Does Mobile Suica let you see what you spent?

Convenience versus risk? I'm quite risk averse, so I don't like the dangerous convenience of the PASMO card that I've been using. The basic problem is that it is NOT intended to let you get a good look at what you bought.

Is Mobile Suica better? Can you easily get usable records of your purchases?

Mostly background for people who aren't using them, but PASMO provides almost no accounting. You can get a teeny tiny printout from the ticket machines, but it's almost unreadable. Too small and mushed together. You can actually request a somewhat larger printout from the attendants at the window (in most stations), but it still doesn't tell you such trivialities as how much you spent. It's just a running total with cryptic codes. It is actually possible to scan it, OCR it, run it into a spreadsheet, and then do a couple of columns of calculations just to get the differences (the actual charges), but this is not exactly a routine operation.

What I want is a clean and understandable display, even if it's in Japanese. Highly advantageous if it can be exported for more detailed analysis. Maybe Mobile Suica can do this?

doesn't tell you such trivialities as how much you spent. It's just a running total with cryptic codes.

Neither standard suica or mobile suica can itemize things within a purchase. They only store the vendor details, the total purchase amount, and the resulting balance. If you care about itemized lists then you should take the standard paper receipt that *should always be offered when you make a purchase with your suica.

Checking my Mobile Suica usage log only shows the date and remaining balance for purchases other than rail tickets. It doesn't even tell you the name of the retailer or location, let alone details of individual items purchased.

I don't get this thread. What kind of "risk" are you talking about? Surely, if all your purchase history, down to specific items, was in your Suica, that would be a very big risk.

I agree with what Firas said:
"I don't get this thread. What kind of 'risk' are you talking about? Surely, if all your purchase history, down to specific items, was in your Suica, that would be a very big risk. "

Also, if you think it's a "risk" to spend 100-1000yen without an itemized account, then just don't do it!! You can see at the cash register (in a convenience store for example) how much you WILL spend, so you can THEN choose to pay Suica/Pasmo or cash. Where's the risk in that?
Of if you just use it on trains, then you can see how much it is.

Some people feel that systems, such as credit cards and prepaid cards, can be dangerous because the records are not itemized and, taken alone, may obfuscate where your money is going if you don't keep good records of your own.

It seems like the OP is looking for a system that can automatically record electronic itemized receipts to aid them in keeping track of their expenses. Unfortunately, (or fortunately if you are a privacy advocate) none of the IC systems record this type of data. They'll just have to rely on old fashioned paper receipts instead.

Perhaps I have a criminal mind, or maybe it's my (brief) experience working in a convenience store when I was a student, but I keep thinking of new ways the Pasmo and Suica could be scammed, mostly because there is no clear record of the purchases. You can't even tell if the train fares are correct, and I have been told that JR was actually caught overcharging on Suica and did refund some money. (Supposedly it affected quite a large number of customers, but I don't know what percentage ever got their refunds. Of course JR says that was just an honest mistake...)

Since the Mobile Suica is in the smartphone, it seems it should be able to provide much more details. For example, it could contact a webserver to get details about store and station names. However, what I actually want is to be able to export the data and take a good look at it to see if anything looks funny. Alternatively, that could be a highly useful smartphone app.

Kind of a related question, but I'm pretty sure that it's a one-way valve. Suica and Pasmo can be used in stores, but there are some other store cares that cannot be used for the trains, right? (Maybe there are other possibilities?)

Perhaps I have a criminal mind, or maybe it's my (brief) experience working in a convenience store when I was a student, but I keep thinking of new ways the Pasmo and Suica could be scammed, mostly because there is no clear record of the purchases.

Yea, I think you worry too much. There is a clear record. Your receipt. And train fares are shown to you when you exit the turnstile. You can verify immediately that they are correct. But just like shopping with cash, if you are concerned about being incorrectly charged then you need to be aware of what's going on at the register, and be sure to check your receipts.

Since the Mobile Suica is in the smartphone, it seems it should be able to provide much more details.

They probably could, but can you imagine the uproar over privacy if JR East was recording everyones purchase histories! Most people probably don't want access to the info that you are asking for.

