In fact, on at least one major network, debit card payments are reported to have surpassed credit card payments. This shift in payment behavior can be attributed in part to changes in the rules and regulations governing the ACH network, which have facilitated the use of this network for one-time, nonrecurring payments.
As you know, in the past the ACH was used mainly for recurring payments, such as payroll and mortgage payments. Today, consumer purchases at stores, over the telephone, and on the Internet can be completed using the ACH.