5. Your coin jar will get >$1000 in it reasonably quickly too which is nice ;)
It is considered unfashionable to have wallets bulge out of the front of your jeans, and it is uncomfortable to have them in your back pocket. If you put the wallet in your coat or bag, you may forget it at home. All of this has lead to people being frustrated that they can't find a good solution, but we all know the solution is to just get rid of the wallet altogether and replace it with a fingerprint decrypted digital wallet + id on a smartphone.
I get one of those bought for me nearly every Christmas.
I despise them. I think you can probably get back issues from sitting on them.
My girlfriend won me a humn wallet (featured in the article) for free and I've been using that. I've gone through several types of slim wallets, and for a couple of years just wrapped a few cards in cash and put a solid rubber band around it.
6-8 pieces of leather adds a significant amount of thickness--your wallet is thicker when empty than mine is fully loaded.
I despise them. I think you can probably get back issues from sitting on them.
My girlfriend won me a humn wallet (featured in the article) for free and I've been using that. I've gone through several types of slim wallets, and for a couple of years just wrapped a few cards in cash and put a solid rubber band around it.
6-8 pieces of leather adds a significant amount of thickness--your wallet is thicker when empty than mine is fully loaded.
That wallet looks massive, and would certainly invite back problems. I've carried a minimalist front pocket wallet for years now and I'll never go back. My current favorite is this wallet, in natural leather:
https://www.weargustin.com/store/1579
https://www.weargustin.com/store/1579
Living in Switzerland, this is way to big for me, my pockets aren't that big :) I wouldn't want anything bigger than a phone (my current wallet is ~2/3 of a 5" smartphone).
(Phone in one pocket, wallet, keys and work badge in the other).
(Phone in one pocket, wallet, keys and work badge in the other).
I've replaced my wallet with one of these:
http://www.allreli.com/product/allreli-google-lg-nexus-5-fli...
It has space for two cards and 3-4 paper notes.
I have two sets of keys; one with my car keys, the other with bicycle keys + work badge.
http://www.allreli.com/product/allreli-google-lg-nexus-5-fli...
It has space for two cards and 3-4 paper notes.
I have two sets of keys; one with my car keys, the other with bicycle keys + work badge.
I went the total opposite with my wallet - comparison with an iPhone 6 plus: http://i.imgur.com/1zGqaGY.jpg ;)
I think priorities are different if you have a purse/bag you regularly use that can hold a wallet. Still couldn't find a wallet I loved though, that one I had to settle for. (I also use a lot of cash when possible so it made sense not to go minimal.)
I think priorities are different if you have a purse/bag you regularly use that can hold a wallet. Still couldn't find a wallet I loved though, that one I had to settle for. (I also use a lot of cash when possible so it made sense not to go minimal.)
I use a lot of cash too--I typically have 20ish bills on my person.
Lately I just fold them up and put them inside the band of a slim wallet. In the past I just bundled them with a rubber band.
Lately I just fold them up and put them inside the band of a slim wallet. In the past I just bundled them with a rubber band.
I'm a lady who carries around a purse or bag on a regular basis and I still prefer a pretty slim wallet; I haven't found anything I like more than the denim Hello Kitty wallet I've been carrying for like twenty years.
I've also all but abandoned cash. My needs are clearly not yours.
I've also all but abandoned cash. My needs are clearly not yours.
I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot less common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions (e.g. even at the supermarket most people seem to pay cash). Additionally, there are € 1 and € 2 coins, notes only start at € 5 and up. So you not only carry around a lot of cash, but you also generally need to be able to carry around a lot of coinage, too.
This has been the only thing stopping me from getting a smaller wallet, personally. I have one of those (which are okay if you carry them in your front pocket and don't wear formal attire) and I'd replace them with something simpler at the drop of a hat if it wouldn't mean ending up with loose change in your pocket.
