Businesses in the City of Buenos Aires have experienced low adoption of the new system that allows payments in dollars with debit cards in the early days of its implementation. According to a survey conducted by the Federation of Commerce and Industry of the City of Buenos Aires (FECOBA), both merchants and consumers have shown a cautious attitude towards the bimonetary system, which allows payments with funds in dollars from bank accounts.
The study carried out in the main shopping centers and associated entities revealed that more than 60% of merchants are still unaware of the scope of the measure, and that effective implementation in the surveyed businesses does not exceed 10%. Despite this low initial adoption, FECOBA believes that this system could boost consumption, improve sales, and increase the sector's competitiveness in the future.
Regarding the implementation of the system, it has seen greater acceptance in large stores with a high customer flow, while neighborhood businesses were just beginning to make inquiries about it. The most populated neighborhoods have shown greater activity in terms of the use of this system compared to peripheral areas of the city.
The overall outlook indicates that the adoption of payment in dollars with debit cards will largely depend on the dissemination and training of merchants to effectively integrate it into their daily operations. If this payment method can be adequately implemented, it could represent a significant change in consumer behavior in the City of Buenos Aires.
