we are now accepting credit cards

[countrygurl]

I have been searching for a reasonable merchant service provide and finally found one:banana02:

the fees are lower than what I was paying thru paypal.

if anyone is interested pm me these rates are for over the phone transactions (credit card not present)

terminal $35

visa & master card 2.09 + .29 cents per transaction

I decided not to deal with amex has their own set of rules, like if a customer disputes a charge it is automactically charged back without even hearing our side not that i plan on any problems, but I think it very unfair of them to have that rule!

[Nevada]

I didn't go with AMEX either, but I did get an online gateway. I used Authorize.net for a gateway. That was so I could allow new Internet subscribers to create new dialup accounts automatically from my website 24/7.

Quite frankly, I had a bad experience closing the merchant account when I didn't need it anymore. They kept charging me the monthly minimum (around $40), and just pretended that the account was still opened. I called & wrote them about it, but it didn't do any good. They just kept removing it from my checking account automatically every month.

What I decided to do was just close the checking account at my bank. That's when things started to get fun. About three weeks after closing the account I got a notice from the bank that I was overdrawn. I called the bank's toll-free number and explained that there must be a mistake, since that account had been closed weeks before. The agent said, "Yes, I can see that, but the account has been reopened." I asked, "By whom?" He told me that it was automatically reopened to pay a debit.

I went to the local branch and finally got it straightened out, but it was a genuine hassle. Evidently banks do little favors for other banks, like reopening closed accounts to remove money that isn't there.

[lharvey]

As my grandfather used to say, "Never limit the ways a customer can pay you"

I used to accept credit cards but gave it up a few years back. It worked but the company that handled the transactions were slow and had too many errors and their rates were too high for what service I thought I was getting.

I dropped them but have been thinking about starting up again. I'd like to have one where I can enter the trans online, not a terminal and not by touch tone phone.

Lee

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by lharvey

As my grandfather used to say, "Never limit the ways a customer can pay you"

I used to accept credit cards but gave it up a few years back. It worked but the company that handled the transactions were slow and had too many errors and their rates were too high for what service I thought I was getting.

I dropped them but have been thinking about starting up again. I'd like to have one where I can enter the trans online, not a terminal and not by touch tone phone.

Lee

I used to accept payment by a pre-authorized check draft. I would print a check for those customers each month and deposit it. I liked it because there were no transaction fees, and the customers appreciated it because some of them didn't have a credit or debit card. I don't know how effective that would be today though, since virtually all checking accounts now come with a debit card.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by Nevada

I used to accept payment by a pre-authorized check draft. I would print a check for those customers each month and deposit it. I liked it because there were no transaction fees, and the customers appreciated it because some of them didn't have a credit or debit card. I don't know how effective that would be today though, since virtually all checking accounts now come with a debit card.

I'm kinda surprised that a way to accept payments online or over the phone with no merchant account or processing fees didn't create a little stir around here. It was a real revelation to me, and saved me a ton of fees over the years.

[countrygurl]

the merchant service I went with is Leader it is backed by wells fargo bank.
I got the answers i was looking for right a way, the other companys I called I had to leave a message and I was up & running with Leaders when the other companyies was just getting around to return my call (several days)

The company does offer several options besides the one that worked best for me

[blufford]

Originally Posted by Nevada

I didn't go with AMEX either, but I did get an online gateway. I used Authorize.net for a gateway. That was so I could allow new Internet subscribers to create new dialup accounts automatically from my website 24/7.

Quite frankly, I had a bad experience closing the merchant account when I didn't need it anymore. They kept charging me the monthly minimum (around $40), and just pretended that the account was still opened. I called & wrote them about it, but it didn't do any good. They just kept removing it from my checking account automatically every month.

What I decided to do was just close the checking account at my bank. That's when things started to get fun. About three weeks after closing the account I got a notice from the bank that I was overdrawn. I called the bank's toll-free number and explained that there must be a mistake, since that account had been closed weeks before. The agent said, "Yes, I can see that, but the account has been reopened." I asked, "By whom?" He told me that it was automatically reopened to pay a debit.

I went to the local branch and finally got it straightened out, but it was a genuine hassle. Evidently banks do little favors for other banks, like reopening closed accounts to remove money that isn't there.

I believe you. The bank reopened a cancelled credit card from 6 months ago to charge up 3 transactions from a porn site where that somone had stole the number. Well they really didn't reopen it, they accepted the charges for it on the old card and charged my new replacement credit card. It took 2 months to get my money put back. I had to call the porn company NOT THE BANK to have them reverse the charges. The bank didn't take any responsibility for the problem.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by blufford

I believe you. The bank reopened a cancelled credit card from 6 months ago to charge up 3 transactions from a porn site where that somone had stole the number. Well they really didn't reopen it, they accepted the charges for it on the old card and charged my new replacement credit card. It took 2 months to get my money put back. I had to call the porn company NOT THE BANK to have them reverse the charges. The bank didn't take any responsibility for the problem.

It's fallacy that you get more protection with a credit card account than with a checking account. With a credit card you sign a contract that gives them 30 days to resolve problems, and you give them a variety of loopholes to let them off the hook.

With a checking account you can swear-out an affidavit of forgery in a bank if you have a false charge, and by statute they have to credit your account on the spot. The bank officer will give you the affidavit and notarize it for you.

The hype that you are better protected by a credit card contract is a total fabrication.