Ohio Merchants Get Secure Credit Card Processing from Charge.com
Ohio is often referred to as “The Heart of It All”, and it is not hard to figure out why. The state is smackdab in the middle of Great Lakes country, and a gateway to the Union’s magnificent Midwest. There is a lot going on here. Visitors can tour the extraordinary Ohio State House, and learn more about the state’s contributions to national leadership. The Mother of Presidents has been home to no fewer than seven former Commander-in-Chiefs, as well as other notable figures including inventor Thomas Alva Edison, astronaut Neil Armstrong, actor Martin Sheen, and basketball great LeBron James. Ohio’s three largest cities – Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland – are great places to go for family entertainment, fine dining, shopping, and educational institutions. Folks traveling outside of major urban areas have a lot to take in, too. Gorgeous state parks such as Hocking Hills and Alum Creek are perfect for hiking and kayaking, and the Great Serpent Mound may be ancient, but it is still a big hit with people today.
Tourism is excellent for the state as it brings many millions into the economy. It benefits everyone – particularly businesses in those trades used by all (entertainment, shopping, dining). The merchants need to be able to accept credit cards, though, because most tourists do not carry any other form of payment. Accepting credit cards means obtaining an online merchant account, and for many businesses, this can be somewhat difficult to consider. The accounts are managed by credit card processing companies that often charge excessive fees for services and transactions. The processors can also sometimes dupe their clients into sharing one merchant account, instead of giving them each an individual account. This means all the credit card payment information will be processed together, and all the funds will be held together (sometimes for several weeks) until the processor distributes them to their proper owners. If any one of the businesses should become the target of hackers looking to steal money and data, then everyone using that merchant account is at risk. It is understandable why many companies approach getting one with apprehension – even if it would bring in more business.
Charge.com is one credit card processor that believes each client is entitled to an individual merchant account at an affordable price. The application for one is free, and can be completed in a very small amount of time. Once approved for an account, businesses can start processing payments within 24-48 hours. Clients can pay as little as $0.15 for each transaction handled, and have rates as low as 0.25% for payment processing. All transactions happen in real-time, and businesses do not have to worry about information theft. The merchant accounts are private, FDIC-Insured, and secured with PIN and EIN numbers. Best of all, because the accounts are private, clients no longer have to wait for the processor to dole out the money. They can access the funds in their account as soon as they are deposited, so they can use them for better things – like showing customers a good time in the Buckeye State.
