Accepting Credit Cards Anywhere

Question: I take a lot of credit card orders at trade shows, flea markets and the like. Is there any way we can get those sales processed and approved immediately, on the spot, so the money is on its way to our bank account? Inputting the information manually later on is kind of a pain.

Answer: Increasing numbers of "on-the-go" small businesses don't sell from a fixed location. In fact, one of the fastest-growing segments of the merchant payment industry is for wireless equipment and services. The latest wireless gadgets let you enter and verify credit card transactions from anywhere by using a personal digital assistant, or PDA (such as a Palm or Pocket PC) with a cell phone and an Internet connection. Or you can use one of the new devices that combine both in one (from Kyocera or Samsung, for example).

It works like this: You enter the credit card information through your browser and a secure Internet link provided by a merchant account service. You receive an authorization code and the funds are transferred from the customer's credit card. Presto, your wireless transaction is complete. Here are some resource and solution providers for wireless merchant services:

• CardService International is one of the giants of the credit card processing field with 24/7 customer service in 140 languages. They offer the LinkPoint 9100, a mobile handheld terminal for point-of-sale card transactions, which lets you conduct business anywhere, anytime. Virtual LinkPoint for Palm OS transforms handheld devices, such as the Palm i705, into virtual credit card payment processing terminals. At the Web site (www.cardservice.com), click on "Products" and look in the "Wireless" section. Call (800) 456-5902; e-mail: info@cardservice.com.
  

• Advanced Merchant Solutions - a relative newcomer to the field - is a prime example of the growth in wireless merchant services to small business. Over 95 percent of the firm's new users had no merchant account or their existing merchant account did not support mobile transactions. Advanced offers a family of services under the Pocket Verifier name. With their Pocket Verified Professional service and a Nokia Series 60 handheld device, you can transfer funds directly from a customer's credit card into your business checking account. There are no application, setup or cancellation fees and no service contracts. Visit the Web site at www.merchantanywhere.com; call (714) 449-0211; e-mail: sales@merchantanywhere.com.
  
  
• MerchantSource.com also offers mobile merchant solutions. The "Summary of Services" section at the Web site gives an excellent overview of the different card payment services available, and which types of small businesses use them. They offer AirPay by Authorize.Net, a software application that will run on almost any Internet-enabled handheld PDA device, allowing you to process credit card sales from any location with access to cellular service. With AirPay, credit cards can be authorized, charged or credited without a traditional swipe terminal or conventional Internet connection. This service works in conjunction with an Authorize.Net account using the merchant's existing login ID and password. Call (800) 313-5198.
  
  
• MerchantSeek is a free independent service that can help you find a wireless merchant account provider to suit your needs. Visit the Web site at www.merchantseek.com.
  
  
• Newtek Merchant Solutions offers a wide array of payment solutions to business owners, including wireless. At the home page of their Web site, click on "Wireless/Mobile" and you can apply online. Call (800) 277-6990 or visit the Web site at www.nmsasap.com.
  
  
• Authorize.net has been a pioneer in electronic and wireless payment processing solutions. They do not deal directly with small businesses but offer their services through a network of merchant account resellers across the country. To find one, look in the "Merchant Solutions" section of the Web site. Visit www.authorize.net; call (866) 437-0476 or e-mail: sales@authorize.net.
  
  
• LinkPoint International, like Authorize.net, provides wireless payment processing systems that are either co-branded or privately labeled by merchant account services nationwide. Their Web site is a good place to learn about how it works. Visit www.linkpoint.com and click on the Mobile/Wireless section.