Suica and Pasmo can be used in stores, but there are some other store cares that cannot be used for the trains, right? (Maybe there are other possibilities?)

Do you mean to ask if there are store cards that can be used on trains? If so, then no. Suica is a train card first, that it can be used at stores as a secondary feature. JR is not going to let a competing card into its monopoly.

Well, obviously JR is allowing the competing Pasmo into its stores, but that's enough to get me responding with an example of the train fares and a convenience store story.

On the fares, one obvious problem involves routings. Sometimes the proper fare depends on where you changed trains, especially when the route switches companies. Apparently JR was routinely overcharging passengers on (at least) one route until someone noticed. I'm sure they promised not to do it again.

The convenience store story... Well, I'm sure my memory is fuzzy, but I think the manager told me to watch for opportunities to overcharge customers, such as ringing up a premium beer when they bought a cheap one. With the current system, I think the clerk would probably have to keep a bar code handy to "accidentally" tack on an extra charge if the customer looks "relaxed". (That's just one of the ways, but a trivial one.)

Here's another one that actually caught me--and stopped me from using the combined monthly pass and Pasmo. When you buy the pass, you get a discount (though it depends on how many trips you make how big the discount is). My pass expired, but I had a couple of thousand yen left on the Pasmo--so it just continued buying tickets at full price, until I had used up the money and realized it was time to buy a non-Pasmo pass.

So what do you have against knowing how much money you spent? Or do you work for JR? You probably like the consumption tax, too.

Well, obviously JR is allowing the competing Pasmo into its stores, but that's enough to get me responding with an example of the train fares and a convenience store story.

It's actually Pasmo plus 8 other IC cards by railway networks. I wouldn't exactly call them competing though, they're more complementary. And JR East in particular is one that probably benefits the most since their cards are probably used more on other systems than the opposite.

On the fares, one obvious problem involves routings. Sometimes the proper fare depends on where you changed trains, especially when the route switches companies.

Of course, but I'm saying that it is easily verifiable. The fare rules are public and you can calculate them manually. In addition, there are many tools out there that let you look them up based on route. If you don't trust JR then simply know your fares and then compare the totals as you leave the station.

The convenience store story... Well, I'm sure my memory is fuzzy, but I think the manager told me to watch for opportunities to overcharge customers, such as ringing up a premium beer when they bought a cheap one. With the current system, I think the clerk would probably have to keep a bar code handy to "accidentally" tack on an extra charge if the customer looks "relaxed". (That's just one of the ways, but a trivial one.)

Check your receipts. Problem solved.

Here's another one that actually caught me--and stopped me from using the combined monthly pass and Pasmo. When you buy the pass, you get a discount (though it depends on how many trips you make how big the discount is). My pass expired, but I had a couple of thousand yen left on the Pasmo--so it just continued buying tickets at full price, until I had used up the money and realized it was time to buy a non-Pasmo pass.

I'm not sure how to help you here, as this seems like user error. Honestly, if you are so concerned about not getting cheated, and about getting the most out of your passes and the available discounts then you need to be more proactive in checking as you go. An app might be able to help you track your trends, but its not going to be any more useful than a receipt if you are mischarged or scammed.

So what do you have against knowing how much money you spent?

I don't, in fact I'm very careful about knowing how much money I've spent and on what. Of course it's easy if you keep track of your receipts, but I wouldn't be against an app that helped me with these things. The balance though is privacy, and I value the fact that JR *might not know my detailed spending habits, over the convenience that an app would provide. (BTW, I'm sure it would be trivial for JR to put together something like this, though I suspect that the system is kept separate on purpose for privacy reasons).

Or do you work for JR? You probably like the consumption tax, too.

Yes, I'm a shill for JR and I love consumption taxes. Or maybe you're just stuck in your tunnel vision worrying about non-issues.

I still can't see the problem.

Your monthly pass ran out, and the ticket gate charged to your Suica balance?? Ummmmm...... what's wrong with that? Isn't the user responsible for figuring out when the monthly pass has expired?? I mean, the SOUND is different!!!!!!!

Convenience stores?? you can see the amount before you pay with Suica, then it shows you how much you paid.... what's wrong with that? Then you STILL get a receipt, which you can CHECK.