We don't have to use any kind of cards in Finland, and I think the situation is the same in Germany. I can directly pay a merchant and the money is transferred from my bank account without having a card at all.
I can use a credit card as well, or a debit card, but there really is no point to use them here.
It's surprising how far behind the U.S. is in this matter.
Why do you say "far behind"? I can go into pretty much any store in the world and bust out a piece of plastic to pay for the purchase. And I get frequent flyer miles.
Presumably because this article presents Dwolla as something new and fantastic, when it's something that's available in most European countries in one form or another right now.
(and of course the experience from Europe is that while it competes with debit and credit cards, it kills neither)
Have you traveled much? In lots of other countries, few stores take credit. Examples I've been to: Austria, Germany, Portugal, New Zealand… strangely enough the hot "latin" countries of Europe love credit cards, so it's easy peasy in Italy or Portugal. Also Finland, thankfully, because the amount of money you'd have to carry there'd be ridiculous.
I can use a credit card as well, or a debit card, but there really is no point to use them here.
It's surprising how far behind the U.S. is in this matter.