 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
7 Questions to Ask A Potential Internet Merchant Account Provider
Recently I went looking for an online merchant account, with disastrous results. I made the mistake of taking information at face value and relying on the ecommerce merchant account provider's good reputation in other areas. Fortunately, you can avoid the same experience I had by asking the right questions of a potential ecommerce ecommerce merchant account provider. Merchant Account Provider QuestionsUnderstanding the answers to these questions before signing an application or agreement will help make for a solid partnership between you and your merchant account vendor: 1. As a merchant, can I accept credit cards both online and offline? Do I need to get separate authorizations or permissions when setting up my ecommerce merchant account for different types of transaction (Internet, retail, phone orders, etc.)? What other merchant fees are involved if I accept both online and offline credit card charges? 2. Can I accept ecommerce payments using methods other than Mastercard and Visa (Discover, American Express, Diner's Club, online checks, debit cards, etc.)? If so, what are the fees and do I need to do anything to "activate" those ecommerce payment methods? 3. What are the different discount rates and fees for different types of ecommerce and other charges through the merchant account (Internet, in person, telephone, mail, etc.)? 4. What are the other fees related to this ecommerce merchant account - yearly, set-up, application, monthly minimum, statement, support, cancellation, discount, per-transaction, gateway access fees, card reject fee? Are these subject to change? Are there any other fees involved in order to get my ecommerce merchant account functional? 5. Do I process ecommerce charges manually or automatically? If manually, is it possible to get automatic merchant account processing? If so, do you provide a secure online payment gateway for my ecommerce merchant account? How do I get up and running and what extra charges will I pay to do so? 6. What other software and services do I need to become fully ecommerce enabled online (such as secure gateway provider, etc.)? Do you have a list of these additional ecommerce providers that are compatible with my ecommerce merchant account? 7. Do I need additional hardware or software not previously mentioned? If so, what is the cost and how do I get this equipment? Many of these questions are different ways of getting at the same issue -- you want to know every component, every function, every fee, and every charge association with making your ecommerce merchant account work effectively for your business. If you ask these questions while establishing a mutually comfortable relationship with your ecommerce merchant account provider from the start, you can avoid "traps" and lay the groundwork for a long, solid partnership. About the AuthorBobette Kyle draws upon 12+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, Marketing MBA, and online marketing research in her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web Site Marketing Plan Network ( WebSiteMarketingPlan.com ). Http://http://www.Take-Payments-Online.com, one of the network sites, explains different aspects of ecommerce. © 2003-2004 Bobette Kyle. All Rights Reserved.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Choosing An Internet Merchant Account Surf to Google and perform a search on "Internet Merchant Account". The results are staggering (472,000 results!) If you have created a web based business and need to accept credit card payments, your choices are limitless. Electronic Commerce and WTO The Internet may not be useful for all businesses, nor do all have to develop an Internet information strategy. Some businesses are concerned with the start-up costs of connecting such as purchasing hardware and software, subscribing to an Internet connection or service provider, and training staff. Online Florists - Send Flowers Online When Youre In a Hurry You did it again, didn't you? Forgot until the last minute that birthday, anniversary, graduation, promotion, or fill-in-the-blank-here. No fear, online florists are here. Content Ever be Profitable? THE CURRENT WORRIES1. Content SuppliersThe Ethos of Free ContentContent Suppliers is the underprivileged sector of the Internet. Accept Credit Cards Online Without A Merchant Account It is often assumed if you want to accept credit cards on your website that you must have a merchant account. This is not the case. Selling From Your Website Greetings!Friends and relitives ask us all the time " How do sell from your website?" and no doubt you want to know as well. Over the next two issues we will be covering this very thing! We decided to divide it into two camps - tangibles and non-tangibles. What You Must Know About Selling Online to Europe The European market is a multi-billion $ sector which you can not afford to ignore. If you are based within Europe, American or Canada you must be aware of the legal restrictions and requirements or face a hefty fine which could close your business. The Lowdown On ECommerce: Making All The Pieces Fit Together The Lowdown on EcommerceEcommerce is truly the most confusing aspect of purchasing web design services. This is unfortunate since most (if not all) businesses online would like to provide their customers and potential customers with easy access their products or services. Gooooooooooogle It! .. Creating The Perfect Ecommerce Website If you're thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and going into business with your own ecommerce website, you'd do well to look at a few examples before you start. Finding out what a good ecommerce website looks like will help you know what to include - and what to avoid - when you start to set up one of your own. Your Affiliate Web Site Is Built - Now What? When I first got my web site built, I thought I finally had a presence on-line. Wrong! I soon found out that I needed someone to host my site, and I needed a domain name. Stakeholder Analysis and Stakeholder Management What is a Stakeholder?Try "define: Stakeholder" in Google and you will be surprised by the huge differences in the way this simple word is defined. It perhaps proves - in a way - just how confused people get about Stakeholder Management and how inconsistent the different approaches to it can be!My simple definition is "anyone affected by a decision and interested in its outcome". 12 Easy and Effective Ways To Create Reports 1. Combine a few of your articles into a free report. Intranet Portal - Business Case ROI The days of easy money are overIn these post-dot-com days of the 21st Century, the hype attached to IT is well and truly over. The modern Board is deeply suspicious of large IT projects with questionable benefits and a long-term payback period. 7 Suggestions for an i-Mom Friendly Web Site (e-commerce news and statistics) The Internet began as a male dominated medium, but those days are long gone and merchants are advised to make sure their websites are female friendly to faciliate the rising surge of busy i-Moms shopping online for their family and friends.Women now account for 51. Do You Need A Merchant Account? Deciding when to get your own merchant account for internet sales can be a confusing and expensive venture. If you have a small to medium sized business and only sell a small amount of products then having your own merchant account may not be the answer for you. 6 Steps to Attracting Black Customers Online by Jamila White, "The E-Commerce Diva"In the rush to keep up with technology, many African-American business owners are so busy trying to add the latest bells and whistles to their Web sites, get to the top of the search engines, and learn the latest database technology that they often forget this simple fact: people do business with other *people*, not computers. Understanding the importance of relationships is key to attracting African-American buyers online. Get Out of The Way Get out of the way and make it easy for your visitors to find what they want.Recently I completed a report for a site that was the most 'peaceful' and among the most 'useful' I had seen in a long time. Six Components Of A Good E-Commerce Site Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing business on the Internet, should think seriously about their position! If you are one of them, chances are there, that you have to pay dearly for your indecision as you might lose significant market share to your more proactive competitors in a very short period of time.Apart from the fact that e-commerce is growing at the rate of more than 25 percent a year, the use of online features can bring efficiency to virtually every aspect of business process, be it supply chain management or customer support management. Alternative E-Commerce Solutions Over the past several years, the Internet has emerged as a breakthrough technology that has and will continue to transform the way we live and communicate, and especially the way we do business.No matter if you are selling a product or a service, the Internet is a means of reaching markets that had otherwise been unreachable in the past.
|
|
|
 |
 |
