If you live in the Netherlands you've probably already been put in a situation like this: "it's okay, I'll send you a Tikkie" - a phrase that most likely has you in a fog.
If you've ever experienced something similar, then you've come to the right place. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the fast transaction app that has taken the Netherlands by storm.
What is Tikkie?
As mentioned above, Tikkie is a free online transaction app that was launched on the Dutch market by ABN AMRO bank in 2016. Although owned by ABN, the app can be used with any bank account opened at a Dutch bank. The app allows you to request payments via a link - which can be sent on WhatsApp or messenger - or via a QR code.
The culture of sharing the cost of going out with friends, family or work colleagues is part of the Dutch way of life (hence the English expression "to go Dutch" - which translates as splitting the bill equally). It's not at all uncommon that after a night out at the club with a group of Dutch friends, the next morning you wake up with a Tikkie on WhatsApp for all the drinks you've consumed thinking it's on the person. In case you're still not convinced, every month over 10,000 Tikkies are sent for amounts under €2!
How does Tikkie work?
The app is very easy to use. Just enter the amount you owe into the Tikkie app, which will then ask you which of your WhatsApp contacts you owe.
The link is then sent on WhatsApp to the person concerned. One of the advantages of Tikkie is that you don't need an app to pay for a received request. All you need is a Dutch bank account and a smartphone. The whole transaction is completed through your bank account via iDeal, so you don't need another digital wallet.
However, Tikkie is not only used among friends and family, but can also be used at the market or in restaurants - customers can scan the QR code which will redirect them to a form already filled in the Tikkie app. All that remains is for the transaction to be approved.
How do you send a Tikkie?
If this is your first time using Tikkie, you'll need to download the app from the app store. The app will ask you for some personal information the first time you open it (name, phone number and account number).
Once you've done that, you can submit your first tikkie! To do this you need to click on the "+" icon in the app. After that you have to choose how many people you want to send it to (so you can easily see who has paid), but you can also choose "everyone". The next step is to enter the amount that each "debtor" will give you. If you don't want to calculate it yourself, you can let the recipients choose the amount. Then you choose the reason you are asking for the money (e.g. gift, dinner, etc.). The last step is to choose the method by which you want to send the Tikkie. The most common method is via WhatsApp, but you can also choose email or Facebook Messenger etc.
In the app you can see who has already paid and you'll also be notified when someone pays. If someone hasn't paid yet, you can still send another Tikkie.
Restrictions:
- A Tikkie can't be worth more than €750, and in total you can't ask for more than €2500 from all payers;
- You cannot ask for more than €2500 in 24h;
- You can withdraw a Tikkie so the link can no longer be used;
- A Tikkie is valid for 2 weeks.
How do you receive money and pay through Tikkie?
You don't have to have the Tikkie app to get a Tikkie. To pay, you need a Dutch bank account and a Dutch/German/Belgian phone number. The application is in the form of a link that is usually sent on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.
The Tikkie is paid for through iDeal. Make sure all Tikkies you pay for start with "https://tikkie.me/pay/...". After you make the payment, the amount is transferred to an ABN Amro suspense (?) account and sent to the Tikkie application holder within 5 seconds. If the bank through which the transaction is made is not affiliated with Instant Payments (https://www.consumentenbond.nl/betaalrekening/spoedoverboekingen#no1) then the transfer is made on a working day.
How does paying with a QR code work through Tikkie?
- A QR code is a kind of barcode that you scan with your mobile phone.
- When you scan the QR code, the Tikkie payment page opens.
- You don't need the Tikkie app.
- On that page you can enter the amount yourself (e.g. in the case of a donation) or there is a pre-filled amount.
- Pay through your own bank with iDEAL .
- Always check the URL of the site you are going to when scanning a QR code. It always starts with tikkie.me.
How does Tikkie Back work?
- In the Tikkie app you will find current promotions of shops or companies. Or you can scan the QR code of the promotion in the shop or on the website.
