An Online Payment Gateway Makes Payment Processing Quick and Easy

Buying and selling products and services online is faster than ever before. Merchants can easily accept customer payments from credit cards, debit cards, and bank accounts with an online payment gateway. A gateway is a secure, automated system that takes the payment from a buyer and delivers it to the merchant. This service processes the payment, authorizes it, and then accepts or declines the transaction based on the information received.

An online payment gateway provides many benefits for merchants, including enabling them to:
• Quickly and securely accept all major credit cards, debit cards, and ACH payments
• Reduce overhead costs and increase sales
• Protect customer and business data with PCI compliant security
• Take advantage of management tools that include detailed reports, batching, voids, and returns

Merchants with an online payment gateway have the option of using a virtual terminal, ONLINE SHOPPING cart, and even smartphone applications to accept payments.

Virtual Terminal
A virtual terminal operates like a physical credit card terminal, except that this virtual solution allows merchants to manually input credit/debit card information on their computer to process the transaction. Unlike traditional credit card processing machines, a virtual terminal is more flexible, requires no hardware, and doesn't take up any business space. Virtual terminals are easy-to-use, adhere to all PCI compliance standards, and are typically more cost-effective. Since everything is done online, merchants don't have to spend money on physical credit card machines and other costly resources.

Just about any type of merchant can benefit from a virtual terminal. Mail order and telephone order (MOTO) merchants can use a virtual terminal to instantly process credit cards and other forms of payment. Home-based businesses can also use virtual terminals with an online payment gateway to process customer payments quickly and easily. They can also create detailed reports, which can simplify account management and tax filing.

• Private Label Payment Processing Gateway For Banks
• Merchant Accounts - Credit Card Processing
• What's the Best Way to Accept Payments Online? How to Choose a Payment Gateway

Online Shopping Cart
ONLINE SHOPPINGcarts make it easy for customers to shop on a merchant's website, add their items to the cart, and checkout through the website. Offering an ONLINE SHOPPING cart option makes a website more appealing and THE ONLINE SHOPPING experience more convenient for companies and customers alike. With the right merchant processing service and an online payment gateway, businesses can take advantage of benefits that include:

• Real-time processing - Receive customer payment quickly instead of waiting for several days
• Detailed reports- Easily observe customer buying trends so they can provide special offers on popular products and know how much inventory to keep on hand
• Order tracking - Let customers know the status of their orders and when they can expect to receive them

iPhone and Smartphone Apps
Some merchants want the ability to process payments while on the road, at events, or at other remote locations. Now they can by using an online payment gateway with an iPhone. Apps are synced to an iPhone or other smartphone through a merchant-sponsored application. When a customer presents a payment, merchants process that payment through their iPhone.

Merchants can authorize a charge on a credit card, process a customer's order, and even email receipts to customers without stepping foot in their office or accessing a computer. These on-the-go virtual terminals can increase sales revenue for companies with traveling sales teams or small businesses that meet customers at off-site locations.

See what an online payment gateway can do for your business by contacting the merchant payment processing specialists at CardFlex. Visit http://www.CardFlexNow.com or call 866.634.3044 to learn more about how your business can leverage an online payment gateway to start saving time and money while increasing productivity with a virtual terminal, online shopping cart, or iPhone.

Andy Phillips is the president and CEO of CardFlex, a leading provider of innovative merchant processing services and prepaid card solutions. A 28-year veteran of the payment processing industry, Andy leads the CardFlex team to help businesses of all types and sizes in a wide variety of industries reduce costs, increase sales, and better serve their customers with customized merchant processing services. CardFlex also provides an elite suite of prepaid card products that enable businesses to automate their payroll systems, significantly reduce costs, simplify reconciliation, improve employee satisfaction, and even create loyalty programs to increase revenues. Learn more about CardFlex's merchant processing and prepaid solutions by visiting http://www.CardFlexNow.com or calling 866.634.3044.

By :Andrew M. Phillips  
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Private Label Payment Processing Gateway For Banks

Global payment processing competitive and regulatory pressures make it difficult to develop a payment gateway and it seems like an economically prohibitive task. Private labeling of gateway gives acquiring banks instant access to the technology needed to economically process payments in today's highly competitive environment.

Private labeling is the quickest method for a financial institution to take advantage of a payment processing for profitable ecommerce transactions. Acquiring banks find it makes complete business sense to private label a payment gateway and get immediate returns from it. A private label gateway is the best idea for banks that want to earn great profits from the ecommerce transaction processing demands at affordable prices.

• Merchant Accounts - Credit Card Processing
• What's the Best Way to Accept Payments Online? How to Choose a Payment Gateway
• ACH Payment Processing - An Introduction and Benefits

What is a Payment Processing Gateway?

A payment gateway offers the link between an acquiring processor and merchants. The gateway gives merchants access for the authorization, settlement and management of credit, debit and other electronic transactions anytime, anywhere, via websites, at retail, and on wireless devices. The highly advanced payment gateways offer safe transactions through risk management and also provide fraud protection services to the bank. A payment gateway partner can also provide a variety of powerful online payment solutions to increase revenue, and improve profitability for the bank.

Payment Gateway Value Proposition to Banks

Private labeling a payment processing gateways benefit banks in following ways.

Immediate time-to-market. By utilizing a private label payment gateway, banks can start processing ecommerce transactions instantly.
Creating a gateway internally is very expensive and it could cost a bank up to $5 million. The investment required for a private label Level 1 PCI DSS certified payment processing gateway is less than 1% of the estimated internal development costs.
New revenue sources for the bank. Along with acquiring, banks also charge merchants; transaction fees that help in building long term residual income streams with no risk.
It brings access to new markets with no acquisition expense required by bank.
In addition to acquiring merchant accounts, the gateway bring alternative payment processing options to obtain and retain ecommerce business accounts all over the world.
Beneficial Features of Private Label Payment Gateway
Sophisticated Fraud Management
150 variables to compare buyer data and identify patterns
Online registration and authentication service
Multiple security access levels with unique pre-defined roles
Three-D protection to authenticate cardholder identity
Load balancing allows merchants to run multiple merchant accounts through one gateway to simplify account reconciliation and reporting.
Multi-currency is standard feature of private labeling a processing gateway.

