Citi has really been improving their products this year, by adding new transfer partners, offering increased sign up bonuses and a host of other things. The biggest complaint most people seem to have about their premium cards is that the magnetic strip that you put into payment terminals is on the front of the card rather than the back. This is confusing for cashiers and almost always slows down the whole payment process.
It’s by no means a big deal, but it is annoying. myFICO reader pritomd updated his Citi app recently and noticed that the card designs had been slightly tweaked:
- EMV chip moved to the front (rather than the back previously)
- Magnetic strip moved to the back (rather than front previously)
- Card member name is now on the front (rather than the back previously)
It’s entirely possible that a designer did a mock up and put the strip and chip in the wrong place, but I think it’s far more likely that Citi has listened to cardholder complaints and decided it best to revert to a traditional card layout. What is a bit surprising is that Citi only recent changed the card design to try and make these magnetic strips clearer, that obviously hasn’t worked as well as expected.
View Comments (12)
I just received my new Citi Premier card. I applied and was approved on 8/28, but there was a big delay in sending out the cards.
Anyways, I just thought I would mention that my card is the 'old' design. Magnetic swipe on front, chip and name on back of card.
Easiest way to find out is to request a new card and say your old one word out.
Just got a replacement card today. Same design.
Hopefully, the delays that many encountered when signing up for the Premier card recently is due to this supposed change.
Well, we should know soon as my card should arrive by next week.
So I just tried to convert my citi advantage card and rep said I they are in process of converting something and I can't do it until beginning of November. Now if I want to apply for new card I could do that right away. What's up with that?
This is my goto dining card so I use it a lot at POS. It's tiresome to have a conversation with every person who uses it
'Oh wow, that's weird, I've never seen that." or "Did they have to fix something that wasn't broken.?" or "Gee I can't figure this out, which side is it on?'
About one in twenty times they say it doesn't work.
Yes! Maybe now I'll actually be able to use my Prestige card for POS transactions. The group that designed this card should be fired.
Why are people in the US turning to the brit's plural for one group? I think it's from watching soccer too much. Citi are!!! NOT!
It's not just "other people" that get confused. I have to find the stripe and remember how to swipe it every time it comes out of my wallet!
I use the prestige a lot. The stripe isn't that big a deal.
Why in the world did they do this? It's beyond confusing. Ironically, my wife and I applied for the Thankyou card about a month apart. I got the "old" one and she got the confusing one. It's such a hassle.