Archive for February 2018

The Nuts and Bolts of a Merchant Account

Underneath the smooth, streamlined surface of a credit card sale, there are many components. To start, there are four elements to each transaction: the merchant, the acquiring bank, the issuing bank and the customer. The merchant is the business or store owner who provides a good or a service. The acquiring bank is the store…

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Sign Up for a Merchant Account

Losing sales because you don’t accept credit cards? Sign up for a merchant account! Small businesses are losing out on enormous amounts of money by not accepting credit cards. Both offline and online, credit card transactions are the lifeblood of a healthy bottom line. Customers find credit cards convenient, preferable to cash, and they enjoy…

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Do You Have the Right Credit Card Machine?

Your method of receiving payments is one of the most important parts of your business. Nowadays, credit cards are the preferred payment method, because of their convenience and ubiquity. For customers, it gives them an option to buy items and pay for services, even when they don’t have money. They can buy now and pay…

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What’s the Best Merchant Account For My Online Business?

When you’re starting an online business, everything can seem strange. There are lots of areas you’re unfamiliar with, and you don’t know which digital tools are essential and which ones are optional. Once you have your web domain secured, there are a few other elements that are crucial. You need an online shop and a…

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How to Accept Credit Cards on Your Website in Real-time.

Adding online capabilities to your business can help you reach a whole new audience. Whether you have an e-commerce store, or if you simply would like to sell goods or services online, accepting credit card payments through your website is convenient for both you and your customers. Merchant Accounts and Payment Gateways Merchant accounts usually…

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A Brief History of Credit Card Processing

The first known use of a card to make purchase dates back all the way to 1914, when Western Union issued a metal plate to its employees. This metal plate was in lieu of a paycheck, and it was meant for use in company owned stores. The first credit card however, was developed in 1946…

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Why Your Business Should Accept Credit Cards

Cash may be fun to have, but it can be a tiresome medium for transactions. There’s a lot of it to handle during the day, and after you close your store or business, you have to go through bookkeeping, which can be tedious and repetitive. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case.…

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What a Merchant Account Can Do for your Business

If you are a small business owner, do not immediately assume that your company is not big enough to accept credit cards, electronic payments and online transactions through a merchant account. All of these payment methods are essential if you want to take your business to the next level. How does a merchant account work?…

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What is the Role of a Payment Processor?

A payment processor is a company that handles all processing between you, the merchant and your customer when a credit card payment is processed.  They are responsible for transmitting and relaying encrypted data between banks. It is the payment processor’s responsibility to ensure the safety of all data transmitted, confirm if a transaction has been…

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An SSL Certificate Does Not Guarantee PCI Compliance

Many businesses would like to be PCI compliant, because it is a security standard that can help prevent security breaches. PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, but you sometimes see the abbreviation DSS attached as well, with DSS standing for Data Security Standard. Companies of any size can become PCI compliant. When it comes to…

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