Payment Chargeback Management

Online dispute presentment & management
Electronic chargeback presentment
Chargeback analysis and chargeback triage
Merchant Assistance
Regular interchange analysis service
Fraud mitigation consulting service
Timothy Brandon writes about payment processing gateway solutions in the online market. To learn more Payment Gateway solutions for safe and secure online payments, visit http://www.paynetsecure.net. You will learn why it is worth to proceed with Paynet Secure!

By: Timothy Brandon

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Merchant Accounts - Credit Card Processing

callcentercreditcardprocessing.com

Internet shoppers naturally favor business websites that accept all credit card payments, hence the increasing need for easy to operate, low-cost merchant accounts. On their part, merchant account providers are constantly re-inventing themselves to provide complete security for credit card processing.

A merchant account is essentially a contract or an arrangement between a bank and a merchant, or a merchant account provider and a merchant. The merchant wishes to accept payments for his services/merchandise through card transactions of a particular credit card brand. The acquiring bank extends credit to the merchant, processes the customer's credit card information and approves the transaction. In addition to such direct dealing, merchant accounts may also operate through intermediaries, called service providers. In this instance, the intermediary, for example Paypal, provides payment services to its clients, who have merchant accounts with them. Paypal, in turn, has a merchant account with a bank.

The payment takes place through a payment gateway. A payment gateway is simply a place where you pay, like the cash counter in a retail unit. Only here it is virtual. The difference, though, is that each shop might have its own cash counter, but in this system, several virtual shops (e-commerce sites) use the same payment gateway whose sole purpose is to channel the details of the customer's credit card. Merchant account providers log in and key in credit card numbers (which are encrypted). Alternatively, the payment gateway, may be linked to the shopping cart on the merchant account provider's site. Either way, this part of the online payment processing hardly takes a minute.

• What's the Best Way to Accept Payments Online? How to Choose a Payment Gateway
• ACH Payment Processing - An Introduction and Benefits
• How Do Online Pharmacies Work?

The customer places an order along with credit card information, the information is forwarded to the payment gateway, which further sends it to the merchant's acquiring bank. The bank sends the information to the card association, which in turn sends it to the issuing bank of the card, which checks that balance available with the customer. The issuing bank then approves or rejects the transaction, providing a reason for rejection.

Several merchant account providers offer free credit card terminals and internet payment gateways and free payment gateway software when you open merchant accounts with them. There are others that allow free merchant accounts with low transaction fees. The transaction fee and the DISCOUNT rate (both together make up the total processing fee charged by the account service provider) are lower for credit card terminal swipes. Then there are discount merchant accounts that charge a very low fee for the bouquet of credit card options you provide to your customers.

For these reasons and more, choose Ace Merchant Processing for your merchant accounts. For one, our ISO/MSP certified merchant services are truly low cost - free set up and free terminals and a monthly service fee of only 1.64% +19 cents. Also, we are proud to offer a fraud -proof system and cheerful 24*365 service, to every kind of business. And, the reason why you simply must set up your account with us is that we you same day approval!

Hi, Reader I am a Manan Mehta owner of Ace Merchant Processing.

Ace Merchant Processing is a registered ISO/MSP for BancorpSouth Bank, Tupelo, MS. As a merchant services provider, our primary focus is to make available to merchants credit and debit/check card processing services and processing equipment. We also provide other financial services including gift, prepaid, and EBT cards; check processing systems; and cash advance programs.

By: Manan Mehta
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

What's the Best Way to Accept Payments Online? How to Choose a Payment Gateway

deljao.com

With the variety of options at hand to a business looking to make their products and services available to the online masses, this may be the first question you find yourself asking: What's the best way to accept payments online? Subsequent questions might follow: What method will best suit my business and my customers? How much will it cost? Is it worth it? Each and every business owner may answer the first three questions differently, but for any business, the question of, "is it worth it?" can be answered with a resounding YES. No matter what business you're in, there are ways to increase your revenue online, making your storefront available 24/7 to a world market. You're not limiting yourself to local customers; you have the potential to expand your target market horizon indiscriminately. In this article, we'll discuss the top two payment acceptance picks for retailers when they first make the decision to engage in e-commerce.

Recently, many brick-and-mortar-based companies have closed their doors due to the persistence of this country's poor economy. Storefront locations carry with them the burden of high overhead and the absolute need to draw in sales or face closure. Smart retailers have been able to absorb some of this loss by shifting their focus from selling face -to-face to selling online. They've also been attracting lots of new, loyal customers to their online storefronts, picking up previously unavailable customers due to the presence of their now-extinct competitors. People are not only shopping online from the comfort of their own homes these days. Seeing as how we live in an "I want it NOW" society, the market is shifting even more towards mobile e-commerce sites. A potential customer might be stuck in traffic and remember they need to order a tail light for their truck. The company that gets this business is the company that extends itself to the customer in need on the spot. Just thinking about the potential situations where a buyer would make use of your ONLINE SHOPPING platform could spawn a list consisting of hundreds of examples, but none of this means anything if you're not ready to accept online payments in a safe, secure environment.

Let's first look at what is most commonly recommended as the "newbie's" go-to option for accepting online payments: PayPal. Known worldwide for its integration with (and as a property of) eBay and its ease-of-use, PayPal ends up being the choice of a majority of new merchants' online payment gateways. A payment gateway is defined as an e-commerce application service provider that authorizes payments for businesses online. PayPal might be a good fit for your business at first and help you get the hang of selling and processing payments online, but in the e-commerce world, it's not seen as a desired permanent solution. One of the major pluses of using PayPal is that they don't charge a monthly account maintenance fee. This may be important to you if you're just starting out in e-commerce and are unsure of how much online processing you'll really be doing and whether it's worth investing in a more professional payment processing option. If you intend to sell your wares on eBay, you definitely need a PayPal account to accept payments through the auction site. If you have submitted payments through PayPal in the past, it's quite simple to transition your account to be able to accept payments, as well.

