Charging Ahead: The Growth and Regulation of Payment Card Markets Book

Introduction;

Part I. The Basics of Payment Cards:

1. Paper or plastic? - payment system functionality;
2. The mechanics of payment card transactions;

Part II. Easy Money:
3. In defense of credit cards;
4. The psychology of card payments - card spending and consumer debt;
5. Over the brink - credit card debt and bankruptcy;

Part III. The Puzzle of Payment Cards:
6. Explaining the pattern of global card use;
7. The introduction of the payment card;
8. Revolving credit;
9. Point-of-sale debit;
10. Convergence and exceptionalism in the use of cards;

Part IV. Reforming Payment Systems:
11. Indirect approaches: regulating interchange and encouraging surcharges;
12. Contract design;
13. Regulating information;
14. Product design: affinity and rewards programs and teaser rates;

Part V. Optimizing Consumer Credit Markets and Bankruptcy Policy:
15. Causation, consumer credit and bankruptcy;
16. Regulating consumer credit markets;
17. Consumer bankruptcy reform; Conclusion; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index.