Sponsored By.....

I guess those who don't know me personally would think me a fairly tolerant, happy go lucky individual, but......

.....its when I experience: situations, corporations, associations, and of course individuals, making stupid decisions based on corporate affiliation or responsibility that enters into my professional domain that I jump up - throw my dummy out of the pram and yell (pointlessly) at the monitor in amazement and disgust.




I was browsing around the huge array of online content on display pertaining to the fast approaching Olympic Games in London today, when I thought -

"I have a look at what tickets are still available, they already have merch?? Lets have a look see"

I was greeted by a 'not-too-shabby' site with all their usual merchandise and vaguely interesting apparel, when what do I spot at the bottom right?? I had heard about this, on the grapevine but thought it was a "urban myth" a joke told about the insanity of corporate sponsorship and affiliation, but NO!

 
Its true! If you are going to or purchasing products, or tickets associated with the London Olympics this year you can ONLY pay for these with cash or a VISA card (oh, and you can now also pay by cheque! .....Ridiculous). This is due to an exclusive deal between the Olympic organisers and the credit card payment system.

The site says: "In recognition of Visa's support of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, London 2012 is proud to accept only Visa payment cards (debit, credit and prepaid), along with cash and cheques. Sponsor support is crucial to the staging of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the operation of organisations throughout the Olympic Movement."

The sites then go on to help individuals trying to make a purchase on their site, "How to apply for a VISA card", this, although absolutely ridiculous in 2012 (the social media and Digital Games Event of the year!) is the reason I hate this level of corporate strangulation.

We, as Digital Guides; people who spend their entire working day, iterating on digital processes, forcing patch after patch through,  and spending hours thinking about the appropriate location for a single asset on a page through meticulous research and development, are  being completely ignored when we "make things easier for the user" by these "Top Down" committee led decisions which ultimately act as detrimental actions to the process of "making the user's life, easier".

Why not offer Visa as a default option for the payment methods with the other alternations as smaller active sources? 

I'm sure most people do indeed own a Visa Card or at least a means of payment for their purchases, its not the function I am thinking about. Its the disregard for the 'thought and process' that every Web Designer, Developer has been working on to increase the "worthiness, simplicity and efficiency" of their eCommerce site for the past 5+ years!

As a final thought......

Who is "proud to accept cheques" in 2012?

FAIL.