• ACH Payment Processing - An Introduction and Benefits
• How Do Online Pharmacies Work?
• Online Credit Card Processing for Your Business

Now for the bad stuff: yes, PayPal is easy to set up and to understand, but on your customer's side, a merchant relying on PayPal to accept payments is viewed as a less trustworthy, less established, potentially unprofessional business. Your customers' checkout process is interrupted. Upon checkout, your customer is taken to PayPal's external website to complete the transaction, forcing the customer to sign up for a PayPal account if he/she doesn't already have one. The major downside of this is that your customer may not want to sign up with PayPal. This plausible reaction will result in lost sales. We're not going to review transaction fees here because they are constantly changing, but in general, PayPal takes a noticeably large portion of each sale. PayPal does not visually integrate with your website's storefront, meaning that you can't customize colors, fonts, headings or maintain a look consistent with your brand's image. One last downside of relying on PayPal to process customer payments online is that after the checkout process is complete, you don't have access to vital customer data. You haven't learned anything about the person that just purchased from you: where do they live? How did they hear about your company? Did they find your site easy to navigate? All that relationship building information is lost to you. If you realize how important this information is to the growth of your business, you'll want to move on to a different payment gateway as soon as possible.

Let's say you've gotten a PayPal merchant account set up but are looking to purvey a more professional image of your company online. You can keep PayPal around on your website as a payment option available to your customers that may prefer to pay through them. It's important to offer whatever's most convenient to your market. You may want to wait and see what kind of credit card processing volume you conduct through both PayPal and our second payment gateway option, Authorize.Net, and then decide whether to keep one or both payment options present on your site. Authorize.Net is able to seamlessly allow your buyers to enter their payment information right on your site. It doesn't force your customers to sign up for a third-party account and keeps your site's appearance consistent. By accepting payments directly on your site, you project a more professional image to potential customers. When a purchase is made, those funds are deposited directly into your business's bank account. Alas, there's always a downside: Authorize.Net charges you a monthly service fee. Like PayPal, there is a fixed transaction fee accompanying each purchase. You need to set up a merchant account (a merchant account allows your business to accept credit cards) with one of Authorize.Net's resellers, but that's not necessarily a negative as any business will find having a merchant account essential to business survival, especially if they also have a brick-and-mortar location. PayPal is not an option when conducting transactions face-to-face.

In answering this article's primary question, "what's the best way to accept payments online," it's really up to you and your business's situation. Do you want to test the waters to see if an e-commerce solution is something that would build your bottom line? Go with PayPal for a few months and see how you fare. Are you a larger business making hundreds or thousands of sales each day? I wouldn't hesitate to make an immediate jump into Authorize.Net; you'll end up saving more money and receiving your payments in such a way that negates any thought of a monthly service fee being viewed as an encumbrance.

© 2010 Lorraine Wolfe

If you are looking for a Merchant Services Provider that's partnered with Authorize.Net to get you set up in accepting credit card payments online, check out Velocity Merchant Services at http://www.getvms.com. They are the second largest direct processor of Visa/MasterCard in the nation and have been in the bankcard industry since 1998. VMS' office in Downers Grove, IL is full of customer and sales representatives who genuinely care about you and your business and are available 24/7, a fully-qualified and helpful technical support staff, the latest point of sale terminals to keep you on the bleeding edge of processing security, and one of the highest merchant approval rates in the country.

By Lorraine Wolfe
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

ACH Payment Processing - An Introduction and Benefits

paprika.blogs.com

Offering consumers online payment processing alternatives could be the differentiating factor between whether a customer brings their business to you or a competitor. Accepting non-credit card payment options such as ACH payment processing (and eChecks) means that your customer base won't have to worry about stacking up debt on their credit cards. In addition to saving them a potential credit hassle, there are many other benefits to ACH processing. The following is a brief introduction into how merchants and their customers can benefit from ACH payment processing and related features.

What is ACH Payment Processing?

It is important to know that ACH payment processing differs from credit card processing in that it does not provide real time authorization of transactions - instead, it allows funds to be electronically debited or credited to a company's or individual's deposit account within a few days. This processing enables you to debit customers directly to their bank accounts; accept payments by phone, online, or in-store; set up recurring billing; and convert paper checks into eChecks.

How will ACH Payment Processing save money?

Unlike credit card processing, which usually takes a percentage of the transaction, ACH transactions are a less expensive option for the merchant because they often take one low fee per transaction. In addition, customers won't have to pay credit card interest rates or the fees associate with using paper check (purchasing the checks and postage). Also, by using the ACH network both customers and merchants can save money by taking advantage of eCheck processing and recurring billing features.

What is eCheck Processing?

An eCheck is a type of ACH transaction. This process allows a merchant to take a paper check, run it through a check scanner, and submit it for payment electronically. This will save the merchant countless hours running to and from the bank, but process just as if the merchant handed over a paper check.

Another way to process an eCheck is to submit the information provided on a paper check through a secure, web-based system. By entering the Bank name, along with the account and routing number, the transaction can be submitted through the ACH system. This method can be accepted through check by phone transactions, online bill pay, or be set up on recurring monthly charges.

How can Recurring Billing help my business?

Having the convenience of scheduled payments will help improve cashflow by having payments automatically deposited in your account. In addition, if electronic invoicing is set up with the system, time and money will also be saved by not having to worry about manually invoicing customers. For the customer, they won't have to worry about incurring late fees or have to worry about collecting paper invoices.

Recurring billing is a convenience that can easily be overlooked, but because both parties save time and money, it is important to make sure it is a core part of a payment processing system.

• Is An E-Commerce Merchant Service Required To Begin Payment Processing Online?
• Payment Processing - Secure, Accurate Solutions
• 17 Essential Questions You Must Have Answered Before Selecting A Payment Processing Provider

Save Time and Money with ACH Payment Processing and eChecks

No longer does a customer need a credit card to make an online purchase. In fact, with the ACH network merchants can accept payments with lower transaction fees. And aside from the merchant benefits, accepting secure, quick processing ACH payments could be the online payment alternative that your customer is looking for.

