Merchant services applies to a broad category of financial services intended for use by businesses. In its most specific use, it usually refers to the service that enables a business to accept a transaction payment by use of the customer's credit or debit card.

 

More generally, the term includes the following in its use:

 

  • Credit and debit cards payment processing
  • Check guarantee and check conversion services
  • Automated Clearing House check drafting services
  • Gift and loyalty card programs
  • Payment gateway
  • Email Marketing
  • Direct Mail Marketing
  • Merchant Cash Advances
  • Online Ordering Systems
  • Point of Sales Systems

 

Other services include age verification (used by age-restricted businesses), employee payroll tracking functions, electronic benefits transfer programs such as food stamps.

Online Payments

Receiving payments online is very important to many businesses these days, because it offers so many advantages over other methods. Not only is it more convenient for customers to be able to buy products or services from their homes, but it can reach a much wider audience, is more secure than cash, and has very low associated operating costs. These benefits have made it easier for small businesses to compete and large businesses to expand into further markets, benefiting customer and companies alike.

 

 

Authorize.net

More than 305,000 merchants trust the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway to help them accept credit card and electronic check payments quickly and affordably.

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