3 ms·

My wife still prefers to use them for groceries - I'm not really sure why, but she does. They aren't any slower than a card nowadays, with check printers. You

• astrodust 10y ago
  Card = tap and done here. For larger purchases chip and a 4-digit PIN. Never bounces. Never gets stolen and used to make fraudulent withdrawals, at least so long as skimmers are mostly mag-stripe readers.
  • LyndsySimon 10y ago
    > Card = tap and done here Almost nowhere we shop has NFC readers yet. They're gaining adoption, but they're far from ubiquitous. Those that do often require that you sign a receipt in addition to presenting your device or card. I've had one place go as far as to require a PIN and a signature... on a purchase where I had to unlock my phone with a fingerprint. Compare that to "hand the clerk a paper check, clerk inserts it into the register, then hands it back to you". > Never bounces Sure they can. They can also be reversed, in some cases weeks after the purchase. Large retailers who print/scan checks (e.g., WalMart) present it to the bank electronically, instantly. There's actually a significantly stronger guarantee that the money is actually there in that case. > Never gets stolen and used to make fraudulent withdrawals, at least so long as skimmers are mostly mag-stripe readers. This is a risk, sure - but it's on the retailers, not the consumer. It's a hassle for a consumer but most banks will happily reverse the charges for you if you report a checkbook stolen.