This has been the only thing stopping me from getting a smaller wallet, personally. I have one of those (which are okay if you carry them in your front pocket and don't wear formal attire) and I'd replace them with something simpler at the drop of a hat if it wouldn't mean ending up with loose change in your pocket.
"I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot less common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions (e.g. even at the supermarket most people seem to pay cash)."
Absolutely not true for every European county.
Absolutely not true for every European county.
>> I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot less common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions (e.g. even at the supermarket most people seem to pay cash).
Definitely wrong. In Denmark I never carry any cash. In US I have to carry at least some cash. Why are there no bigger bills than $100?
Definitely wrong. In Denmark I never carry any cash. In US I have to carry at least some cash. Why are there no bigger bills than $100?
I'm sorry, but I'm struggling to come up with a reason why you would want a note above $100?
In London, 30% of transactions under £20 aren't just cashless - they're contactless. I seldom use cash and that's true for most people I know.
Do you happen to have a source?
"Barclaycard said contactless cards had been most popular in London, where 30% of all transactions below £20 were contactless." -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31164806
The article is really about from Sept 2015, the limit for contactless payment goes up to £30.
The article is really about from Sept 2015, the limit for contactless payment goes up to £30.
>I think a major differentiator is that in the EU credit cards are a lot less common and even debit cards aren't used for most transactions
This is just plain wrong for many European countries.
This is just plain wrong for many European countries.
Opposite experience here: saw lots of cash usage (not necessarily coins but lots of paper) in North-America while here in the Netherlands we're all 'bout that debit card.
It's true that credit cards aren't popular in Europe or where I'm speaking from, the Netherlands, as there are lots of bank-integrated payment processors like iDeal in the netherlands (cheaper than creditcards for merchants, free to users, instant and without chargeback risk) for online transactions, and things like SEPA (also generally free and fast) or Paypal exist for international transfers. I only use my CC when making a rare purchase online where I absolutely have to, or sometimes to book a flight or hotel abroad.
For everything in store though, debit cards are extremely well used. And as the debit card is connected to a bank account that offers credit, too, they function like creditcards. (and I can indeed use my debit card e.g. in the North America, China or Africa). So while 'creditcard' numbers in reports aren't as high as the US, cards that offer credit are ubiquitous.
In fact I don't think I've paid with cash in the past 10 years here in Europe, except in clubs where paying with a card is weird (unless you booked a table which is a bit silly for anything other than a holiday imo) and that's not a joke. I'm not sure what it's like in say Portugal, but I really don't need to keep any coin around unless I go to the local market, a club or my shady barber. Where are you based in Europe?
Beyond that though my wallet is loaded with cards. Public transport, insurance, student id, gym (up until they moved to a fingerprint scanner), discount card at supermarket etc.
Given all this I don't think I'll be carrying a wallet in the 2020s, any credentials that are on the chip in my plastic cards can go on the chip on my phone. Kind of scary in a way, cash is a bit like in-person communication, it's not monitored the way that digital communication is monitored by government, businesses and malicious parties. The death of cash at some point means our entire economic life is recorded by banks which worries me every now and then, although it'll probably be decades before it's phased out completely and the majority of economic activity has been digital for a long time, but still.
edit -- seems you're right! Two years ago the majority of transactions (53%) was still cash based. Much more popular than I'd have thought. Guess I'm a huge outlier. Debit has grown 15% since then so it might be slightly different today.
Still it's not true that it's necessary to carry a lot of coin, at least not where I live. Even at markets like this: http://hoogeveenheefthet.nl/site1/images/stories/bedrijven/m...
about 40% take cards. At supermarkets it's virtually 100% and there are special checkouts for card transactions where you can't pay with cash (because cash transactions are more expensive, take longer to process, have a higher error rate and make the shop a bigger target to theft). I honestly barely ever use cash.