Note: In terms of security, the ACH network is governed by the National Automated Clearing House Associate (NACHA), which promotes the development of electronic payments, while developing and providing initiatives for risk management - because this is the same network federal banks and government institutions use, this system is highly-reliable and secure.

PaySimple, a leading provider of ACH Payment Processing services.

Chad is a Web Marketing Associate for PaySimple and is responsible for bolstering SEO efforts, utilizing emerging social media technology to create and monitor our collective web presence, and helping provide small businesses with valuable resources to make their lives more efficient.
By : Chad Gardner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

How Do Online Pharmacies Work?

pharmacy-marketing.com

There are a zillion online pharmacy sites out there but you might be surprised to know that most of them are actually working for the same parent company via affiliate marketing. Affiliate's usually work for a parent company who takes care of the majority of the processing of your order. Customer's seem to always want to know more about how this process really works so below is an outline of each party's responsibility to process your online prescription order.

1) Find an online pharmacy site. Most online pharmacies, about 80% are affiliate sites. An affiliate is someone who signs up to market and sell the product (in this case, medication) and receives a commission for every order they make from the parent company. There is about 10 big parent pharmacy companies out there that depend 100% on their affiliates to market and sell for them. It kind of works like Mary Kay, where Mary Kay corporate has reps they rely on to sell the products, but the reps are actually considered their own company, separate legal entities from Mary Kay corporate. Most likely, if you are ordering medication online, you are ordering from an affiliate's site. You can find out which parent company you are buying from by reading the fine print when you go to place an order.

2. The order is placed and payment is processed. One the order is made, the affiliate's job is done and it becomes the responsibility of the parent company to make sure the order is processed properly. The parent company has relationships with banks, who process the payment. At this point, usually affiliate is paid their commission for making the sale.

3. The order is approved by the doctor. Affiliate companies have a network of doctors and pharmacies around the nation that process your order through an extremely sophisticated online networking system. Sometimes the parent affiliate company is headquartered hundreds or thousands of miles away from the doctors and pharmacies that are reviewing the prescriptions and filling the orders. Most of the doctors that work with parent companies have a their own practice too and see people in person so it's just the same as talking with your local doctor about your need for a medication. To prevent anytime of malpractice, most good parent companies will pay their doctors for every script they review, even if they choose not to approve or refill the prescription.

4. The order is sent to a pharmacy to be refilled. If the doctor chooses to write you a new prescription, the order is then sent to a pharmacy to fill. Some pharmacies are brick and mortar shops that service customers in person and some are wholesale distributors. Pharmacies can be paid either by number of orders filled or by type of order, it depends on what they have set up with the parent company. Often times you can tell which pharmacy filled your order by looking that the label on your medicine bottle when it comes- if not, you should be able to call your parent company customer service line and ask them.

• Payment Processing - Secure, Accurate Solutions
• Is An E-Commerce Merchant Service Required To Begin Payment Processing Online?
• 17 Essential Questions You Must Have Answered Before Selecting A Payment Processing Provider

5. The order is shipped and delivered to you. The parent company will usually have a relationship with a shipping company that makes sure to get your order to you as quickly as possible. Once you get your orders the process is done and starts again with the next time you make a purchase. If you have questions about the order or are ready to place a new order, you would call customer service, which is usually at the parent company headquarters.

As you can see, this process is extremely complicated with a number of parties involved in getting you your order. This industry is one of many that was made possible by the internet and some genius programmers and is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds as customers begin to see the benefits of getting their prescription filled through an online pharmacy.

Written by Tammy N. from MedSafetyOnline.
[http://www.medsafetyonline.com] is a guide for helping customers make informed buying decisions for online prescription medication.
By Tammy Nozawa
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Online Credit Card Processing for Your Business

simonwhatley.co.uk

Online shoppers want to get the same benefits from your ecommerce store that they get from brick and mortar retailers. Offering a wide range of payment methods will make your customers feel safe and comfortable and they will increase their online shopping. Accepting credit/debit cards in your ONLINE STORE increases your sales. The problem that many online business owners face is that they are confused by the many choices available and they don't know where to start.

There are two ways in which an online business can accept credit card payments online;

Real time online credit card processing

Here is where the customer submits their payment information and the payment is processed online through a payment gateway. Even though the payments are processed right away, the costs are usually higher.

Card present or swiped

The merchant will collect the card information by swiping the card through a mobile card reader or credit card terminal. The costs involved here are much lower than card not present or online transactions.

For a business to start accepting online debit and credit cards, they first need to have an online merchant account and payment gateway. And just like any other business decision, you have to adequately research before selecting a provider that you feel is right for you.

Setting up an online merchant account that is quality and secure is critical if you want to launch and operate a successful business. You can avoid unnecessary fees and charges if you find a provider that understands how to set up an online merchant account correctly and understands the needs of your business.

A merchant account may have cost implications like set up fees, application fees and minimum monthly fees. It may also take up to a month for your account to be fully set up and one has to be patient. Depending on your credit history, your application may or may not be approved and you will need to estimate your sales volumes to know the approximate number of transactions you will expect per month.

• The Importance Of Payment Processing Software
• 17 Essential Questions You Must Have Answered Before Selecting A Payment Processing Provider
• Can Your Business Bank on ACH Payment Processing?

When shopping for merchant account providers, you may choose to go with your local bank of one of the many available online merchant account service providers. If you already have an offline credit card processing merchant account, then you can just ask your provider to add an online processing feature to your account.

Online payments for medical billing

Medical payments via credit/debit card will help reduce the headaches of bill collecting from patients and processing them. A merchant account gives your patients the freedom and flexibility of making payments in various forms. The system works in a very simple way; the client pays using their credit/debit card, the payments get processed immediately and. There are many available credit card processing systems that are customized specifically for medical billing and come with other features that make your billing work easier.

Law firms

With the growing trend of accepting payment through credit and debit cards, attorneys and law firms that are looking to accept credit card payments have a lot of available options in the market. There are providers that offer services that are specifically tailored for attorneys and are even endorsed by associations but a firm is also free to use the standard credit card processing services that are available to the other businesses. For those lawyers who have reaped the benefits of accepting credit card payments from their clients, they have realized that it is one of the ways of attracting and maintaining clients.

