# how to get a merchant account



## tonyflores1 (Dec 7, 2010)

hi, im wondering if anyone can instruct me on how to open a merchant account? someone that can give me some steps to take? thank you.


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## Mortifier (May 12, 2008)

Here's a link for you, low rates, no hidden fees, easy setup in a couple days, and highly recommended:
e-online data > VAR Portal


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

Check w/ your bank, as most have their own merchant account processors they can recommend. Bear in mind you'll need to rent or purchase the credit card terminal, and really READ ALL the fine print on the contract. Most of the internet processors have lots of hidden charges loaded into their contracts, so READ CAREFULLY.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

+1 on checking with your bank. they often have deals for customers. Otherwise Sam's Club and Costco are good.


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## hendrix (Aug 20, 2009)

you can use paypal. i have heard good things about it.


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## tonyflores1 (Dec 7, 2010)

so i can charge credit cards and everything with paypal?


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## hendrix (Aug 20, 2009)

yea for sure. its gaining more and more popularity all the time among consumers. plus they have services that make it really easy to sync with your website. check them out. i'll probably use them when i get a website up.


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## indeed (Dec 19, 2010)

PayPal all the way, and speak to Authorize.net while you are at it. The combination of these two companies will give you peace of mind. Please remember that disputes and chargebacks are going to play a role in this business and you want to make sure that you set up your policies properly. Sometimes customers will not take responsibility for their own mistakes and then go running to the card companies/PayPal and you need to have some strong protection. You will be surprised or maybe not, we live in a strange world.....


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## tonyflores1 (Dec 7, 2010)

thank you so much. so Authorize.net will protect me from chargebacks?


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## indeed (Dec 19, 2010)

tonyflores1 said:


> thank you so much. so Authorize.net will protect me from chargebacks?


Sometimes customers make erroneous claims and the companies just awards them the chargeback meanwhile they keep the merchandise. They will help to protect you and they never actually keep the card on file with your server. This is good in case of any hacks to your server. You will be able to plead your case properly which is a good thing. 

PayPal also helps you with this. The customer can dispute a charge for a refund within 45 days and they sometimes run to their card company/bank and act as if they didn't authorize the charge so they can get a refund. Beware of this when speaking to a disgruntled customer. To be fair sometimes, due to the way the charge shows up on their account statement, the customer forgets they made the charge and asks their company for a refund. To get around this make sure you outline for every transaction how it will show up on their statement. Here's to your success and Happy Holidays!


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## tonyflores1 (Dec 7, 2010)

thank you so much


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## puzzleswithout (Jun 2, 2010)

tonyflores1 said:


> hi, im wondering if anyone can instruct me on how to open a merchant account? someone that can give me some steps to take? thank you.


We use Google Checkout and have been, thus far, satisfied.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

tonyflores1 said:


> thank you so much. so Authorize.net will protect me from chargebacks?


No, a customer can still file a chargeback and get their money back if you use authorize.net

It's just part of the cost of doing business.

There are things you can do to help avoid chargebacks on your end:

- Make sure the customer knows the company name that will show up on their receipt
- Offer great customer service and a reasonable refund policy
- Deliver the products/services that were expected in a timely manner, etc
- Use a delivery carry that provides detailed tracking

But there may still be times where a customer is mad or gets confused and contacts their credit card company for a refund. It will be up to you at that point to defend your case with the information you have.

I use e-onlinedata as my merchant account, but your local bank can also provide one.

If you're only going to be doing face to face transactions, it might also be worth looking into http://squareup.com (no monthly fees)


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## MRPRINTER (Nov 12, 2010)

Googlecheckout
it works


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## StoneEyes (Sep 3, 2010)

Theres a variety of aspects when looking into Merchant accounts, so would suggest you do some reading on the target area your looking to focus on. 

Keep in mind one of the biggest concerns online shoppers have is "are you secure", what are you doing to make sure that my information is secure and won't get hijacked through a Man in the Middle type of attack. 

If your at a show how do you protect yourself from stolen credit cards? How are you protecting the transaction from an RFID skimmer, How fast is the authentication, how is the purchase being done, i.e. is it token base, is it banking information being distributed, is it based off of an RFID reader etc. 

lots of stuff to look up. good luck


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Paypal has a merchant service. When I checked it was $30/month which allowed you to take credit cards over the phone and such. 

Sam's Club and Costco have good programs too. 

After a year with Sam's we were able to negotiate out most of the junk fees they charge. 

Global also is good. 

If you have a credit card machine, pay for it up front rather than leasing it. That is a better way to go.


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