It's true that credit cards aren't popular in Europe or where I'm speaking from, the Netherlands, as there are lots of bank-integrated payment processors like iDeal in the netherlands (cheaper than creditcards for merchants, free to users, instant and without chargeback risk) for online transactions, and things like SEPA (also generally free and fast) or Paypal exist for international transfers. I only use my CC when making a rare purchase online where I absolutely have to, or sometimes to book a flight or hotel abroad.
For everything in store though, debit cards are extremely well used. And as the debit card is connected to a bank account that offers credit, too, they function like creditcards. (and I can indeed use my debit card e.g. in the North America, China or Africa). So while 'creditcard' numbers in reports aren't as high as the US, cards that offer credit are ubiquitous.
In fact I don't think I've paid with cash in the past 10 years here in Europe, except in clubs where paying with a card is weird (unless you booked a table which is a bit silly for anything other than a holiday imo) and that's not a joke. I'm not sure what it's like in say Portugal, but I really don't need to keep any coin around unless I go to the local market, a club or my shady barber. Where are you based in Europe?
Beyond that though my wallet is loaded with cards. Public transport, insurance, student id, gym (up until they moved to a fingerprint scanner), discount card at supermarket etc.
Given all this I don't think I'll be carrying a wallet in the 2020s, any credentials that are on the chip in my plastic cards can go on the chip on my phone. Kind of scary in a way, cash is a bit like in-person communication, it's not monitored the way that digital communication is monitored by government, businesses and malicious parties. The death of cash at some point means our entire economic life is recorded by banks which worries me every now and then, although it'll probably be decades before it's phased out completely and the majority of economic activity has been digital for a long time, but still.
edit -- seems you're right! Two years ago the majority of transactions (53%) was still cash based. Much more popular than I'd have thought. Guess I'm a huge outlier. Debit has grown 15% since then so it might be slightly different today.
Still it's not true that it's necessary to carry a lot of coin, at least not where I live. Even at markets like this: http://hoogeveenheefthet.nl/site1/images/stories/bedrijven/m...
about 40% take cards. At supermarkets it's virtually 100% and there are special checkouts for card transactions where you can't pay with cash (because cash transactions are more expensive, take longer to process, have a higher error rate and make the shop a bigger target to theft). I honestly barely ever use cash.
Interesting. I stand corrected.
I was extrapolating from my personal experience in Germany and as a tourist in other EU countries. It seems that my experience is not representative of that of residents of some of those countries.
I wonder why Germany is so different.
I was extrapolating from my personal experience in Germany and as a tourist in other EU countries. It seems that my experience is not representative of that of residents of some of those countries.
I wonder why Germany is so different.
This is besides the point of the article, but I really struggle with wallets. Here in the EU you often have not-insignificant amounts of money in coins, but there's a dearth of decent wallets with durable coin pouches. Not one of the designs shown in the article would be a valid wallet for me :(
I've been going through a 10€ wallet every 2 years but then I walked into a leather shop, asked a quality one that would last longer. It was 20€ and it still looks about the same as when I got it 5 years ago. It's the same one the German who commented before has. Also here in NL everybody has those.
I gave up on the idea of keeping coins in a wallet and instead switched to a folding money clip (this one, but many similar are available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/GOLUNSKI-Leather-Branded-Paper-Walle...). They are thinner than regular wallets which I like, and when I start accumulating coins I'll stop in a shop with self-checkout lanes - these usually have a coin tray you can dump them all in. Works for me.
I need my Smartphone to replace
Credit Card ( Apple Pay )
NFC Cards used for public transport ( No Solution in sight as the public transport around the world uses different NFC solution )
Royalty Cards ( Feasible, but i havent seen much being done yet )
And then i only really need ID Card ( if there is such thing in your country ), and Bank Account card for using ATM, and some cash.
We dont need new wallet, we need to get rid of useless things inside out wallet with better alternatives.
And then i only really need ID Card ( if there is such thing in your country ), and Bank Account card for using ATM, and some cash.
We dont need new wallet, we need to get rid of useless things inside out wallet with better alternatives.
