Apr 30, 2013 Posted by admin on Apr 30, 2013 in Credit Card Transaction | 0 comments

The Journey of a Credit Card Transaction

Article Written by : HMS Weather

As a merchant, we run our customer’s credit card through our credit card machine, let it process the transaction, and then think nothing about it after they sign the copy. But knowing the credit card transaction process inside and out as a merchant will allow you to make highly educated decisions on which merchant account services you will use. You will know which services are in your best interest, and which ones are not. The 3 goals in business are: to make money, to save money, and to keep customers happy. Knowing how the credit transaction process works will help you do that.

For those who use an Ecommerce merchant account, the process is relatively similar to those using a machine.

1. 1. 1. First, the credit card holder will give you their card to initiate the transaction process.
   2. 2. The merchant, that’s you, uses their machine, software or gateway to transmit the cardholder’s information to their bank or credit union.
   3. 3. The acquirer, that’s us, routes the information through the Visa or MasterCard network, and then routes the cardholder’s information from their bank to you for settlement.
   4. 4. The information is then rerouted to your account. The Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposits the cardholder’s payment into your account, and also debits your account for any processing fees.
   5. 5. The bank you have your account with pays the acquirer for any purchases.
   6. 6. In turn, the cardholder is responsible for paying their bank back for essentially borrowing money from them.

 

This process is like a big borrowing chain. The acquirer alleviates the responsibility from the merchant to insure accountability with the cardholder that they will pay what they owe, so the merchant can spend more time building business. You will want an acquirer that has a strong history of providing an accurate and quick experience while credit card processing online.

Apr 21, 2013 Posted by admin on Apr 21, 2013 in Finance & Loans | 0 comments

How To Accept Credit Cards On Your Ecommerce Website

Article written as guess post by Total-Merchant-Services.com

Nowadays, it is no question that an online merchant should be able to accept credit cards. This is due to the recent findings that people prefer to only pay via credit card when shopping online. Without it, you are potentially loosing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in sales. To get you started, you must first find a provider for retail merchant accounts and have it installed on your website as soon as possible.

For most people, paying via credit or debit cards is the most secure and safe way when transacting online. Also, these people can verify the legitimacy of an ecommerce website if the seller has invested on a proper merchant account. Because there is a heightened activity of fraud and scams all over the web, a merchant account is the best way to protect both the seller and customer. Installation varies from one merchant account provider to another, choose one that has a good package deal as well as an easy installation guide. Once you have set this up on your website, you will see an increase in sales and elevated trust from customers.

Article submitted by Total Merchant Services. If you are looking for an online business merchant account provider, look no further as Total Merchant Services got you covered! With an extensive 14 years of experience, the company has continually provided high quality service to their customers. You can rely on Total Merchant Services to give you the best solutions in accepting credit card payments on your website.