Making Sense (and Cents) of Merchant Accounts

Chances are you already know that a merchant account is required before your business can start accepting credit cards. But you may not have considered how much sense and cents a merchant account can make from a business perspective.

A merchant account is simply a business agreement with a credit card processor (also called a merchant services provider) who supplies you with the technology necessary to accept payment cards, acts as the middleman in the authorization process with the issuing banks and deposits funds from your credit card transactions into a bank account that’s separate from both your personal and business accounts.

In some cases, you may need more than one merchant account. That’s because the type of merchant account you require depends on the type of credit card processing you do. Traditional retailers need a different type of merchant account than e-tailers who do business on the Web; likewise, merchants on the go who use mobile or wireless credit card processing will have a different merchant account than a MOTO (mail order/telephone order) merchant. If your business is diversified and falls into more than one of the categories mentioned above, you will need more than one merchant account.

When discussing merchant accounts with a merchant services provider, it’s imperative that you share all your credit card processing requirements with them. At Merchant Express®, we always strive to custom tailor a merchant services package that meets all your needs for the most cost-effective price. As a reputable provider, we want to deliver the products and services that are exactly right for your operation, and we’ll work with you to reevaluate your needs periodically to ensure that you’re receiving all the services you require (and none that you don’t).

Think of your merchant account as your ticket to ride the Credit Card Processing Express that will keep you ahead of the competition in today’s marketplace. Paying with plastic is the preference for many consumers, many of whom just won’t come into your store prepared to pay cash. Rather than forfeit a sale, do the smart thing and open your business up to this potential market by establishing a merchant account with Merchant Express.

Not only does it make sense to open a merchant account, but it can make cents as well. Many merchants discover that credit card customers tend to make larger purchases and choose more upscale merchandise because of the convenient credit line their account provides them. They also know that they can pay off their purchases at a rate that suits them, which makes it more likely that they’ll add a few impulse buy items to their shopping cart. Oftentimes the added income realized from credit card sales more than offsets the processing fees merchants pay.

Take that first step to open your merchant account with Merchant Express by calling us today. Once you do, you can start accepting your customers’ credit cards quickly and securely. Next thing you know, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them (and us!)