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 Questions

Understanding 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 Author

Bobette 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.

---

Why Arent People Buying From Your Ecommerce Website?

Your stock is tempting, your prices right - your ecommerce... Read More

Pitfalls of Doing Big International Brokerage Business Online

Nothing has helped international brokerage business more than the internet:... Read More

The ClickBank E-Commerce Solution

ClickBank.com can offer you multiple solutions for your e-commerce business.... Read More

Delivering Information Products Through Paypal Automatically

Paypal is one of the wonders of the web. Never... Read More

Electronic Commerce and WTO

The Internet may not be useful for all businesses, nor... Read More

Intranet Portal ? Business Case ROI

The days of easy money are overIn these post-dot-com days... Read More

The Origins of E-Commerce

What is the Internet?In order to provide a discussion on... Read More

Online Consumers ? What Are They Complaining About?

For many businesses, e-commerce represents a tremendous method for generating... Read More

The Top 10 E-Commerce Ways to Follow up with Clients - Part 1

Did you know that 80% of all sales are made... Read More

Complementary-Relational Linking and How It Could Save Your Internet Business

The concept of linking is that sites with common interests... Read More

Conducting Business through B2B E-marketplaces

Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing... Read More

How to Boost Conversion Rates, While Lowering Merchant Account Fees!

Using an Address Verification System (AVS) when processing your online... Read More

Short Story: The Benefits of Shopping Online

Maria's new lifestyle: Short story about the benefits shopping on... Read More

Online Shoppers Say They?ll Buy from Small and Large E-Businesses Alike

As the holiday shopping season begins in earnest, consumers say... Read More

Business Online ? Blind Hunt

Do you sell something online? Do you have a business... Read More

Ten Reasons Why Online Surveys Are The Future of Marketing

Customers are tough cookies. They're extremely media aware and increasingly... Read More

Ecommerce Marketing Plan

Concept of ServiceThe current work deals with marketing offer of... Read More

Get Out of The Way

Get out of the way and make it easy for... Read More

Merchant Account Insider Secrets - Accept Credit Cards Online

The process of learning how to accept payments on the... Read More

Overcoming Frustration with Technology

For whatever reason, when we get a new boost in... Read More

The Essential Christmas Web-store Makeover

Ten great tips to turn online holiday shoppers into eager... Read More

The Secret Science Of Online Shopping

In theory you could create a retail web site with... Read More

Accepting Credit Card Payments Online

Being able to accept credit cards and other online payments... Read More

Are You Making These E-Commerce Excuses? (part 2)

Last time, we started to take a look at the... Read More

Home Sweet Home Page

"Your home page is the world's introduction to you and... Read More

How E-commerce Web Site Design Differs From Normal Web Design

When it comes to e-commerce everything is a little bit... Read More

Evaluating Vendors of Ecommerce Fulfillment Services

Once your website has secured an order, you have to... Read More

Select a Niche Market for Ecommerce

Choosing a carefully pinpointed niche market should be one of... Read More

PayPal Powered

Three years ago I was doing some work for a... Read More

Direct Marketing isn?t all Brute Force

There are so many metrics surrounding direct marketing. So many... Read More

The Census and the E-Commerce Wave

Understanding business and product sales can sometimes put me in... Read More

Selling Online for Newbies

If you are interested in selling online, it is quite... Read More

Succeed With Your Own Home Based Business

An internet business is by far the best way to... Read More