I've never heard of Royalty Cards before — that's interesting. What country is this?
He likely meant loyalty cards
If so, smartphones can replace those--they can just display the barcode on-screen which works for the scanners.
Quick google search returned this app, I've never used it though: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/key-ring-reward-cards/id3725...
Quick google search returned this app, I've never used it though: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/key-ring-reward-cards/id3725...
except if the scanners use laser scanners, which don’t work with LCD screens, or if the cards use EMV chips. Yes, there are loyality cards with EMV chips
I've been using a Bellroy Slim Sleeve for the last few years and couldn't happier: http://bellroy.com/wallets/slim-sleeve-wallet (no association with them beyond just being a satisfied customer)
I've been using the "Note Sleeve" for a year. Very happy. Went from a clunky wallet to this, in which I keep only the cards etc. I actually use.
+1 for Bellroy.
I bought their "Card Sleeve" wallet a few months ago and have been very happy. It forced me to pare down my wallet to only the daily necessities. I keep the variety of other cards and extra cash in my bag using this simple, inexpensive, ingenious system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGiPemyCRyE
(although it seems obvious, I recommend watching the entire video to see how this could actually be put to use as daily pocket wallet).
I bought their "Card Sleeve" wallet a few months ago and have been very happy. It forced me to pare down my wallet to only the daily necessities. I keep the variety of other cards and extra cash in my bag using this simple, inexpensive, ingenious system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGiPemyCRyE
(although it seems obvious, I recommend watching the entire video to see how this could actually be put to use as daily pocket wallet).
I've been happy with MightyWallet [0], but I don't need to put tons of stuff there, just a couple of cards and some cash. It's very thin and that's what I like about it, almost unnoticeable in the jeans pocket.
[0]https://www.dynomighty.com/mighty-wallet/
[0]https://www.dynomighty.com/mighty-wallet/
I tried a couple of these kickstarted wallets and they were both awful. I ended up very happy with this "front pocket wallet" http://www.amazon.com/Dopp-Regatta-Series-Getaway-Pocket/dp/...
I've also been using the Dopp Regatta, exclusively for about 6 years now, and I love it. Super simple, extremely functional. It's the closest to perfect I've found.
I too have been trying to "minimize" my wallet setup. I've tried a few of the phone case wallets with no success. They either didn't hold enough or I wore it out within a month from trying to fit too many items in it. I came across the "back saver" wallet at a hardware store of all places(Menards). For $15 it's the best wallet I've owned. I've whittle it down to a few basic cards , ID and a little cash. I was skeptical about the clip for holding bills but turns out I often don't carry cash often and rely on a debit card. I would recommend it for its small profile and utility. Looks just like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003AS2GNS/ref=redir_mdp_mobil...
I had one of those, but it was stamped with some organization I had never been a part of--something like Boy Scouts or similar.
I liked it fairly well, but it can't manage a large amount of cash (I worked for tips at the time, so I had lots of bills).
I eventually ditched it for a rubber band, but it was pretty well-worn by that point.
I liked it fairly well, but it can't manage a large amount of cash (I worked for tips at the time, so I had lots of bills).
I eventually ditched it for a rubber band, but it was pretty well-worn by that point.
this article's description of intense wallet dissatisfaction feels like it comes from a different universe. I'm completely happy with my leather bifold wallet, and I'm not the type to shy away from complaining about consumer goods.
I agree with you, but I also have many friends who are on a neverending quest to make their wallet smaller and slimmer. I think a part of it might be society figuring out just how much someone really needs to carry in the digital age.
It's a classic infomercial technique... Don't you hate opening cans of soup? Tired of spending an entire afternoon tying your shoes? Sick of the complicated, old fashioned way of making toast? Well I've got a solution for you!
It must work apparently because people keep buying stuff.
It must work apparently because people keep buying stuff.
