Ask HN: Why US companies want to use cheques?

1 points by usuallybaffled 9 years ago | 6 comments

Often US companies want to pay me with cheques that they will mail to the other side of the world and I'll have a lot of trouble cashing. Why's that? They tell me cheques are super common and they can't understand the trouble I have with them.

Where I live all transactions are electronic between banks. I haven't used a paper cheque in 15 years.

marssaxman 9 years ago |

Well, it's because it's because checks are super common in the US! They can't understand the trouble you have with them because paying via check is normal business practice in the US; nobody in the US has trouble cashing them.

Electronic bank transfers are not common. Most people would probably have to look up instructions for how to do it, and most people's banks would charge a fee for the service.

usuallybaffled 9 years ago | |

Is that a cultural thing? Getting a piece of paper, driving to the bank to cash it? Or accepting a cheque from an account with no funds?

If that's the case, then I can let it go. However, it's puzzling that the mecca of capitalism is living on antiquated methods like that.

andymoe 9 years ago |

International wire transfers usually cost the sender 25 bucks. Checks don't.

Edit: But yes, the situation is redicoulous.

usuallybaffled 9 years ago | |

They usually say something about the cost yeah. What is weird is that they also seem to be using cheques for local transactions (or so they tell me, I find it hard to believe).

bradknowles 9 years ago | | |

Checks as local transactions frequently get converted into electronic ones on deposit, and many businesses now have you sign a waiver that says any checks you send them will get converted into an ACH draft from your bank account.

But for business transactions, checks are still the default.

andymoe 9 years ago | |

Why is android autocorrect so terrible?