Off Peak

Fortnightly Magazine - September 1 1997
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Consumers want the credit option, study says.

More than 5 percent of all recurring bills - like phone, magazine and insurance bills - are paid with a credit card (see Chart 1), according to a study conducted by Market Facts Inc. for Visa U.S.A. Yet less than one-half of 1 percent of consumers pull out their plastic to pay utility bills (see Chart 3).

Report - Grid Investment for Medium & Heavy Duty EVs

Here's one likely reason: Only 8 percent of all utilities accept credit card payments (see Chart 2). Utilities may want to reconsider their offerings, however. More than a third of the consumers surveyed said they'd like to have the option of using credit cards. That includes 33 percent of electric customers. (About 24 percent of utilities are considering accepting credit card payments.)

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