Despite firms trialling different options for buying goods, such as contactless payment systems and phones that can be swiped, credit cards are not likely to replaced any time soon, it has been claimed.

In a piece for the Sydney Morning Herald, business writer Leon Gettler noted that mobile phones may have a significant impact on the shopping habits of Australian consumers.

He suggested that buyers might choose to enter bricks and mortar establishments and treat them like a “giant catalogue”, selecting the items they want before entering the details of their debit cards online after finding the product cheaper elsewhere using their smartphones.

“Plastic cards and cash wont be disappearing soon, so mobile payments may have to work with other forms of payment,” Mr Gettler asserted.

This comes after a survey by AMP Capital reported by the Herald Sun found that many Aussie shoppers now expect to enjoy discounts and sales whenever they go to purchase goods from high street stores.

Australians have been warned to be wary when using their credit cards on shopping trips and to opt to use chip technology wherever possible.

Peter Arnold, financial analyst at Canstar Cannex, observed that 76 per cent of new pieces of plastic have a chip up 64 percentage points compared with three years ago, reports National Features.

However, he urged Aussies not be complacent when shopping, because the success of chip technology in preventing fraud relies on merchants having a chip and PIN device.

“If the card reader does not have a chip reader, users will still need to swipe their card so will still be open to skimming,” he warned.

Skimming involves the theft of credit card information during a legitimate transaction and is usually done by someone photocopying receipts or using an electronic device to swipe and store the details of the intended victim.

Mason Hooper, RSA Security fraud specialist, said this method can be easier than stealing a wallet.

Those who have good credit often receive a variety of credit cards in the mail, which are already approved and ready to be used. Companies send these out to customers who they know are a very low credit risk, in the hope that they will start using them. The cards can be activated after receiving them, which allows them to then be used by the consumer, up to the pre-set credit limit that comes with the card, as long as the cardholder has agreed to the contract, verified their identity and set up their pin number with the credit card company.

The question is, however, should consumers activate new cards which they receive in the mail. Many people do activate nearly every card that they receive, and there are advantages and disadvantages on both sides.

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Consumers shopping at stores belonging to Woolworths Group may soon be able to use credit cards that do not require a signature or PIN.

The firm has announced that throughout 2011 it will be installing contactless payment systems to enable shoppers to purchase goods more efficiently.

Those who would rather use the payWave credit cards will soon find it possible to buy goods valued at up to $100 using the technology.

Among the stores that are set to have the machines fitted before the start of 2012 are Dick Smith Electronics, Tandy, Dan Murphy, Safeway and Woolworths petrol outlets.

Dhun Karai, head of group financial services, commented: “We know how much our customers love to embrace new technologies and services that help make their life a little bit easier.”

She added that consumers had already adapted rapidly to innovations such as self-service checkouts.

This comes after Coles announced plans to enable customers to purchase goods online with their credit cards and pick them up at drive-through outlets. 

The tough financial situations many Aussies are struggling with at the moment are contributing factors to their reticence to use credit cards, it has been suggested.

MasterCard spokesman David Masters told the Herald Sun that people are more likely to buy goods using their plastic when they feel secure about their finances.

“In mature markets like Australia that tends to be a sure sign of caution because there is a tendency for consumers to use credit cards when times are good and consumer sentiment is high,” he asserted.

His comments come as data from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed that during the third month of the year, spending on credit cards dropped to the lowest level in five months.

Aussies hoping to get the most out of their plastic may want to go online to compare credit cards and find the deals that offer them the most attractive rates.

According to the RBA the average amount owed on each card by Aussies who own them is $3,321, News.com.au reported.