As long as you have a legal business, you can obtain a merchant account through our service. We work with companies in every industry, both high and low risk, and have never been unable to find a solution for an operator in need of one. Convenience stores, gas stations, retail shops, contractors, grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and others who handle card swipe transactions and have low chargeback incidences are typically able to secure the best rates. However, there is no shortage of solutions for high risk businesses, either, even those in the adult industry, gambling or casino biz, collections agents, mail order/telephone order (MOTO), or internet commerce realms. The same is true for travel agencies, check cashing companies, and other higher-risk operations.

How do I receive payments with a merchant account?

When you set up an account with a merchant bank, you are technically linking four separate entities: the merchant (yourself), the merchant bank, the customer, and the customer's credit card company. When a transaction takes place, the merchant bank with which you have established service transfers the appropriate amount of money into the bank account you provided when you set things up. The customer's bank card company then pays the merchant bank, with the expectation that the customer will reimburse them over time (and with interest added on). As the business owner or operator, you can expect the money from a payment to appear in your account two to four days after you process that day's batch.

Do I need good credit to set up an account?

Not necessarily. A pending bankruptcy may prevent you from setting one up, but otherwise, bad credit will usually just make your rates a bit higher than they would be under normal circumstances. This is because the provider has to protect himself against the risk that you will be delinquent in your payment of fees and surcharges.

How can I prevent chargebacks?

Whether you are selling products or services online, in person, or over the phone, you are going to want to do everything you possibly can to prevent a charge from coming back on you or being disputed by a customer. If you are an in-person processor, this will be somewhat easier for you. Simply make sure to verify, or match, the signature of the customer who signs the receipt with the one on the back of their card - and train your employees and associates to do the same. Keep careful records, as well, putting all signed receipts into a folder and filing it with the appropriate date in case you ever need proof that a purchase was legitimate.

Online or by phone, make sure to use CVV2 codes as well as a good address verification system to match the customer-provided billing address with the one registered with the bank. Make sure to process through a secure server only, and watch out for suspicious orders or other transactions that do not appear legitimate.

Can you process checks, too?

Check verification and e-check processing is another service that is offered as part of a dedicated merchant account. This allows checks to be passed through an Automated Clearinghouse (or ACH) whether they are sent via wire transfer online or handed over in person. While checks have declined in use over recent years, and some businesses are phasing them out altogether, they still have popularity in some areas and in specific industries, so you may want to consider accepting them securely. Remember, the more payment options you are able to give your customers, the better the chances are that they will return to make more and bigger purchases.