What credit cards can I accept?
You can accept Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®, Diner’s Club®, and bank ATM debit cards. You select which cards you want to accept.

How long does it take to be set up to take credit cards?
The application should only take a few minutes to complete. Once received, most of our merchants start accepting credit cards in less than 72 hours. If immediate need, timelines can be shortened.

What are the advantages of accepting credit/debit cards?
Accepting credit cards allows customers to spend more as they are not limited to the cash in their pocket, allows for electronic transactions via payment links and e-commerce, provides easier bookkeeping, and reduces employee theft of cash.

Is check processing available?
Yes. We offer a range of solutions to meet your needs. We can provide electronic conversion which converts paper checks to electronic transactions. You may also choose our check guarantee program where you get paid on all qualified transactions – no more collections.

What is a Discount Rate?
The discount rate is the percentage of each transaction that the processing company charges to handle the transaction for you. Our proposals typically come with five categories: Qualified, Mid-Qualified, Non-Qualified, Check/Debit Card, and Rewards Card. If you currently do not receive all of these rates, you may be spending unnecessary fees. For certain business models, other pricing methods may be used to ensure the best solution for your business.

What is a Gateway fee?
A gateway fee is charged to allow merchants the ability to perform secure real-time credit card authorizations using a virtual terminal or on a website over the internet.

Do I have to use my bank for payment processing?
No. You do not have to use your bank. Most banks are partnered with ISO’s or MSP’s. The additional middle man could mean higher rates. It’s best to compare your bank’s rates to others. Banks often lack personal account management to keep your rates low over the long term.

What if I already have payment processing and a contract?
Interchange rates fluctuate each year, so you should compare your rates every six months to a year to be sure you are getting the lowest rates possible. Most contracts are non-binding and you incur a cancellation fee if you change services. Lower rates may allow you to recoup the cancellation fee in as little as two months.

What is Interchange Plus?
Interchange is a chart of costs set by the card networks based on the card brand, type of card and type of transaction. The card-issuing bank deducts the interchange fee from the amount it pays the acquiring bank that handles the transaction for the merchant. Interchange plus includes a mark-up or basis point fee to compensate the acquiring bank, processor or ISO.

What is PCI-DSS?
PCI-DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. PCI-DSS allows merchants to maintain security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and additional protective measures. In short, it is a standard to improve card number security and prevent card number security breaches. Merchants must protect card holder data for all transaction methods thus a secure paper storage, confidentiality requirements, secure network and frequent testing and education to maintain standards. All merchant regardless of size will be responsible for maintaining a secure environment and completing a self-assessment questionnaire. More information can be found at www.pcisecuritystandard.org.