Competitive Analysis- 2/17/13

            The Metro Card Finder is an app designed to help find lost or stolen Metro Cards. With today's current technology, I am looking for different alternatives to finding your stolen/lost metrocard. One method of finding it is to scan/enter the code on the back of your metrocard into the computer or phone via the MTA website. Another method is to have an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), a tracking device) chip on the back of the card. Once you realize that it is stolen, call and report it to the authorities immediately. They will deactivate the card temporarily and locate the card by detecting the radio wave signals.

RFID Chip: 

The top 2 competitors of this idea are the services of the MTA itself.

Competitor 1: http://www.mta.info/metrocard/problems.htm#lost
For this service, the MTA will deactivate and replace Metrocards that were stolen or lost, but only certain kinds. These include: 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard, 7-Day Express Bus MetroCard, EasyPay Xpress and Reduced-Fare EasyPay option Metrocards. Also, if you purchased your metro card with a Credit/Debit card at an ATM Machine there is the guarantee of getting a full refund (http://becomeanewyorker.com/lost-your-metrocard-getting-your-money-back-is-easier-than-you-think/). This service does not include  Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards. According to the website these cards must be "Treated like cash." In other words, once its gone it is gone and can not be redeemed. My idea differs from this service because it includes all Metro Cards and you don't have to personally call the authorities. It can be done on a computer or a smart phone app, and is a much quicker process. 

Competitor 2: http://secondavenuesagas.com/2011/06/14/an-online-solution-for-lost-or-damaged-metrocards/ 

For the issue of lost/stolen Metro Cards, the MTA has put up something new called the Metro Card Efix Website. When a customer has a problem with his/her Metro Card, he/she can fill out an online form and try to resolve the problems digitally. The types of problems are separated into six categories: lost or stolen reduced fare cards; Select Bus Service errors; MetroCard not returned from the bus farebox; MetroCard Vending Machine problem; or a transfer problem (http://secondavenuesagas.com/2011/06/14/an-online-solution-for-lost-or-damaged-metrocards/ ). This is similar to my idea because it can also be done digitally through a computer, or anything that has internet on it. The difference is that it will still take a good amount of time to solve the issues, and that this solution is more general and does not just stand for one issue but for many. My idea is more efficient and quicker and really stands to solve one pressing issue rather than several. 

Summary: My two competitors are from the MTA, one is a service that will refund certain kinds of cards, and the other is a website dedicated to several issues. I believe that with more research on RFIDs I can incorporate it to my idea. This will provide a much faster and efficient solution to various customers using all kinds of Metro Cards.