Credit Card Processing for Small Businesses

You want to accept plastic. You know that half of all purchases, and 85% of online transactions, are made with credit cards. That’s a big pie. But how do you get your slice? The answer: Get a merchant account. A merchant account serves one role in the world and that is to accept credit card payments. But how does it all work and where do you get one?

This buyer's guide explains what you need in order to process credit cards, points out which fees and capabilities to watch out for, and tells you how to evaluate different merchant account services once you're at the shopping stage. We highlight the technology requirements and merchant account relationships that are unique for online businesses, and we take you through a set of criteria that vendors use to assess your merchant account needs.

When you're ready to talk to merchant account vendors, we can connect you through our partner, BuyerZone, to vendors that fit your business. You can read about how BuyerZone's secure bid-request process and check out the bid request form that will match you with account providers who want your business.