Mobile payments

Mobile commerce and e wallets have recently emerged as the standard payment of the days to come; merchants are trying to position themselves for tomorrow by trying to meet the demand for mobile credit card processing.

Whether it is accepting credit cards through a mobile devices or accepting mobile payments via a Smartphone, mobile credit card processing has become prevalent and will continue to grow in its usage and adoption.

The capability to accept credit cards through a mobile device gives your business the flexibility of accepting remote payments with ease and securely. Merchants can easily process real time transactions from any locations as long as they are connected to the internet.

If you are looking into online credit card processing for your business be sure to check the rates associated with the payment gateway and the merchant services
By Christopher Fleisch
Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Things You Want From Credit Card Payment Processing Companies

web-payment-software.com

You want the credit card payment processing companies to be able to accept all forms of payment from your customers. You want the ability to accept payment from credit cards, debit cards and electronic checks. It is an added bonus if the payment processing companies you use also accept traditional check as payment.

Payment processing companies should be able to accept payments from anywhere in the world. You want the company you use to allow you to accept online payments from anywhere in the world that your customer is located. The online merchants have customers in other cities, other states, and other countries. These individuals that are SHOPPING ONLINE are almost all using credit and debit cards to pay for their purchases. You will also need to be able to swipe credit and debit cards when a person shops in your store.

A company that supplies fraud protection and security protection will be the one you want to select. Identity thieves work harder at trying to steal the financial information of others than they would have to work at any job. There is always someone attempting to get the credit card numbers and personal information of other people and the main way they do this is hacking into a merchants system. From the merchants system they have a better chance of getting information from multiple customers instead of trying to just hack into the systems of one person at a time.

You want the service you choose to have a high approval rate. You also want them to process the payments you receive as quickly as possible and to have little or no fee associated with these purchases.

You want the processing company you choose to have a low monthly cost associated with your transactions. The details will include how many transactions they will process for this monthly fee. This should also include the gateway fee and the charge back fees.

The amount that it cost you to get the equipment necessary to process the payments made by your customers should be low. This set-up fee should cover every aspect of accepting credit and debit card payments.

You want the set-up time for the merchant services to be as quickly as possible. You want accounts to be established in at least one days-time.

You want customer service to be provided to you seven days a week. You want to be able to get in touch with someone that can help you trouble shoot the equipment in your store and solve the problems you may encounter on a day to day basis.

You want a variety of selections in the type of card readers you can choose and in the features included from the company. One merchant is going to have a lot more transactions in a months' time than some other merchants may have. The merchant that uses the card reader less frequently should not pay as much per month as the merchant that uses the equipment more often.

Payment processing companies supply the equipment and the technology for merchants to accept credit and debit card payments from their customers. Payment processing companies offer different packages to their customers depending on how many transactions they will have in a month's time. You can click this link for more information.
By Ador Talukdar
Article Source:EzineArticles.com

Online Payment Processing - Get Your Business Online

e-complish.com

Setting up a website for your business is a great marketing tool. It allows you to let people know what's going on with your business and keeps your customers and potential customers up-to-date on new products and specials that you're offering. But adding an e-commerce aspect to your website takes your website to another level and shows the world that you're ready for the big time. Online payment processing is a key aspect to setting up e-commerce on your website, and setting up our payment page is your first step towards tapping into a new customer base that could potentially send your profits soaring.

People like buying stuff online. It's an unparalleled convenience to be able to order a product from the comfort of your own home and just go about your daily business until that product is delivered right to your doorstep. The more you offer online, the more likely people are to purchase multiple items in order to reach the purchase quota for free shipping or other bulk purchase incentives. If you play your cards right, using e-commerce can increase your business in ways that you never imagined possible. And since you're using online payment processing, collecting your payment is easier than ever.

But in order to get started, you need to first make sure that your business is prepared to launch an e-commerce endeavor. Start with making sure that you have a merchant bank account that's in good standing. If your business is too small to warrant opening a merchant account, then you may want to enlist the help of independent sales companies that specialize in merchant services for small businesses.

Once you get your bank account ready, it's time to choose an online payment processing company to help you set up the e-commerce side of your business. Make sure that you have a clear understanding of your needs, though. There are online payment processing companies that excel at helping small businesses get online, and others that are more geared towards helping more established businesses. If you're going to choose the right company, then you need to have a clear view of where your business stands now and what your business goals are for the future. With that in mind, you'll stand a much better chance of choosing the right online payment processing company from the get-go.

These articles are for Online Payment Processing at National Processing their quality of service and and low cost will save you time and money. Please contact one of their representatives by phone or form at http://www.NationalProcessing.com.
By Wayne Hamilton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The Importance Of Payment Processing Software

static5.businessinsider.com

In today's world, the internet provides a medium for almost all transactions. Business negotiations transpire online, from financing to purchasing. Small businesses have started online and have gained interest from consumers due to the suitable fast paced transaction. With the use of online credit cards, a merchant receives the payment, and a consumer acquires immediate satisfaction.

With this kind of payment trend, fraud is likely because this is a no face to face bargain. Thus has emerged payment processing software that relieves people from the burden of managing transaction details and helps them in terms of security and fast payment transactions. Different payment processing software have emerged due to the increasing demands from newly established and progressing business in the internet.

These payment processing software enables a merchant, a developer or a provider accept varying payments at the nick of time, and manages different transactions without so much hassle. In a business, providing fast service is paramount, payment processing software make it possible. It organizes your transactions and provides convenient and guaranteed safe-keeping of payments from clients.

How to discern a good processing payment software? If you are starting up a business online, it is best to know what is good for you, so you could provide what's best for your consumers. Your software must be compliant with the PCI security standards. Usually, if you're software complies with all the standards stipulated by the PCI, big credit card companies accept this validation, making your business accessible for a wider range of consumers. Security is a big concern in any online transaction. Big credit card companies are also at stake, so they have prerequisites before they accept transaction from a merchant, he must acquire verified processing payment software before they approve of your transaction.

