Merchant account refers to an account that a specific merchant deals with a bank to be able to accept credit card payments and orders from its customers. Because of being a lucrative business option, more and more people are have merchant account providers in the last years. However, there have been many issues surrounding merchant accounts and its providers over the years.
One of the common problems that people who deal with merchant account experience is the confusion which type that would suit their needs. To avoid confusion, as well as other problems that will come along the way, it is best if you familiarize yourself with the types of merchant accounts available. Aside from sparing you from financial difficulties, knowing the different types available will also help you decide which one will be the best option for your interest.
There are three different types of merchant account available depending on the need of the client or the business itself. Experts have categorized types of merchant accounts into three. The first type is the “retail” which is one of the most popular merchant account types out there. This is because many businesses especially those that are related in food such as restaurants, lodging such as hotels, and daily needs such as grocery stores avail of this type. They choose this because the “retail” type offers lower fees without compromising the quality. Some say that the rules implemented by retail account providers are more strict so they can make up for the lesser rates they give for a service.
The second type is the “MOTO” or mail order-telephone order charges higher rates for services because it requires more effort for any transaction to be made. Experts say that the MOTO accounts were created to cater to the credit card processing needs of those mail order companies when they receive sales or other transactions with the use of either mail and telephone line. This type of merchant account is usually more expensive because it uses more pieces of equipment like modern technologies through the personal computer complete with accessories needed like the keypad and the physical terminal as well as the software needed for the program to run effectively.
The third type is the “Internet” which is very similar to the cost, the set of rules, and the means of using the “MOTO”. The only difference is that it is more organized and more updated. Here, the transactions are being made using a virtual terminal that play as the “gateway” for payments and other processes that are being made. The internet type of merchant account uses usually uses a program that is custom-designed for its clientele such as the HTML format or the shopping cart format when dealing with payment processes and transactions.
People who dont have much knowledge on these types would be easily confused since they all adhere to a common policy to ensure that there is efficient merchant account processing. But, when closely examined, there are great differences in these types, which cannot be ignored. When these differences are not identified early and properly, it can be detrimental to the business itself.
Experts say that the major differences among these three types is the rates or charges they have when it comes to transaction fees and the rules they implement in terms of account usage.
eBay Items Of Interest
[myebay]merchant[/myebay]