From Swiping To Dipping, New Chip Credit Cards Aim To Guard Against Theft

CULVER CITY (CBSLA.com) — New chip technology to keep credit cards secure is being rolled out, and many retailers are having the grapple with transitioning ahead of an Oct. 1 deadline.

"When someone tells you have to do something you know very little about, you are put in a very uncomfortable position," said Candance Simmons, who owns "All That & MORE," a boutique in Culver City.

What Simmons is referring to are the hardware and software updates retailers must make to accept the new type of chip credit cards that are dipped, instead of swiped.

Simmons says she thinks about keeping her customers personal information safe daily, but never before has felt it's been this complicated.

The new system is designed to make credit cards more secure by adding a unique identifier with a computer chip to each transaction.

But Simmons says the cost and time it takes for her to implement a new system is impacting her small business more than it would a big business.

"There's no comparison," she said. "How do we not push that down to our clients?"

Right now, credit card companies are responsible for fraudulent transactions. However, starting Oct. 1, retailers who don't have the upgraded system will take on that liability.

A new Intuit survey found that 85 percent of small businesses are unaware of the financial and legal liabilities they could face. The American Bankers Association estimates only half of banks and retailers will fully transition by the Oct. deadline.

"Extremely overwhelming, 'cause you're saying to yourself, 'Do I worry about the next sales promotion I'm running? Do I worry about styling someone for their wedding? Or do I worry about this new technology?' " Simmons said.

Simmons says she will worry about it soon as she can't afford not to.