Dec 16, 2017

Summary: Here are a few factors to consider when choosing a credit card processing company to fit your business needs. If you’re starting a business, you’re likely choosing between credit card processing companies. Factors to consider are fees, customer support, and accepted payment types. Variable Fees There are multiple fees a credit card processing company will charge you. Among them are interchange fees and monthly minimum fees. Interchange fees are charged to every transaction you process and range from 2% to 3%. The rate you pay depends on multiple factors, including the size of the transaction, the type of card accepted, and place of transaction. Monthly minimum fees vary between processing companies. This is the minimum amount in fees that the company must collect per month. If your credit card fees do not meet this amount, you must make up the difference. There are many different fees charged by your credit card processor, so make sure you understand them. Customer Support It is crucial to find a company that offers 24/7 support directly from an account representative. This gives you access to people who can help if your credit card reader malfunctions, or you see confusing fees on your monthly statement. Accepted Payment Types You want to make sure your processor accepts all major credit and debit cards, maybe gift cards and prepaid cards too. If your customers are tech-savvy, you’ll want near-field communications technology so you can accept payments from digital wallets. You should be able to accept a variety of payment types to reach a broad base of customers. There are dozens of credit card processing companies to choose from. Do your research before making a decision. Blog submitted by Charge.com: Are you having trouble with your small business credit card processing? Visit Charge.com online for all your payment...

Jul 26, 2017

Today, there are many ways or a merchant to accept money to process a transaction. If you manage a brick and mortar retailer, then you’ve seen cash, checks and credit cards all used as tender on a daily basis. More and more, shops are also seeing a new form of payment that comes from digital wallets. These new innovations may soon be the standard for all payments around the Web, and in store. How Digital Wallets Work Essentially, digital wallets utilize a device (usually a smartphone) to send data to another device. Sometimes, both devices are phones (or a phone and a tablet), but registers are increasingly able to handle this type of transaction as well. Chips on the devices help to encrypt the data that is sent from one device to another. All the user needs to do is keep his device safe from theft. Even if the device is stolen, the user can wipe account data remotely and change the password on the digital wallet. Sophisticated features on the phone often prompt the user for credentials when utilizing the payment. In addition, the user also has the option to limit the funds placed in a digital wallet. Wallets are linked to the user’s bank accounts, so customers will funnel money between the two accounts. The wallet will hold money from international transactions as well, such as payment for contract work. The future economy will rely on digital payments, which offer faster transfer rates and a more secure exchange of money to people around the world. Expanding into Retail According to Charge.com, the demand for retailers to accept diverse methods of payment is growing. More consumers want to use a digital wallet, a debit card, cash or smartphone payment methods interchangeably. That’s put a great deal of pressure on retailers to adopt new technologies that can meet this growing demand. In addition, smaller shops struggle implementing systems without proper support. A strong merchant service provider usually provides a robust support system, including installation assistance, in order to set the system up and ensure some success using it. That said, this is new territory for many retailers. Training employees to meet customers out on...

Apr 26, 2017

When your customers shop online they expect to be able to pay with any form of payment they chose, and without much hassle. If you configure payment processing to accept split payments, you can accept more than one credit card without much of an additional cost to you. You close the transaction, the customer gets to pay with the payment methods he or she prefers, and you’ll save cash on each transaction with the right payment processor. Speedy Checkouts The customer will appreciate that split payments are speedy, especially if you allow him or her the option to save payment methods to an account. If you allow customers to create an account, and save their cards for transactions, then credit card processors will be quick and efficient. Plus, the account is password protected, so the information is secure as long as the customer chooses a strong password. Closing the Deal Customers who can’t afford to put the costs of a big ticket item all on one card will close transactions if they are allowed to split a remaining balance on another account. Retail outlets don’t run into this problem because their credit card readers typically allow for split payments. This is also beneficial for customers who want to place orders for a friend, or under a business account. Allowing multiple forms of payment works with the customer’s wishes. Saving If you choose the right payment processor, you’ll save money on the transactions you split payment methods for. Avoid flat fee processors and you’ll usually save. That’s because flat fee payments will charge you the same rate, even if the bank charges a lower rate to use a particular payment method. Money transfers are a good example, where the cost of a transfer on an interchange plan will usually be reduced. Bio: Charge.com offers free credit card processors and software, so you can accept credit cards online quickly and...

Jan 30, 2017

In order to determine whether accepting digital wallets is right for your business, you should consider a few elements that are likely to impact your business. First, you should consider the adoption rates for these wallets. Next, you should consider the benefits of doing so. Only then can you make an informed decision. Adoption Rates There’s an interesting back and forth at play when it comes to adoption rates of digital wallets. Some customers are apprehensive because merchants are apprehensive, and merchants are apprehensive because their customer base is as well. However, recent regulations have shifted the burden of fraud onto the merchant. This has changed the POS dramatically, and means more terminals are likely to accept digital wallets. That’s driving adoption of this technology in new ways. If you’re getting into business, or looking to upgrade, it’s likely you’re looking at terminals that accept these new payment forms. Benefits Mobile wallets take the burden of fraud prevention off the business owner’s shoulders, and some provide handy loyalty programs as well. The bottom line is that these wallets make it easier to spend money at a particular business, or on a particular product. Gamifying shopping will unlock coupons and exclusive deals for customers, and could be a major draw for big box retailers in the coming years. The bottom line is that accepting digital wallets goes beyond offering multiple forms of payment to your customer base. It helps build customer loyalty and can be part of a broader marketing strategy. Charge.com provides small businesses with industry-leading merchant services, affordable rates, and the most efficient method to process payments...

Jul 30, 2014

There are several obvious tips that are usually offered when it comes to improving your credit score – and some of them are as simple as paying your bills on time or even not applying for too much credit. However, there are strange ways in which you can ruin your credit score and that you might not know about, and here are three of them: #1: Closing your credit cards While the fact that closing your credit cards affects your credit score negatively is less strange than usual, the reason for this to happen is because in closing a credit card, your credit utilization increases. Also, if the credit card you’re closing is one of the oldest you’ve had in a while, then the average age of your credit cards will fall, which is also considered to affect your credit score negatively. #2: Not Reporting a Change of Address when moving As simple as this might sound, not reporting a change of address when you move to the United States Postal Service will affect your credit score negatively as you might miss important mail such as credit card or utility bills. #3: Asking a Banker Friend to Check Your Score Since there are only a certain number of times in a year that you can check your credit score for free, you might be tempted to ask a friend of yours who works in lending and at a bank. Apart from being guilty of misusing company resources, the credit bureau might conduct an inquiry due to the fact that a ‘bank’ has looked up your credit...