Mar 29 2008
High Volume Merchant Accounts
High Volume Merchant Accounts
As your business continues to grow and customers buy more goods and services, you may want to consider joining those who are applying for high volume merchant accounts. When you are approved for a high volume account, you can get good prices on mid- and non-qualified sales, along with debit processing, monthly statement fees, and additional expenses. The greater your volume of business, the better deals you may be eligible for when working with financial institutions or companies who can provide this valuable service.
The way it works is that you apply for a merchant account at a bank that offers great pricing and low-cost fees. These can be packaged in a variety of ways. For example, you may want to pay a few cents for each transaction, but if you experience high-volume sales, this could become a costly option. The other route to go is to pay a low monthly overall percentage, often between 1% and 2%, for the entire sales volume you experience via your credit card and debit-processing program. High volume merchant accounts can save you money over time because you will be able to pay smaller fees for each transaction or get a better rate for the amount of profit that you bring in.
If you currently have a sizable volume of sales and perhaps expect to do more in the near future, keep in mind that high volume merchant accounts have helped others in your position. Your customers will appreciate the ease of using up-to-the-minute technology for processing their orders with your company. And your employees likewise will be happy to turn their attention to other tasks within the organization. Your company may even see profit increases within the first few months as the word spreads about your merchant account status and credit card processing capabilities.
You can apply for high volume merchant accounts through your local bank or a preferred financial institution that can process Visa and MasterCard credit accounts. Your application should demonstrate that your company is not involved in illegal or shady dealings that the underwriters are unlikely to approve, including gambling, pornography, pharmaceutical offerings, and telemarketing. Then you will want to be able to show that your company is fiscally solvent and maintains a solid credit history. You might include documentation to support the notion that your company will be able to pay merchant account fees in a timely manner.
In upgrading your business to accommodate e-commerce solutions like credit card processors through a merchant account, be sure to calculate in advance the type of fees or expenses that will be affiliated with this move. You don’t want to start something you can’t finish, so project related expenditures for the coming year to see how they fit with your company budget. If it appears a credit card processor or wireless unit will tax your operating budget, you may be able to take out a low-interest loan to fund the initial start-up expenses. Discuss this option and any other questions you might have with the bank representative who manages applications for high volume merchant accounts.
Shane Penrod is the founder of Merchant-Acount-Quotes.com Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to <a href="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com</a>
A Mobile Merchant Account
If you operate a mobile business and worry about taking credit card payments the old fashioned way, rest assured that a mobile merchant account can provide you with up-to-date technology that will give you the lowest retail rate and instant card feedback while in the field. You won’t have to worry that you might not learn that a customer’s credit card is rejected when you return to the office. Nor will you have to leave a statement and hope the customer remembers to send in a payment. Now you can apply for a mobile merchant account that will provide you with up-to-date wireless equipment that can provide confidence and security while you are processing payments on the road.
When you are ready to apply for a mobile merchant account, you will be happy to know that many companies can give you an answer the same day. As long as your company has a decent credit history and is able to pay monthly fees for account services, you should have no problem in getting approved for a merchant account. If you conduct business while on the road, for example, by delivering floral arrangements, making service calls, or providing transportation, you can collect credit card payments at the point of sale rather than waiting to send a bill or hoping the customer will have the correct amount of cash or pay with a check that won’t bounce. If you plan to attend a trade show, a conference, a convention, or a seminar where you will be selling products, you can take along a wireless credit card processor to make sure you get paid the same day. Wireless units come with or without printers. They will let you get the lower retail swiped rate, along with immediate authorization and sales confirmation, instead of paying the keyed-in rate if you call the credit card number into the office for processing.
Your mobile merchant account will help you save money and time. You can handle the credit card processing yourself instead of hiring accounting staff to send out bills and call for collections when checks bounce from the back. You can even get additional mobile equipment to support your business transactions while in transit, like a pager or an e-check processor. Most units are small and easy to transport in a vehicle of just about any size. They fit neatly on a table for indoor business purposes, too. No special training is required for operating them. Just read the instructions or talk to the account associate to learn how you can start accepting credit card payments quickly and easily.
The rates for utilizing a merchant account are not prohibitive. Plan to discuss the fees with your lender to be sure you understand the pricing for each type of service. Your credit card processor may be billed at so much per transaction, or you might be able to request a monthly percentage rate. Find out why so many business owners are using credit card processing equipment that can be obtained with the help of a mobile merchant account.
Shane Penrod is the founder of <a href="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" title="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com</a> Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to <a href="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" title="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com</a>
An Ecommerce Internet Merchant Account
Small business owners and home based entrepreneurs sometimes reach the point where they realize their company is ready to grow, and then they begin to consider the advantages of an ecommerce Internet merchant account. Those who accept merely cash or check payments may decide to increase the ways in which a customer can pay for goods or services. A merchant account will let business owners accept credit card payments in many different ways. That is why so many business people opt to apply for an Internet merchant account.
