Debit cards combine the functions of ATM cards and checks. Debit cards are issued by banks, but are used at stores, not at the banks themselves. When you pay with a debit card, the money is automatically deducted from your checking account. Many merchants accept ATM cards as debit cards. The money spent comes out of a checking account immediately using debit.
Many people prefer debit cards over checks.
Debit is not available in all states, but where it is available, when a debit card is used, there is only one .40 cent charge assessed. A chargeback occurs when a customer disputes a charge on their monthly statement. If a customer sees a charge they think they did not make, or if they ordered something through the mail and did not receive the product, that customer has up to one year to dispute the charge according to Mastercard and Visa's consumer protection regulations. All they have to do is call the bank where the card was issued from and tell them they want the charge dropped. The bank will chargeback the transaction to you, and take the money from your merchant account.