As a consumer, you also have to be mindful of the privacy of your information. Once you disclose any information, say your credit card number, it is very much at risk. Once it enters the database, it might be hacked. As a consumer, you have to make sure that the website where you're purchasing has a padlock symbol, that means it that the payment method is verified.

The one who is most at risk for fraud are your credit card companies that is why they have very strict stipulations and rules before they accept transactions from small businesses and merchants. Payment processing software is progressing and advancing through time, as much as merchants continue to sell and people continue to shop online.

Payment processing software is one of the important key factors in a business to ensure success. Get the latest business payment processing that is best for your business.
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Can Your Business Bank on ACH Payment Processing?

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Businesses rely on security electronically and physically. The days of paper checks and cash almost seem archaic for businesses, especially when it comes to paying the bills. ACH or Automated Clearing House is a highly sophisticated network of financial transactions between vendors, financial institutions, banks, and businesses. ACH is responsible for processing large volume payments, including payroll.

How ACH Payment Processing Works
ACH works on a transaction-by-transaction basis. It starts when a receiver authorizes an ACH debit on a bank account or credit line. The receiver is the account holder who grants access by ACH. The originator is the company requesting the funds, such as a business vendor or supplier. The receiver must provide prior authorization in order for ACH to process forthcoming transactions, which can be written or electronic. Once authorization is received, the payment is issued to the originator. Although it sounds like a long, drawn out process, an ACH transaction is typically accomplished in the same time as a credit card transaction.

Different Uses of the ACH System
There are a variety of uses for ACH payment processing, including:
• Business-to-government payments
• Business-to-business payments
• Direct debit of a customer's account (e.g., mortgage payments, utility payments, rents, etc.)
• Direct deposit to a customer's account (e.g., payroll, government payments, tax refunds, etc.)
• eCommerce payments
• Federal, state, and other local tax payments or refunds

Benefits of ACH Payment Processing
Employers, employees, businesses and their clients all benefit from the use of ACH. This batch-based process is inexpensive, faster, and more secure than any other type of electronic payment service available today. And, of course, it is far more safe and environmentally-friendly than processing paper checks. ACH payment processing has numerous advantages:

• Security: Approximately nine million Americans fall victim to identity theft on an annual basis, according to the FTC. Unfortunately, 85 percent of these thefts are the direct result of identity thieves obtaining critical data from bank statements, paper checks, and credit card bills. ACH transactions are 100 percent electronic, so there are no paper forms or statements processed for identity thieves to access.

• Fund access: When employers pay via paper check, employees have to take the time to deposit the check and then wait the specified time for the check to clear. This can mean an employee must wait three to five business days to access his paycheck. ACH payment processing, on the other hand, makes funds immediately accessible after they are deposited into an employee's account.

• Convenience: Business owners who have recurring payments can set up an automatic account with an ACH provider. That provider can then automatically make payments on the business's behalf for vendor payments, retail payments, service agreements, utility bills, and salary payments to employees, thus reducing the amount of time spent each month on accounts payable.

• Cost-effective: The biggest benefit of ACH, aside from security, is that it is cost-effective for businesses. Although ACH has associated fees, the costs associated with accepting credit cards and creating, purchasing, and using paper checks costs a business considerably more-especially when a business factors in the cost of man hours spent on accounting and paper check management.

It's no wonder that ACH is the preferred payment method for companies of all types and sizes. Learn more about the benefits of ACH payment processing for your business by visiting merchant payment processing experts.

Andy Phillips is the president and CEO of CardFlex, a leading provider of innovative merchant processing services and prepaid card solutions. A 28-year veteran of the payment processing industry, Andy leads the CardFlex team to help businesses of all types and sizes in a wide variety of industries reduce costs, increase sales, and better serve their customers with customized merchant processing services. CardFlex also provides an elite suite of prepaid card products that enable businesses to automate their payroll systems, significantly reduce costs, simplify reconciliation, improve employee satisfaction, and even create loyalty programs to increase revenues. Learn more about CardFlex's merchant processing and prepaid solutions by visiting http://www.CardFlexNow.com or calling 866.634.3044. Article Source: EzineArticles.com

What Online Payment Processing Services Have to Offer

In the last couple of years online payment processing has gained popularity worldwide. Although many banks still remain a little reluctant when it comes to offering online merchant account services due to their concerns about potential fraud threats. There are however, many merchant account providers who offer international payment processing services to offshore and international merchants. That is why, while looking for a merchant account provider remember to look into the kinds of payment processing services they offer.

Types of Payment Processing

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There are generally two kinds of payment processing services that are offered by merchant account providers, these being manual and real-time payment processing. Manual payment processing requires you to deliver the credit card number via phone, fax or by an online form. As compared to the real-time payment processing that allows merchants to process credit cards online in no time at all.

Online business offers secure and cost effective ways for merchants to process transactions. Merchant account providers offer online payment processing services so that international and offshore business owners can process online on secure servers and virtual terminals. If you can get online payment processing services with a merchant account provider who will be able to provide you and your customers with online payment processing services worldwide then you would not have to worry about getting a U.S bank account, like most merchants who think that they need a U.S bank account to process online transactions worldwide. With the right merchant account providers online payment processing services normally includes being able to accept various credit cards and multi currency options.

Payment Processing Services - What they offer

Some processors might have special requirements for online payment processing services for international customers as there can be various limitations when it comes to worldwide services.
A real-time payment processor helps save time and eliminates the need of processing credit cards manually, reducing risk and offering greater protection against credit card fraud than manual payment processing can. A good payment processor offers the major benefit of conducting online transactions in real-time. Merchants tend to select the payment processing methods considering the volume of online transactions they would be processing for their e-commerce business.

Generally, in order to provide real-time payment processing services to customers merchant can either have a connection made from their e-commerce site to the acquirer for connecting to a card processing network or outsource to a payment service provider. Having a merchant account that provides online payment processing offers a great flexibility.

With Instabill merchant accounts you become capable of accepting credit cards online and making safe online transactions. Read more on Online Credit Card Processing.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

17 Essential Questions You Must Have Answered Before Selecting A Payment Processing Provider

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1. Merchant Accounts: What are the Visa, MasterCard & Amex Discount Rates?