I've always hated bulging wallets, specially if you put them in backpocket. No wonder so many people want to improve them. I've been using slimfold wallets (http://www.slimfoldwallet.com, no association) for a while. It's made out of Tyvek and is so thin - even with 10 credit cards in it it's thinner than my previous leather wallets emptied. I don't like the soft shell wallet they're making now, thicker than the Tyvek ones. Worth a look.
I can absolutely vouch for the thinness of Tyvek wallets, it's all I've been using for the past 3 years. They're incredibly thin.
Yeah, but at some point I have to draw a line about the aesthetics and feel of something I handle all the time. Give me leather even if it's not the absolute thinnest thing.
Though an interesting read I guess I could care less about wallets. I barely use mine, I used a magic wallet for a while because it was a crappy gift from work on Christmas. I'm in the US so I rarely deal with coins (plus I rarely have cash on me), so really it just houses my credit cards and ID and perhaps my insurance cards. I guess I just don[t understand why "a better wallet" will enhance my life in any way compared to a multitude of other products that could be tweaked.
I remember when kickstarter was flooded with pens that used the high tec c.
It's about what's easy and cheap to make a buck I think.
It's about what's easy and cheap to make a buck I think.
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The best "wallet" I've ever used: http://www.office1export.com/files/o/1221585a6a280b5b1ced746...
Cards on the inside with cash wrapped around them. The "v" created by the clip makes it super easy to "clip" -- way easier than any money clip that I've used.
Cards on the inside with cash wrapped around them. The "v" created by the clip makes it super easy to "clip" -- way easier than any money clip that I've used.
I don't have time to read this right this second, but I originally thought it meant wallets as in "paypal wallet" and other forms of online payment. I am amused to find that a) nope and b) nonetheless, I hope to find time to read this, for other reasons.
I feel like we missed the whole point of the article in this discussion to talk about wallets. Namely: people are lazy and want to do what's easy, not necessarily what makes the most business sense. People want to sell wallets not because there is an enormous demand for wallets and no one making them, but because it's easier to make a wallet than it is to make a pair of pants or a watch. And then the retroactively rationalize it by saying "oh, but yeah people are unhappy with their wallets."
This reminds me of the programmers who write cross platform apps using something like JavaScript because it's easier for them to make. It's not what the user wants, and the user doesn't care about the effort that went into making the application. Just like if the wallet doesn't perform up to the level of every other wallet, I don't care how hard the person making it worked on it.
But for some reason, we expect people to care about how much work we put into making something that they're not going to think about again. We seem to have trouble accepting that a huge portion of our work won't go noticed by the vast majority of everyone, much less the vast majority of people who actually use our product.
This reminds me of the programmers who write cross platform apps using something like JavaScript because it's easier for them to make. It's not what the user wants, and the user doesn't care about the effort that went into making the application. Just like if the wallet doesn't perform up to the level of every other wallet, I don't care how hard the person making it worked on it.
But for some reason, we expect people to care about how much work we put into making something that they're not going to think about again. We seem to have trouble accepting that a huge portion of our work won't go noticed by the vast majority of everyone, much less the vast majority of people who actually use our product.
> oh, but yeah people are unhappy with their wallets
Well, for me that was actually true. I always pay with card, have a few cards for access/memberships and maybe a few notes just in case. All wallets I could find in the stores in my town were big and bulky, probably what my dad would use. I never carry coins. I actually spent quite a bit time on finding a wallet fitting my needs, and that I liked the look of.
Well, for me that was actually true. I always pay with card, have a few cards for access/memberships and maybe a few notes just in case. All wallets I could find in the stores in my town were big and bulky, probably what my dad would use. I never carry coins. I actually spent quite a bit time on finding a wallet fitting my needs, and that I liked the look of.
I don't know what it's like in the USA, but in germany wallets of this type are used by everybody and everybody's happy: http://i.imgur.com/v3mRk1H.jpg
Still, nice to read more details about the internal workings of a kickstarter campaign.