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The Move Toward a Cashless Society: A Closer Look at Payment Instrument Economics

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Author Info
Daniel D. Garcia-Swartz (LECG)
Robert W. Hahn () (American Enterprise Institute-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies)
Anne Layne-Farrar (LECG)

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Abstract

Ever since the first general-purpose charge card debuted in the early 1950s, pundits have been predicting the "cashless society". Over fifty years later, we may finally be getting close to that vision. This study is the first to examine empirically the move toward a cashless society using a cost-benefit framework. We find that when all key parties to a transaction are considered and benefits are added, cash and checks are more costly than many earlier studies suggest. In general, the shift toward a cashless society appears to be a beneficial one.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Concept Economics in its journal Review of Network Economics.

Volume (Year): 5 (2006)
Issue (Month): 2 (June)
Pages: 175-198
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:rne:rneart:v:5:y:2006:i:2:p:175-198

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Related research
Keywords: payment cards; credit; debit; cash; electronic payments;

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Carow, Kenneth A. & Staten, Michael E., 1999. "Debit, credit, or cash: survey evidence on gasoline purchases," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(5), pages 409-421, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Humphrey, David B & Pulley, Lawrence B & Vesala, Jukka M, 1996. "Cash, Paper, and Electronic Payments: A Cross-Country Analysis," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 28(4), pages 914-39, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. David B. Humphrey & Lawrence B. Pulley & Jukka M. Vesala, 1996. "Cash, paper, and electronic payments: a cross-country analysis," Proceedings, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), pages 914-941.
  4. Rochet, Jean-Charles & Tirole, Jean, 2003. "Platform Competition in Two-Sided Markets," IDEI Working Papers 152, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Brian Mantel, 2000. "Why don't consumers use electronic banking products? towards a theory of obstacles, incentives, and opportunities," Occasional Paper; Emerging Payments EPS-2000-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. [Downloadable!]
  6. David Humphrey & Magnus Willesson & Ted Lindblomand & Goran Bergendahl, 2003. "What does it Cost to Make a Payment?," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 2(2), pages 159-174, June. [Downloadable!]
  7. Schmalensee, Richard, 2002. "Payment Systems and Interchange Fees," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(2), pages 103-22, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Jean-Charles Rochet, 2003. "The Theory of Interchange Fees: A Synthesis of Recent Contributions," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 2(2), pages 97-124, June. [Downloadable!]
  9. Brito, Dagobert L & Hartley, Peter R, 1995. "Consumer Rationality and Credit Cards," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(2), pages 400-433, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Thaler, Richard H & Shefrin, H M, 1981. "An Economic Theory of Self-Control," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(2), pages 392-406, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  15. Anthony M. Santomero & John J. Seater, 1996. "Alternative monies and the demand for media of exchange," Proceedings, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), pages 942-964.
    Other versions:
  16. Daniel D. Garcia-Swartz & Robert W. Hahn & Anne Layne-Farrar, 2006. "The Move Toward a Cashless Society: Calculating the Costs and Benefits," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 5(2), pages 199-228, June. [Downloadable!]
  17. Edward Castronova & Paul Hagstrom, 2004. "The Demand for Credit Cards: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances," Economic Inquiry, Oxford University Press, vol. 42(2), pages 304-318, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Wilko Bolt & David Humphrey, 2007. "Payment Network Scale Economies, SEPA, and Cash Replacement," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 6(4), pages 453-473, December. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Takala , Kari & Viren, Matti, 2008. "Efficiency and costs of payments: some new evidence from Finland," Research Discussion Papers 11/2008, Bank of Finland. [Downloadable!]
  3. Fumiko Hayashi, 2008. "The economics of payment card fee structure: what is the optimal balance between merchant fee and payment card rewards?," Research Working Paper RWP 08-06, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. [Downloadable!]
  4. Cyril Monnet & William Roberds, 2007. "Optimal pricing of payment services when cash is an alternative," Working Papers 07-26, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. [Downloadable!]
  5. Cyril Monnet & William Roberds, 2006. "Credit and the no-surcharge rule," Working Paper 2006-25, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. [Downloadable!]
  6. Wilko Bolt & Sujit Chakravorti, 2008. "Economics of Payment Cards: A Status Report," DNB Working Papers 193, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  7. Allan Shampine, 2007. "Another Look at Payment Instrument Economics," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 6(4), pages 495-508, December. [Downloadable!]
  8. Fumiko Hayashi, 2008. "The economics of payment card fee structure: policy considerations of payment card rewards," Research Working Paper RWP 08-08, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. [Downloadable!]
  9. William Roberds & Stacey L. Schreft, 2009. "Data security, privacy, and identity theft: The economics behind the policy debates," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, issue Q I, pages 22-30. [Downloadable!]
  10. Stephen Quinn & William Roberds, 2008. "The evolution of the check as a means of payment: a historical survey," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. [Downloadable!]
  11. Daniel Garcia-Swartz & Robert W. Hahn & Anne Layne-Farrar, 2007. "Further Thoughts on the Cashless Society: A Reply to Dr. Shampine," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 6(4), pages 509-524, December. [Downloadable!]
  12. Wilko Bolt & Sujit Chakravorti, 2008. "Economics of payment cards: a status report," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, issue Q IV, pages 15-27. [Downloadable!]
  13. Daniel D. Garcia-Swartz & Robert W. Hahn & Anne Layne-Farrar, 2006. "The Move Toward a Cashless Society: Calculating the Costs and Benefits," Review of Network Economics, Concept Economics, vol. 5(2), pages 199-228, June. [Downloadable!]
  14. Bergman, Mats & Guibourg, Gabriela & Segendorf, Björn, 2007. "The Costs of Paying – Private and Social Costs of Cash and Card Payments," Working Paper Series 212, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden). [Downloadable!]
  15. Fumiko Hayashi, 2008. "The economics of payment card fee structure: what drives payment card rewards?," Research Working Paper RWP 08-07, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. [Downloadable!]
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