Do you know all there is to know about online credit card payments: the options? As an online entrepreneur the more options you can offer your customers the more sales you are likely to receive. People appreciate options. If you limit yourself to only one option, such as just taking the Visa credit card then there are people that will go elsewhere.
Credit card processing is the most popular manner for customers to purchase goods and services over the Internet. In order to set up your website to accept credit card payments such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and/or the Discover card you need to obtain an internet merchant account. You can do this by going through your bank. Be aware however that if your bank does not deal with one of the credit cards that you wish to accept on your website then you will have to start a separate account at a financial establishment that does.
When it comes to online credit card payments: the options you can also obtain an Internet merchant account by way of a third party merchant account provider. Some of the most well known names include Moneris, Beanstream, PSIGate and InternetSecure. If you do not want to go through your bank, then this is a simpler and often more convenient method.
The advantages of going through a third party merchant account provider is that unlike most banks you do not have to provide a security deposit and the set-up is fast and relatively easy to do. As well, your credit card payment processing can be coupled with ecommerce service packages that include such things as an Internet gateway for web point-of-sale processing and a shopping cart. The disadvantage of this manner is that the fees associated with it are higher. In particular the discount fees are higher than if you were to go through your own bank for an Internet merchant account.
Regardless of what venue you look to for the purchase of an online merchant account you will also be required to buy an Internet gateway service (as previously mentioned). What the gateway does is it verifies information it receives, as well as transferring requests. It also authorizes credit cards in relation to real time. This means that there is no worry that a customer will try to purchase a product or service from your website that his or her credit card does not have the credit to pay for.
In terms of online credit card payments; the options, there are many. All you need to do is to take the time to do the necessary research before you forge ahead.
