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Credit Card Processing Solutions for Small Business

You may increase sales by offering customers credit, debit and gift card purchasing options. Minimize receipt of bad checks. Protect against fraud and improve sales reporting and tracking. Today's payment processing solutions offer your business a lot more and it "pays" to know how.

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Why Credit Card Processing

Allowing your customers to pay by credit card provides many advantages for you and your business including:

  • Not losing a sale because the customer didn't have the cash on hand
  • Expanding sales because customers can pay how and when they choose
  • Improving sales tracking and reporting through credit transaction statements
  • Improved marketing strategies based on tracking of customer purchase habits

Payment Processing Solutions 101

Whether you are a relatively new business or a thriving enterprise, First Data Independent Sales (FDIS) can customize the right product solution to help grow your business. These are some of the non cash processing solutions, products and services available today through FDIS:

  • MasterCard® and Visa®
  • American Express®
  • ATM/debit cards and Discover® Network

Additional payment Options and services available:

  • Gift Card
  • Electronic benefits transfer (EBT)
  • TeleCheck® Check Guarantee and TeleCheck Electronic Check Acceptance® (ECA®) services
  • Fraud Protection at point-of-sale
  • Business-to-Business
  • Bookkeeping System
  • Web Development Services
  • Loyalty Programs

FDIS offers several product solutions based on your unique business needs:

  • State-of-the-art POS terminals
  • Online Payment Solutions
  • Wireless and IP Technology

Types of Cards

Below are examples of different types of cards used for different types of payment and tracking purposes.

  • Credit Cards A type of card attached to a line-of-credit
  • Debit Cards A type of card attached to a demand deposit account (DDA)
  • ATM Cards A type of card used for cash advances from an automated teller machine.
  • Private Label Cards A card issued by a company that has their name on it and can only be used at that business or at authorized affiliates
  • Travel and Entertainment Cards A card used over the course of business related expenses
  • Purchase Cards Used in the procurement of business related expenses
  • Smart Card A card that has a microchip embedded on it that tracks purchases and other related data
  • Contactless Card A card that contains a RFID device to allow for a faster transaction
  • Stored Value Cards A card with the ability to load value or store credit

Businesses Served

There are many types of businesses that benefit from adopting payment processing solutions for clients and customers including large and small, brick and mortar, and eCommerce. Below are examples of businesses using solutions offered by FDIS:

  • Automotive
  • e-Business
  • Financial Institutions
  • Government Agencies
  • Grocery Stores & Pharmacies
  • Health & Beauty
  • Healthcare
  • Home-Based Businesses
  • Mail Order/Telephone Order
  • Quick Service Restaurants
  • Restaurants
  • Retailers
  • Travel & Entertainment
  • Utilities
  • Wireless Merchants

Types of Businesses

There are basically two-types of payment environments that serve as the basis by which payment processing fee structures are assigned:

  1. Face to Face Transactions refer to payments typically processed in brick and mortar environments.
  2. Non-Face to Face Transactions refer to payments processed by an Internet-based business, wireless environment, or mail and telephone orders.

Can I Switch Providers?

If you are already accepting credit card payments and would like to investigate other options call FDIS directly at (877) 852-1270 to get information about setup, rates and fees, loyalty programs and other benefit of becoming a FDIS merchant.

Merchant Loyalty Programs

Once your business adopts quality payment processing solutions, look for value-add customer loyalty programs that can offer your business further benefits. For example:

  1. MyMerchantOffice® is a dedicated merchant Web site that offers 24/7 access to customer service, accounting and reporting data.
  2. The FDIS Merchant Club is a program that offers merchants numerous value-added benefits, including selected point-of-sale supplies and a program that supplements equipment warranties and provides prompt equipment replacements.

Application Process

Applying for an account that enables you to accept credit card payments from customers is easy, reliable and available online through FDIS.

In addition to providing general information about your business and contact information, the application form will prompt you to provide projections regarding the level of credit card transactions you expect to be processing. This data as well as the nature of how you interact with customers; such as face-to-face, mail order, telephone order, and/or eCommerce, influences what rate you will be charged for providing payment options by credit card.

Processing Solutions

Today's payment processing solutions offer many benefits beyond simply accepting customer credit cards for purchases. View a representative sampling arranged alphabetically by type of solution.

Glossary of Terms

Developing a better understanding of the world of finance and eCommerce can represent competitive advantages for you and your small business. Visit the Glossary of Terms page.

10 Great Reasons to Offer FDIS Payment Processing Solutions to your Customers

While supporting increased sales may be the number one reason for providing your customers with options for buying "when and how" they choose, there are also other significant benefits available to you and your business. FDIS offers:

  1. One of the highest approval ratings in the industry
  2. Merchant applications generally approved within two business days
  3. Real-time online application with electronic signature for most types of businesses
  4. Premier customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year in more than 140 languages and dialects
  5. Proprietary point-of-sale hardware and software for traditional, home-based, mail order/telephone order and Internet businesses
  6. LinkPoint® Secure Payment Gateway, one of the most reliable and complete online eCommerce payment solutions
  7. Mymerchantoffice.com, a unique merchant-dedicated Web site for accessing full account information 24 hours a day, including merchant statements, deposits, retrievals and chargebacks
  8. The opportunity to join the Merchant Club, an exclusive, value-added loyalty program for FDIS merchants
  9. Advanced fraud protection services
  10. Possible increased sales because customers can buy "when and how" they choose

About Your Educational Champion

"First Data Independent Sales is an industry leader in credit card processing for traditional and Internet businesses offering merchants competitive pricing, customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in 140 languages and dialects, and one of the largest credit card fraud, loss prevention and chargeback departments in the industry."

Apply Online or Call Toll Free for more information

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Note: This information is presented to provide a general overview of small business options and related services. It is not intended to be an exhaustive representation. Data has been compiled by the Knowledge Institute for informational purposes only. Content is provided on an "as is" basis and is not intended to, nor does it, provide advice or create a customer relationship between the Knowledge Institute, BUZGate™ and/or any other organization named herein, and any reader.

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page updated: May 09 2008
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