I can’t comment about posters’ experiences on Merseyrail because, to the best of my knowledge, I’ve never travelled on a Merseyrail service.
However, quite a few posts in this thread bemoan and criticise Merseyrail for not wanting to modernise, or to join the 21st century or similar spirited responses.
However it’s worth remembering that a vast majority of London/SE TOCS took years to embrace the modern world.
They originally did not like the new (1985) London Transport Travelcard scheme, eventually coming in by agreeing to the Capitalcard (1988).
It took them around 5 years to move towards excepting the new (2003) Oyster (and later contactless).
First they would not accept it at all, then they insisted on Oyster extension permits (OEPs) and finally they dropped that requirement but still refused to enter the Oyster system at existing London Oyster fare scales.
Quite a few Southeast TOCs were being pressurised by (I think?) the DFT in the late 2000s to bring in their own smartcards. But these took ages to be properly installed, switched on and marketed. Even now, there is no one size fits all.
Project Oval remains behind schedule
Railcards still can’t be added to a contactless card.
Railway has a history - as do many other industries and organisations - on waiting prevaricating and finally succumbing to change.
I’m not saying Merseyrail is exemplary, not at all, and its messaging sets a bad example, but it follow behind well worn footsteps.