- Every Payment Processing Provider will have this fee. Discount rates can vary on from as low as 1.59% right up to as high as 5.0%. The Discount Rate is really not a discount. It is a % of your sales that the Credit Card Companies charges the Business Owner to be able to offer their customers to pay with their Credit Card. (Example: If you did $10,000 in Visa sales in one month and your Discount rate was 2.5% then you would pay $250 in fees to Visa that month.)

- Rates vary and are dependent on your Business Model, Business Volume, Average Sale per Customer, Type of Product & Service your business offers, the way you process payments for your products & services: online, telephone, mail-order, or in-store all affect the Discount Rate your business will qualify for.

- Usually High-Risk Business will have higher rates. Businesses that have higher ticket prices, Businesses that process payments via: E-commerce, Telephone (IVR), & Mail-order usually fall under the High-Risk Umbrella.

2. Are 'keyed in' Visa, MasterCard & Amex Discount Rates at a different rate then swiped?

- Most Payment Processing Providers will have a different Discount Rate for transactions that are keyed in on POS Terminal instead of being swiped across the POS Terminal. However, there are some exceptions for some businesses that have reoccurring billing.

3. What are the Transaction Rates?

- Transactions fees are sometime called IDP Transactions. Every Payment Processing Company has at least a Transaction fee for Debit and usually for Credit Card Transactions too. It is become more common that any Transaction that is made on your POS Terminal will be considered a Transaction and a fee will apply, whether is it is a void, debit, credit card, refund, batch close, etc.

- Transaction fees can range from 0.05 cents up to 0.50 cents and can be different for each type of transaction, although typical POS Terminal Transactions fees are between 0.08 cents to 0.15 cents. IVR, PC, & E-commerce Transactions fees are usually much higher ranging from 0.35 cents to 0.50 cents.

4. What is the monthly cost for the Point-of-Sale Terminal?

- Most Bank Payment Processing Companies offer: only Rental Program for POS Terminals. Rental costs can range from $20 right up to as high as $100 a month dependent on the type of POS Terminal your business requires.

- Private Label Payment Processing Companies usually only offer: Lease-to-own or Buy-out Options on their POS Terminals. Lease-to-own usually run on 48 month leases with a 10% buy-out option at the end. Lease-to-own POS Terminal prices range from $30 - $80 dependent on type of POS Terminal. Buy-out POS Terminal prices, typically run from $999 - $1800 dependent on type of POS Terminals.

- *** Two very important questions to ask before buying a POS Terminal: A) What are the warranty conditions? B) Is the POS Terminal Smart-Card Ready?

- PROS & CONS of Renting Vs. Owning:

PROS: When renting a POS Terminal if you require a new POS Terminal is usually will be fixed or replaced at no cost to you.

CONS: Rental only: You pay rent forever. If you have been renting a POS Terminal for $40 a month for 5 years, then you just paid $2400. If you have been renting a POS Terminal for 10 years at $40/month then you just spent $4800 & no asset in your business. When you can own a Basic POS Terminal for as little as, $1000 and now have another Asset in your Business.
SIDENOTE: Most Private Label Companies will offer some type of life-time warranty, sometimes at no extra cost, sometimes for an additional fee. However, it always comes back to the question of whether it is better to Own or whether it is better to Rent...? - I will let you decide!

5. What are the Set-up Costs?

- Every Payment Processing Company will have set-up fees, some more then others. Set-up fees can range from $50 - $300. Usually the set-up fees are one-time only set-up fees for Visa, MasterCard, Amex, & Debit Cards - usually around $25 per card. Some Companies also charge an initial set-up fee for programming POS Terminals or a fee for Initial Training. Set-up Fees can greatly vary from Company to Company.

6. Are there any application fees?

- Not all Payment Processing Companies have an Application fee, however, some Companies do. This is usually a non-refundable fee, whether you are approved or not. Applications fees can vary from non-existent to $300.

7. Is there a Statement Fee?

- Not all Payment Processing Companies have a Statement Fee, however, some do. The average Statement Fee is usually around $5 or free if you are willing to receive your statement coming to you via E-mail. I am not sure if this is a nickel and dime fee or if it is Companies trying to go green...? I let you decide!

8. Is there a Settlement Fee?

- All Payment Processing Companies have a Settlement Fee. Settlement fees can range from 0.05 cents - 5 dollars.

9. Is there any Minimum Processing Fees?

- All Payment Processing Companies have Minimum Processing Fees, ranging from $5 - $25. Often there are Minimum Processing Fees for each type of card you intend to have processed. Basically, what this means is if you do not do enough business to have high enough fees you will still pay a minimum every month.

- For example: Let's say your Discount rate 1.85% on Visa and your do a $1000 worth of sales on Visa that month and your minimum processing fee is $10. Well, 1.85% X 1000 = $18.50 in fees that month on Visa. Therefore, you have cleared your minimum of $10 and you have nothing to worry about. Now if you take the same rate and minimum, but you only made sales $250 that month on Visa. Well, 1.85% X 250 = $4.62 in fees that month on Visa. Therefore, you did not make you minimum and would be required to make the difference up of $5.38.

10. Is there a Gateway Fee?

- Most Payment Processing Companies usually have a Gateway Fee, but usually only for IP POS Terminals, PC, & E-commerce Payment Solutions. Gateway Fees can range from $5 to $45 a month.

11. Is there a Monthly Maintenance Fee?

- Some Payment Processing Companies have a Monthly Maintenance Fee others do not. If they have it, it is usually a Fee that is with IVR, PC, & E-commerce Solutions, however some Companies have it on POS Terminals solutions too.

12. Is there an Added Value Fee?

- Some Payment Processing Companies have a Monthly Added Value Fee and some do not. This Fee usually ranges from $5 - $10 a month.

13. Is there a Low Achievers Fee?

- Most Payment Processing Companies have a Monthly Low Achiever Fee. Low Achiever Fees can range from $5 - $20. This is why it is important to get your monthly/annual estimate of total business volume correct on your Visa, MasterCard, & American Express Applications. Most Merchant Account Providers have 25%-35% error lenience. If you are not sure it is always better to under estimate your monthly/annual sale amounts when applying for Credit Card Merchant Accounts.

