When is AVS used? Address Verification is used in all kinds of credit card scenarios. It’s most common in ecommerce and other "card-not-present" transactions, as those transactions have fewer alternative means of verifying a cardholder’s identity. But AVS can be used in person, too. AVS is also one component in qualifying for enhanced data (lev...

While credit card theft and other common types of fraud are decreasing because of EMV chip cards and new security technology, low-tech friendly fraud is on the rise. Remember, EMV cards don’t provide any additional protection for you or customers in ecommerce transactions. If you run an ecommerce website, it’s worth knowing about the tools to prote...

At CardFellow we’ve heard it all, so we decided to address these myths and misinformation. Chip cards are an evolution of card-based payments, and it’s important to understand the differences between chip and magnetic stripe cards. If your business still hasn’t upgraded to accept chip cards (or you have, but don’t know much about why), this arti...

If you're curious whether your credit card machine can be reprogrammed, here's the scoop: Some credit card machines can be reprogrammed to work with virtually any credit card processing service, while other machines will only work with a specific processor. But there are a few caveats, including what we mean by "processor." Older credit card mac...

Tipping has always been an option to show appreciation for good service. If you run a business with tipped employees, you can set up your credit card machine to encourage tips that reward your employees. The way you present the tip prompt, when it appears in the payment process, and how it’s worded or displayed can all have an impact on the amount ...

Your merchant account is for a specific business setup. If you're changing that - for example, going from in-person to online sales or going from a brick-and-mortar restaurant to food truck - you’ll need to update your merchant account as well. If you don’t, you could end up overpaying or worse, having your account closed for violating terms. Fo...

Over the last couple decades, I’ve fielded thousands of questions about pricing models and written countless blog posts to help clear up confusion about processing fees. But payment processing is a constantly-changing landscape. Over the years new models have joined the fray, such as flat-rate pricing and subscription-based pricing. So it’s worth r...

Subscription pricing is becoming more popular as businesses try to find ways to cut credit card processing costs. This type of pricing can be competitive, but there is an element of marketing spin that can sometimes make it seem better than it actually is. Subscription flat rate pricing is available from some processors in the CardFellow marketp...

Choosing a Seasonal Merchant Account Provider For seasonal businesses, transparency is key. You’ll need a processor that isn’t skittish about big seasonal swings in transaction volume and you'll need to be open with them about the seasonal nature of your business. Additionally, finding a processor that has no or low monthly minimums for your off-m...

That may sound confusing, but I'll explain. Monthly Minimum Explanation A monthly minimum indicates the minimum amount in fees that a processor will collect in any given month. If actual fees resulting from processing activity don't meet or exceed the minimum amount, the processor will charge however much is necessary to meet the minimum. A ca...