- If you bought the promotional product, scan the receipt in the Tikkie app.
- The money you receive back from the promotion will be deposited directly into your account.
Safety
When you use Tikkie for the first time, you need to enter your IBAN. Make sure you enter your IBAN correctly, as ABN Amro does not check.
If the payment is not credited to your account, ABN Amro must prove that your bank has received the amount. You can then ask your bank why the amount has not been credited. If ABN Amro cannot prove that your bank has received the amount, ABN Amro must refund the amount to you.
As the recipient of an application, you pay through your bank with iDEAL. The link you receive starts with "https". This means that your data is encrypted. A Tikkie payment request always looks like this: https://tikkie.me/pay/... If it doesn't show a1a, don't click on it and report it to Tikkie.
Why should I use Tikkie?
While there are elements of Dutch culture that will always remain decidedly outside my social skill set - I'll never be able to be as straightforward as the Dutch - one adaptation I've readily adopted is Tikkie culture.
Not only can you avoid making a waiter's life difficult by asking to pay separately, but you can also avoid making your life more difficult. Forget all the confusion and hassle of trying to figure out how much you owe. Simply wave, press the card on the pin machine (if you have enough money, of course) and throw an "I'll Tikkie you" across the table - then solve the problem later.
Instant payment - the statistics prove it
You don't have to worry about waiting. Send your friends a Tikkie on the journey home and (provided you have good friends) you can get your money back when you get off the train.
As soon as they receive the payment request, they can follow the link and allow the amount to be deducted from their bank account. Payments tend to happen quickly and if you don't trust us, trust the figures:
- 50% of Tikkies are paid in 30 minutes.
- 85% of Tikkies are paid within one day.
Everything is done via WhatsApp
Your friends don't need to have the Tikkie app installed to pay, all they need is WhatsApp (and who doesn't have that these days!?).
There's no awkward back-and-forth about "it won't open" or "where do I download it from?". If your friends can get a WhatsApp, they can get and pay for a Tikkie - no excuses!
What about the downsides of Tikkie?
Let's face it, everything that has a list of advantages has a corresponding list of disadvantages. So let's consider the disadvantages of using Tikkie.
To be fair, the essence of the Tikkie's drawbacks is based on the fact that it is used by humans. People can be oblivious. Sometimes you pay, tell someone you'll send a Tikkie and then quickly forget about it. Tikkie only works if you remember to send one.
Installation issues on Android.
Although the app is on both the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android users, you may run into some hiccups when installing the app. If you search for the app on iOS, you may be surprised to not find the app at all. That's because the app doesn't exist on the Romanian iOS App Store. There's a simple fix for this: in the settings you can change your App Store country to "The Netherlands". Then you will be asked to update your personal details: address and phone number of the Netherlands.
A similar problem exists for Android users. The app cannot be downloaded from Google Play if your Gmail address is connected to a Romanian phone number. The solution is simple: go to your email settings and update your phone number to a Dutch number.
You must keep track of the amount owed.
Speaking of memory, it's up to you to determine how much someone owes you, the system has no magic way of knowing what you ate/drank/buy. So, for those nights when the beer flowed freely, it can be difficult to remember how much a person owes you - the only evidence of your drunken trip to McDonald's, where you generously paid for everything, is a single old fry on the doormat.
It is a payment claim, not a guaranteed payment
People can also be sneaky. Although asking someone for money in person is always slightly embarrassing, it has its advantages. They can't just disappear into thin air if they don't feel like paying. That's not the case with Tikkie.
The Tikkie app allows you to submit a payment request, but this does not guarantee you a payment. The recipient of the request can simply choose not to pay you and Tikkie can do nothing about it. For example, just because you decided to send Mark Rutte a Tikkie for tuition fees, it doesn't mean he has to pay them. So choose wisely who you decide to Tikkie with.
Have you used the Tikkie app before? What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments below!
Author: Vanessa Stoica
Photo credit: Unsplash
