MICR Case Study

Wal-Mart

The world-renowned retailer has installed more than 70,000 MICR readers at its checkout stands. A MICR reader connected to a retailer's POS system reads the MICR line on a customer's check. The POS system then queries databases to determine, within seconds, if a check is valid and if a customer has a positive banking history. For a high-volume retailer like Wal-Mart, one big benefit from the use of MICR readers is faster customer throughput. Many retailers also record check velocity statistics associated with a customer's checking account for use in fraud detection.