Why do we use so many checks?
Sujit Chakravorti, Timothy McHugh
The primary question we address in this article is why consumers, merchants, and financial institutions are reluctant to embrace electronic payments even though electronic payment networks, such as the credit card and automated clearinghouse (ACH) networks, have existed for more than 25 years. While most Internetbased transactions are primarily processed via credit card networks, most noncash off-line payments by both consumers and businesses in the United States are made with checks.
