Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a merchant account? Why do I need one?
2. How does it work?
3. How do I get a merchant account?
4. Would it be easier to go to my local bank to get a merchant account?
5. How long does it take to get a merchant account?
6. Which credit cards can I accept?
7. What kind of equipment do I need to process credit cards?
8. How do I know that I'm getting a "good deal"?
9. Is there a Comparison Chart?
10. Can I use my merchant account to accept credit card payment in my online store? Is it safe to process credit cards over the Internet?
11. The fraud protection features sound great, but what about other features?
12. What kind of payment solutions are available?
13. Internet technology changes so fast, will I be able to use my merchant account with my Internet store in the future?
14. I am not a US citizen, what can I do to get a Merchant account?
    

1. What is a merchant account? Why do I need one?
A merchant account gives a business the ability to accept credit cards as payment for the company's goods and services. This provides your customers with an extremely popular payment option, beyond cash and checks.

Studies have shown that merchants can typically increase their business by 30 - 70% or more - sometimes even hundreds of percents! Plus, customers are more willing to purchase higher cost goods using a payment method that offers them repayment flexibility. It is projected that by 2002, credit card transactions will account for 98% of Internet sales, equaling $55.6 billion! Back to Top

2. How does it work?
The merchant account provider authorizes the credit card transfer from your customer and deposits the funds for their purchases right into your business checking account, typically within two business days. Back to Top

3. How do I get a merchant account?
Merchant accounts are available from some banks and other independent providers such as our Gateway Provider, the leading transaction service provider. Last year the company serviced over 125,000 merchants and processed over $8 billion in bankcard volume.

Through our Gateway Provider we offer small-to-mid-sized business merchants a variety of services including credit card, electronic check, Internet transaction services, and more. Our company has an exceptional merchant account program offer available to its clients through our Gateway Provider. Just click on the Online Application to get yours now! Back to Top

4. Would it be easier to go to my local bank to get a merchant account?
Many local banks do not set up merchant accounts, but have relationships with companies like our Gateway Provider. Also, in addition to offering outstanding programs, our Gateway Provider works with the kinds of businesses that most banks consider risky and shy away from, such as new, Internet, phone and mail order businesses. Back to Top

5. How long does it take to get a merchant account?
Application approval and setup can be completed in as little as 24 hours through our special program available to clients. Back to Top

6. Which credit cards can I accept?
The most popular credit cards: MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Our Gateway Provider can also support all other major credit cards, including: Discover and Diners Club. Back to Top

7. What kind of equipment do I need to process credit cards?
A computer terminal / PC with Internet access is used for Internet, mail and telephone orders. Also, we can provide the setup information needed to configure an automatic transaction system with no need of human intervention in the payment/charge process using your website as a point of sales.

In the retail environment, a specialized terminal/printer designed to read the magnetic strip on the back of the customer's credit card is used. This can provide the customer with a paper receipt at the time of purchase.

An imprinter, which takes a physical copy of the customers credit card, may also be used. Back to Top

8. How do I know that I'm getting a "good deal"?
Our Gateway Provider's program offers an outstanding value across the board - functionality, security, reporting, initial setup and low residual costs. Back to Top

9. Comparison Chart

* FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS ONLY:
Discount rate is $5.00 for a monthly volume sale of up to US$5,000.00
or 3.00% for a monthly volume sale of US$5,001.00 and up. Back to Top

10. Can I use my merchant account to accept credit card payment in my online store? Is it safe to process credit cards over the Internet?
Yes, our Gateway Provider's Secure Socket Layer Application Programming Interface (SSL API) offers Internet Service Providers an encrypted connection to its Secure Payment Engine. By using our Gateway Provider's Secure Payment Gateway technology, all our international merchants receive fraud screening on each transaction and real-time reporting via their Web browser.

For the merchant who wants to get online fast with a limited start-up budget, our Gateway Provider is the best choice.

Using our Gateway Provider's SSL API, all orders and payment information sent from the merchant's Web site will be encrypted using industry standard RC4 1024-bit encryption with SSL Version 3. This encrypted and secure data is routed to our Gateway Provider, decrypted and processed. All processed information (Approved/Declined transactions) is then re-encrypted and sent securely back to the Web site. Once at the Web server, it is decrypted and displayed to the consumer. Also, order confirmation e-mails are sent to the consumer and to the merchant. Our Gateway Provider's SSL API guarantees that the orders and payment information generated by the merchant's Web site remains totally secure.
Back to Top

11. The fraud protection features sound great, but what about other features?
Using the following e-commerce modules, Web customers will be able to order products, pay for them and arrange for shipment all in real-time.

These modules include real-time:

Merchants also have the option of choosing auto-settlement or merchant settlement. Taking advantage of our Gateway Provider's Business Reporting module allows the merchant to view critical ordering and financial information all from a single source - their Web browser. And, all of these modules are included with your our merchant account.
Back to Top

12. What kind of payment solutions are available through our Gateway Provider?
Three unique and user-friendly payment solutions are available to serve the e-commerce needs of any merchant:

Virtual Terminal allows merchants to manually enter credit card transactions on a PC through a secure connection to the Internet. Virtual Terminal is the Internet equivalent of a point-of-sale (POS) terminal or PC-based transaction software without the hardware/software and maintenance expenses.

Our Gateway Provider's HTML is a simple, yet sophisticated product and requires a little hands-on work by the merchant to use. It wraps around the merchant's existing Web site, allowing shoppers to select and order products and securely pay for them with a credit card.

Our Gateway Provider's API is the most sophisticated level of service, enabling software companies, Commerce Service Providers (CSPs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or cyber-wise merchants to add secure sockets layer (SSL) payment capabilities to their products, services or custom storefronts. Additional features, such as tax and shipping calculations and electronic soft-good download (ESD) - i.e., software, pictures or text - are included. Back to Top


13. Internet technology changes so fast, will I be able to use my merchant account with my Internet store in the future?
Absolutely. As our Gateway Provider upgrades its in the future, merchants will receive free upgrades to keep them on the cutting edge. Back to Top

14. I am not a US citizen, what can I do to get a Merchant account?
If you are not a US citizen or live outside the US, you will need to follow certain guidelines when obtaining Credit Card Processing PRO s. Please contact us for our International rates and requirements. Back to Top

Apply for your Credit Card Merchant Account TODAY!