14. Is there a Chargeback Fee?

- Most Payment Processing Companies have a Chargeback Fee. Chargeback Fees can range from $10 - $50. A Chargeback is when a Card Holder holds a dispute on a Visa or MasterCard or Amex Transaction that came from your business. If the Card Holder wins the dispute, they will be refunded their money and you will be charged a chargeback fee - it's a similar fee to bouncing a cheque.
- It is always the Merchant burden of proof to prove that the Card Holder had used or bought the product or services from your business. This is why is so important to check that on Credit Card Purchases that the signature matches the back of the Card Holders Credit Card and if it does not to ask for Photo ID.

15. What are the Technical Support Service Hours?

- Most Payment Processing Companies have a Help Desk/Technical Support. However, not all are 24/7. Some are better then others. The best thing to do is to get the Help Desk # and give it a call a few times through out a day to see what kind of service you would get.

16. How soon can you have a new POS Terminal in my Business if my POS Terminal is not working & can't be fixed via the phone?

- Payment Processing Companies can vary on this. Some can have one to you within 24 hours others can take 2 - 4 weeks before they have a new POS Terminal to you. The question you have to ask yourself is how long can your business run without one in your business?

17. How long does it take to initially get set-up with full services?

- Most Payment Processing Companies usually take at least 2 weeks (sometimes as long as 4-6 weeks) to have your application processed, merchant accounts set-up, POS Terminal programmed and shipped to your business ready to use. However, there are a few Payment Processing Companies that can have one ready in your business in as little as five business days.

Matthew Hunt is a Merchant Service Specialist. He has been involved in the Canadian Payment Processing Industry for over 3 years. Matthew has helped hundreds of Small Business Owners connect to the 'right' Payment Processing Systems while capturing low Merchant Account Rates. For more info on Matthew and Merchant Service comparison quotes go to: http://www.canadian-merchant-account-services.com
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Payment Processing - Secure, Accurate Solutions

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With all of the transactions being processed on a daily basis, have you ever wondered how payments get from your bank account or credit card to the vendor? Payment processing is actually a generic term. It refers to a secure, real-time processing system used for checks, credit and debit cards. When you are at a store or restaurant, you will be handing over the paper check, with a signature, or giving the cashier your credit or debit card. If you are using a personal check, the account information printed along the bottom edge will be entered into the point of sale system.

If you are using a credit or debit card, it will "swiped" along the magnetic strip on the back of the card. The data is transferred into the point of sale system, more commonly known as a cash register. The system will take the information entered and send it for processing. This information will include your name and address as well as the amount being submitted. The bank will then respond with an approved authorization or decline on the request. On a check, the signature is already complete. If the card transaction is authorized, a receipt will be printed and presented for signature.

The signature completes the in-person transaction. If the payment processing is for an online store, it is very similar to any other process. Instead of selecting the item off the shelf and taking it to the cashier, it is put into an electronic shopping cart. During the "check-out" process online, you will enter your personal and credit card information. When this information is submitted it goes to a payment gateway. A payment gateway is an e-commerce application that authorizes payments. It makes the transfer of funds from customer to vendor possible, similar to the way a cash register authorizes payments.

It provides protection to both parties by encrypting the details of the transaction. The entire transaction time, from the time the user presses submit, to verification of funds availability and authorization is usually about three seconds. The vendor sends the authorizations and the accompanying amounts in batches to their payment processing centers to be settled and funded. This may take up to three days. National Processing provides payment processing solutions for vendors to accept online credit cards as well as electronic check payments quickly and easily. Features include the ability to accept recurring transactions, reduce fraud and assist with charge backs.

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My name is Wayne Hamilton, I am writing for National Processing their quality of service and and low cost will save you time and money. For more information on Payment Processing, please contact one of their representatives by phone or form. You can also fill out an application right online at www.NationalProcessing.com.
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Is An E-Commerce Merchant Service Required To Begin Payment Processing Online?

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All over the internet you will hear that it is essential to get an e-commerce merchant service if you want to accept credit cards, debit cards and e-checks online for your business. To many people's surprise, there are alternative methods to receiving payment processing online. The reason e-commerce merchant service's get boasted up so highly is because of their convenience and high success rate.

Before we talk about alternatives to an e-commerce merchant service, let's talk about what you need to begin payment processing online. The first thing you need is a secure server with certification. This will allow your server to prevent data interception and ensure you that no unauthorized decoding occurs. The next two aspects are obvious in that you need an order form and a gateway to allow for authorization and processing.

The next thing you need is some form of shopping cart software. This will make life a lot less stressful during the payment processing online because it will automatically calculate purchases, taxes, and shipping and much more for you. Finally, you need an e-commerce merchant service, so let's take a look at some options now.

If you are looking for alternatives to begin payment processing online, one option is to contract with companies providing the processing on your behalf. The downside to this option is that it is more expensive than using a merchant account. The reason the prices will be higher is because the company will take a larger percentage of the ticket price off of each credit card payment you receive.

Another problem with using third parties is that you won't be able to collect your funds near as often as going through your own e-commerce merchant service. By using a third party you have to put your order form on the payment processing site, where you will probably only receive your funds two or three times a month. By using your own merchant service, you can expect to see the funds in two or three days.

If you try out third parties and just aren't satisfied, another option to begin payment processing online aside from merchant services is deferred processing. Deferred processing is when the customer inputs all data and you receive the data manually.

The advantage to using this is that you have the ability to manually look over every order form put in and correct any errors to ensure that your customer gets the right product and you truly get the payment. The downside is that it is extremely time consuming to look over every order that comes in.

As you can see, there are alternatives to using an e-commerce merchant service, but it comes with disadvantages and risks. This is not to say that you 100% positively will have failure with a different option, but the safe bet is to pay for a merchant service and begin your payment processing online on the right foot.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Jim Saka

For more information about Jim Saka or to find out how your business can can benefit from accepting credit cards online or at a place of business visit United Bank Card's e-commerce merchant services websites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jim_Saka/65961