Smart cards are here, but most stores can’t process them

A recent survey by the consumer advocacy organization, ConsumerWorld.org, has found that that while virtually all of national and regional retailers surveyed have installed checkout terminals with slots to read credit cards with embedded computer chips, three-quarters of them have not yet enabled the technology chainwide.

Credit card issuers established an Oct.1, 2015, deadline for stores to begin accepting EMV cards (which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa — the three credit companies that established U.S. smart card technical standards) or risk-bearing full-financial liability for any fraud losses. Previously, card issuers were responsible.