eCheck Payments: The Ease and Simplicity of Digital Checks

Due to their inconvenience, cash and paper check use has been in decline for a while. But the pandemic has accelerated the transition towards a cashless and paperless society. More than 82% of Americans used digital payments to pay for goods and services in 2021. People love the ease and simplicity of digital payments, which will lead to even more e-payment adoption.

Processing electronic payments is a necessity for business survival in today’s digital economy. Most businesses already process credit card transactions. But there’s another less well-known e-payment alternative that offers the convenience of credit cards yet with lower processing fees. In this post, we’ll discuss the benefits of eCheck payments and explain how to use them.

What are eChecks?

An eCheck ⏤ or electronic check ⏤ is the digital version of a traditional paper check. If you’ve used paper checks in the past, then you know what a hassle they are to process incoming and outgoing payments. Since eChecks are processed on secure electronic platforms, they are faster, safer, and more convenient to handle than old-school checks.

Digital checks are not only more convenient for businesses, but also more enjoyable to use for customers. Instead of wasting hours of time writing and mailing a physical check, customers can fill out a simple electronic form to send an eCheck payment online. Within a few minutes and clicks, payment is debited from the customer’s bank and credited to the merchant’s account.

How Does eCheck Processing Work?

OK, so now you know that to send a digital check, you must fill out a short online form. But the behind-the-scenes process is more complicated than that. eChecks are processed in the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network ⏤ a US financial system that processes domestic electronic funds transfers. Here’s a close look at how eCheck payments are processed:

Authorization

After providing the amount to be paid, the transaction must be authorized by the customer to go through. Along with presenting their checking account and bank routing numbers, the customer can offer a digital signature or a recorded phone conversation to authorize the transfer.

Processing

Once the digital check is authorized and submitted, the eCheck processor will get to work. Your processor will debit the customer’s account and send the payment file to the ACH network. The ACH operator will sort the transaction request and deliver it to the receiving bank.

Verification

When the merchant’s bank receives the eCheck payment request, it performs a verification process to ensure that the transaction is valid. With help from the processor, your bank will analyze payment details and check funds availability to verify the transfer.

Settlement

If everything checks out, the funds are released and deposited into the merchant’s account. Sending an eCheck online typically takes three to five days to clear. With the right eCheck processor, you can have your ACH payments deposited within one business day.

What are the Benefits of eChecks Over Other E-Payments?

eCheck payments are becoming increasingly popular and for good reason. They’re not only a

better alternative to paper checks but also provide many advantages over other electronic payment methods. Digital checks improve customer experience ⏤ and your bottom line. Here are some reasons why you should add eChecks to your payment options starting today:

Quick Approval

If you process credit cards, you probably remember what a pain it was to sign up for the service. To accept credit card payments, you must set up a merchant account which requires a lengthy credit check and bank underwriting process. eChecks are not only fast to process but also quick to set up. You can sign up for eCheck payment services and get approved within minutes.

Lowest Fees

Electronic payments offer ease and simplicity but their convenience comes with a cost. Credit card processing can cost merchants up to 3.50% of a transaction’s total value. With an incoming domestic transfer fee of $15, bank wires don’t come cheap either. eChecks provide the convenience of credit card and wire transfers but only cost 1% to accept a payment.

More Accessible

While many people and businesses are denied credit card processing, anyone with a bank account can send and receive eChecks online. If you operate a high-risk business and are

struggling to get a merchant account, eChecks can give you quick access to the online payment system. Any legal business can process eCheck payments no matter their industry.

Unlimited Transactions

Banks often impose credit card processing limits to reduce their exposure to risk. If you process above this limit, your merchant account can be suspended or terminated. These restrictions can limit your sales and impede business growth. With eChecks, you can enjoy unrestricted monthly revenue without worrying about losing your business account.

Safer Payments

Despite employing advanced security measures, popular electronic payments are experiencing record rates of fraudulent transactions. Businesses are projected to lose $130 billion to card-not-present (CNP) fraud between 2018-2023. With account ownership verification and signature capture technology, eCheck payment platforms reduce the risk of transaction fraud.

What Do You Need to Process eChecks?

By now, you’re probably convinced that eChecks are the best digital payment method. And you’re likely wondering what is needed to accept and send eChecks online. The good news is ⏤ you don’t need much! All you need to process digital checks online is a US business bank account and an eCheck processing partner like Seamless Chex.

It takes only a few minutes to get a SeamlessChex account. After setting up your account, we’ll provide an easy-to-use platform that allows you to accept eCheck payments the same day. Your customers or partners don’t need an account to send/receive eChecks. The recipient uses an emailed link or an ecommerce payment button to complete the transaction.

How to Process eChecks With SeamlessChex

Processing eChecks with SeamlessChex is as easy as 1, 2, 3. You can accept eChecks online in three simple steps. Our software easily integrates with all your platforms and systems so you can receive digital checks from anywhere. You can accept eChecks on your ecommerce website or send an email to the recipient to accept the payment.

Let us walk you through the steps involved in accepting an eCheck payment:

1. Virtual Terminal – Use the Seamless Chex virtual terminal to enter your customer’s bank information. Our system will verify the routing and account numbers.
2. Payment Links: Create a one-time or recurring secure hosted payment link. Add your business logo to customize. Anyone with the link can send a payment and sign using their mouse or finger on a mobile device. The link can be used unlimited times. Create a “Pay By Check” button on your website or add to your email signature.
3. Invoices: Send one-time or recurring invoices and we will email your customer with an embedded “Pay By Check” button.
4. Website Checkout: Use our website plugins to easily accept eChecks on your online store.
5. API: Our robust APIs and responsive developers allow you to completely customize our powerful eCheck and ACH payment solutions. Everything you need to send and receive payments with scale.

Sign Up for eCheck Payment Processing Today

Electronic checks provide the ease of online payments without abusive processing fees. By reducing your processing costs and offering an alternative e-payment method to customers that don’t have credit cards, digital checks can help boost your profit margins.

If you want to accept and send eChecks online, SeamlessChex is just what you need. Sign up for our free trial to see how easy it is to process online payments. And if you have any questions about eCheck payment processing, contact us to learn more about our services.