Introduction:
We have witnessed how digital banking added a whole new dimension to the banking industry but one of the key parameters in the foundation for the same was the debit card.
Debit cards are considered to be one of the important products offered by banks as they come with several benefits. Prior to Debit Cards, cash was the widely used mode for financial transactions. The introduction of debit cards facilitated people to withdraw cash at the ATMs/ e-Lobbies or pay at any offline/digital store at their convenience.
Here are a few of the benefits that make Debit Cards one of the most preferred modes of payment:
1. Pay digitally :
A debit card is basically an alternative delivery channel for your bank account which lets one transfer funds using online mediums. Debit cards are not only used to withdraw cash but for multiple purposes including online money transfers, online e-commerce transactions, etc.
2. Bill Payments:
Paying the bills at right time is an important task in everybody’s life. The challenge one faced in this task is to visit the respective office for bill payment with cash usually in queues.Paying bills through a debit card is quite simple and you can do it from the comfort of your place. You can pay your electricity, gas, internet, DTH, and all other utility bills and ensure timely payments and avoid late fees. One can also make bill payments by setting auto-pay for recurring payments.
3. Timely alerts after every transaction:
The need to visit the bank for instant account status is removed with Debit Cards. The spend can be easily tracked with the transaction SMS or through ATMs where one can generate a mini statement of his account.
4. Availing Debit Card EMIs:
Everybody has a wish list that they want to fulfill. But sometimes, these items may be financially not affordable for the users. In such situation, users can make use of their debit cards by opting for “Debit Card EMIs.” Many e-commerce websites now offer EMI facilities for debit cards. This enables the users to complete their wish list by purchasing the object they wished for.
5. Offers on Debit cards:
Many e-commerce websites offer discounts/ offers for the products listed on their platforms if the users choose to make the payment by using a debit card. Users can make the most use of debit cards by making payments from the comfort of their place, avail of the offers/discounts and EMI facilities and shop for the products they wished for. For instance “Karnataka Bank” extends various offers on their VISA, and Rupay debit card variants. The offers are subject to the terms and conditions of the bank or the payment networks.
6. Budgeting the funds:
When the users make payments using debit cards, the amount is directly adjusted towards the balance they maintained in their bank account. Not only does it limit the spending ability to the extent of the balance maintained in the bank account, the timely alerts sent to the customer also allow them to keep a check on their expenditures. This helps the users to make their financial planning according to to meet their needs. With a Credit card, it may be difficult at times to control the expenditures as the money is borrowed from the bank and adjusted towards the purchase. This may result in the accumulation of debt for the users if not used or spent wisely.
Few Practices to follow to avoid debit card fraud:
Although debit cards come with multiple benefits, the users need to follow certain guidelines set by the banks and the regulators. These guidelines will ensure safe and secure transactions and avoid falling prey to fraudsters.
- Users should never share their card details like Card number, CVV, etc with anybody.
- Users should not write their card details like Card number, CVV, or expiry date anywhere.
- Users should always be cautious of their environment while making transactions at the ATMs such as hiding the keypad when entering PIN, Waiting for the ‘Welcome’ screen once the transaction is completed, etc.
- Users should always be cautious about the websites on which they are making payments. Sometimes fraudsters create fake websites that are identical to popular websites to steal the data.
- Users should be cautious while their card is being utilized at the merchant sites, to avoid any misuse of the card.
Conclusion:
Debit cards can be very useful when it comes to saving time and tracking the spends or fund transfers. Users can make the best use of Debit Cards by using it at online and offline stores. Therefore, users should make wise use of their debit cards and follow the guidelines of the respective bank. This way the users can experience the best of both banking and shopping at the same time!