If you do not already have an Internet Website to promote your business, this would be a good time to put one in place by opening an Ecommerce Internet Merchant account. More and more, consumers are looking to the Internet to find companies that offer the products and terms they want. Conducting business on the Internet or through technological means is called “ecommerce,” sometimes spelled as “e-commerce,” and it is growing at a tremendously rapid rate. Once your Website is operational, you will want to update it often with your latest product lines and descriptions and price lists. Once customers from any other computer in the world know where to find you, chances are they will return time and again if they like your site; they might even bookmark it.
To keep customers coming back, get an Ecommerce Internet merchant account that will let you accept credit card payments. That way, customers can buy things at your store locations, whether online or at a physical site, and pay for them instantly. You won’t have to send out statements or wait for checks to arrive in the mail. Instead, your credit-processing feature will let them pay with a credit card, and your underwriter can facilitate the payment by converting currency and deposit profits in your account, using real time.
An ecommerce Internet merchant account can put you leagues ahead of other companies in your industry. While they still take just check or cash payments, you can be busy processing credit card payments that could push your sales volume to new record heights. Naturally, you will want to keep your store looking attractive, and your Website should offer helpful information that will make guests want to return and possibly even bookmark your site for frequent reference. When the word gets out that you are accepting credit payments, more customers may browse your Website to check out your wares and plunk down a credit card in payment. One of the nice things about using credit is its convenience. Customers don’t have to worry about carrying enough cash or making an account deposit before going shopping. They can browse spontaneously, and when they find something they want to buy, they need not be constrained by a lack of cash on hand or forgetting to order new checks for the checkbook.
Why not apply for your merchant account services account soon so that you can enjoy the status and benefits of attracting customers who prefer using credit when they hear about your ecommerce Internet merchant account.
Shane Penrod is the founder of <a href="http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.com" target="_blank">http://www.Merchant-Account-Quotes.com</a> Specializing in allowing merchants the ability to shop and compare multiple quotes from national merchant account providers. For free quotes on merchant account rates and fees, please go to <a href="http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchant-account-quotes.com</a>
Your Business Merchant Account
Do you have a business merchant account? If not, isn’t it time you got one? The companies you compete against for customer business may already have this special account that allows them to process customers’ credit payments. If you are not yet doing so, why not apply for a merchant account to help your business grow?
A business merchant account is the best way to expand your company’s operations and conduct e-commerce without risking too much of an investment. Simply apply for a merchant account the way an individual would apply for a personal credit card. As with individual applicants, a company needs to show a positive credit history and the ability to make payments on a merchant account at present. In addition, it cannot be involved in shady dealings with which the underwriters might not agree. Many lenders will let you apply online, although some charge a fee for this. Often you will get a decision on your application within a day or two. If approved, you can begin making arrangements to accept credit payments in a variety of ways. Pay attention to fees and payment terms. For example, you may be asked to pay 15 to 25 cents per transaction. Or you could have the choice of paying a low overall percentage rate. Some lenders impose minimums, though, meaning you will have to pay a “bottom line” fee no matter how many transactions you make.
Your business merchant account will let you purchase or lease a credit card processor that can be plugged into your store. Or you can take a wireless version with you when collecting payments from other locations. Many business owners prefer to use a telephone ordering and payment system. This can be automated, reducing the need for staffing except for questions or glitches. Customers can speak or touch-dial their credit card numbers into the phone to process orders at their convenience. You will need to make sure your system is fully operational at all times and that it is customer-friendly to keep from annoying or even driving away current or new clients.
When you utilize a business merchant account, you can receive a printed monthly statement, discounts for other services, and occasional other benefits as well. Being able to accept credit card payments suggests that customers will look at you a little differently, knowing that you have earned an underwriter’s trust for this important role. Posting signs for accepting credit card payments places your company in the ranks of the elite, since many smaller or newer companies do not yet enjoy this privilege. When you begin accepting credit card processing, you can move away from cash-only payments or checks that can bounce. The time saved from managing cash flow can be channeled into more meaningful tasks.
Getting a merchant account means that you’re ready to upgrade your business, and that you are taking extra steps to accommodate your customers. Be proud to receive a merchant account, knowing that not everyone is approved. Handle it responsibly, since you have much to be thankful for with your new business merchant account.
Dane Collins is with Merchant Digital <a href="http://www.merchantdigital.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchantdigital.com</a> a nationally recognized merchant account provider. Start accepting credit cards today: <a href="http://www.merchantdigital.com" target="_blank">http://www.merchantdigital.com</a>
