National Payment Card Association first introduced its alternative payment solution in June 2006 and h as earned much attention from industry insiders and co nsumers. The National Payment Card Association PIN based payment system processes transactions thr ough the Federal Reserve Automated Clearing House (ACH), resulting in lower merchant fees and a self-funded loyalty program that can provide immediate savings to consumers. Specifically, the p rogram benefits retailers by helping them shift awa y from the interchange fees credit card companies nor mally charge on each transaction by moving them to the lower cost ACH system. The merchant can then us e some of the savings to change customers payment behavior by passing some of that savings al ong to them right at the pump.