Merchant services information resources are applicable to a wide variety of sellers. If you want to take credit cards, or if you want to have electronic check processing or debit card capabilities, all of these services require having information on merchant services.

Whether you are a retailer or you do your business through the mail or web, finding the right payment processing information is critical to the success of your business. Convenience is key nowadays, and offering payment methods other than cash or check are helpful to today's consumer.

To find the right merchant services resources for you:

1. Decide what types of payments you are looking to take. Are you wanting credit card processing? Do you need to take electronic banking payments? Are you interested in accepting debit cards?

2. Look for payment processing information on the particular requirements you have. Follow up by speaking to vendor service reps for an additional payment processing information resource.

3. Take advantage of additional merchant services information to help prevent fraudulent transactions. Be proactive for your customers and potential customers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look at the many payment processing information resources

From credit card processing to electronic funds transfer to fraud prevention and more, make the most of merchant services resources to keep your payments coming in and your customers protected.

I recommend: Find out how merchants can take advantage of an Authorize.Net Payment Gateway. Authorize.Net boasts over 200,000 customers who use them to manage their transactions and help prevent fraud. Open a PayPal account to accept credit card or bank transfer payments. Search by industry what payment solutions First Data can tailor to your needs. Try a demo of the QuickBooks Merchant Services option as another alternative.

Find merchant services information on credit card terminals

Take advantage of merchant services resources to purchase your next credit card terminal. Some service providers even give you the terminal for free so long as you keep your service through them.

I recommend: Buy or lease credit card processing terminals from Merchant Services. There you can find merchant service information on the products that they carry including verifone terminals, credit card terminals, wireless devices, pin pads, check readers, contactless readers and software packages. Colorado-based Total Merchant Services offers free credit card machines for those who use their services. Tennessee-based Total Merchant Services can help your retail business, your Internet, your mail order or your wireless business with credit card terminals or virtual terminals. Check out the hardware available through Money Tree Merchant Services. They offer the Hypercom, Nurit, Verifone and Thales brands.

Use merchant services information to minimize fraud

As a merchant, you have a responsibility to work to prevent credit card fraud, and staying knowledgeable on related merchant services information will help you navigate the choices available to you.

I recommend: Look at fraud protection merchant services resource facts from Wells Fargo's Merchant Services page. Consider the use of preCharge, a form of chargeback protection for merchants. CDGcommerce offers you Internet services with MaxMind Fraud Detection Built-In. Look at the tips on how merchants can minimize fraud from Merchant Service Center.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always check with your local bank. Most of them offer competitive merchant services options if you let them know you are shopping around for a provider.
• •  There is a fee to use merchant services resources for your business. Generally it is only a few percent, though, and it is well worth it to be able to offer the convenience of credit cards in your store or for your business.