Best Online Merchant Account Providers


	Findingthe best online merchantaccount provider The best online merchant accountprovider ... That's what you want, and that's what you deserve. But itwon't just land in your lap. You'll have to do alittle research, alittle shopping and a little comparing. Ofcourse, alittle here and a little there can add up to a lot of time! This listis meant to get you heading down the road to finding the best onlinemerchant account provider. Astarting point, if you will. Animportant note: Don't let the term 'online merchantaccount' fool you.These are NOT online-only merchant accounts. In fact, all of theseservices (with the exception of third-party processors) offer fullretail and mail order/telephone order merchant accounts, along withequipment and software. But all theservices Irecommend here can only be foundonline, as they are all ISOs (oractual underwriters) that operate on the web. Anotheryear, another "Cream ofthe Crop" list! One thing stays the samethough, year after year... Reliability is KING!Itis the most important quality when looking for the best online merchantaccount provider. Think about it. Whocares how cheap your transactionfees are or how low you chargeback rate is if your payment processingservice is down and you can't accept payments?! Ofcourse, priceis an issue (though not to the extent we tend to makeit). However, in this market, competition ensures that prices -- ingeneral -- are similar across the board. "So whyeven bother shopping around?" Why not take the first one youlike? Because, in a nutshell, eachmerchant account provider you dealwith, from the local bank to the largest independent salesorganization, willevaluate risk differently and consequently offer youdiffering price quotes. That's why I make a list,and why you should too. By getting price quotes from several differentservices, you will, at the very least, know that you arepaying areasonable price wherever you go. And you may even find abargain! After all, isn't that why youshop? To get a feel for what a good price to pay would be? How do youknow what a good deal is until you explore the market? Wellif you do that for a toaster or a curling iron, then for Pete's sake,why wouldn't you do itfor a credit card processing service? Simple?Sure. Important? Absolutely! To aid you in yourshopping for the best online merchant account, I've ensured that allthe services on the list allow you to apply for a price/package quoteat no cost and with no obligation and (gasp!) will ensurethat aliving, breathing representative will contact you in 1-2 business days. Caution(part 1) Make sure you are only applying to be reviewed andtalk to arep and NOT ACTUALLYLOCKING YOURSELF INTO A CONTRACT! Believe me, I'veheard a horror story or two. Either make sure that what you are fillingout says "no obligation" or find their customer service number (itshould be extremely easy to find) and call them for a price quote. Ifyou're not absolutely sure, and you can't find a number, move on.That's a sure sign this isn't the place where you will find your bestonline merchant account. Caution(part 2) Do notapply with any servicethat requires up-front payment just to apply andbe very wary of thosewith large start-up costs. Why? There arejust too many fine services out there that will allow you to get aprice quote and/or apply for free (and too many unscrupulous ones thatlook for up-front payments... and then disappear). Obviously,there are many more payment processing services out there, but thisyear's "Cream of the Crop" list, like every year, is devoted to thebest online merchant account providersthat have been in business for years and have demonstrated the greatestdurability,which results in ongoing reliability. Pleaseseeeach services website for more information (as any good shopper woulddo). It is a good idea to print outthe Merchant AccountFees article and have it with you as you arecomparing fees and services. And finally, when youapply withand then speak with representatives of these services, have thismindset: YOU areinterviewing THEM. There are many services out therevying for your business in a very competitive market, so get theservice you deserve! Cream of theCrop Three criticalpoints: If you are just testing the waters online orjust getting started and expect to have low volume while you ramp up(less than 50 transactions a month), give serious consideration to athird-party processor.There are no minimums, no credit checks, nostart-up fees and no contracts to sign. Paypal.com is theestablished leader in the field. If you are an offline merchant looking toestablish a presence online, this is the sensible starting place. Ialways recommend a merchant who is serious about getting aqualitymerchant account startwith a local bank, preferable one where there isa prior relationship. They seldom offer the best rates, butthey have something even the best online merchant account providersdon't:Face-to-face customer service. Allthe services listedhere allowyou to apply online forfree, a critical factor if you are going toproperly shop around and compare rates. To find the best onlinemerchant account provider for you, applyto all of them, thencompare the offers, test their customer service and do some criticalthinking. Do not sign up with the first service you applyfor. Be asmart shopper. I have ensured that every provideronthis list offers the following: (and anymerchant account you apply forshould as well) Virtualterminal (mail order/telephone order) P.O.S.credit card swiper equipment (retail) Real-timeprocessing(online) Shopping cart option (online) Integratedpayment gateway Support for recurring billing Addressverification and CVV2 Toll-free 24-hour support AcceptanceofVisa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express Toprecommendations #1. Merchant Accounts Express Cost: 2.25% discountrate (for internet/mail/phone. 1.85% retail), $0.25transaction fee, $10 statement fee, $17 gateway fee Pros: Over10 years on the web and extremely well regarded in the industry. Goodcustomer service. Low price guarantee. Great website. BottomLine: Solid, reliable service at competitive prices. #2. Yahoo Small Business Cost:discount rate varies around 2.5%, along with a monthly fee. Set up to use Paypal to avoid more monthly fees. Pros: All-in-one online storefront builder. Good support and a large database of other users. BottomLine: Everything you need to build an online store.