Tap on phone (or tap to phone as Visa calls it and tap to mobile for Amex and Discover) is a contactless payment method where customers tap a seller’s smartphone instead of a credit card machine to pay. You may also hear this referred to as "SoftPOS" short for software POS. In other words, a POS system that doesn't need special hardware; it just ne...

However, Zettle isn’t only for businesses that take cards in various locations. The readers can also be paired with an iPad and accessories to create a sleek, modern point of sale system in a fixed location. In this PayPal Zettle overview, we’ll go through the features, hardware options, and costs to help you determine if it’s the right fit for you...

It’s a common situation – you’re considering a new credit card processor, maybe browsing a website or talking to a salesperson, when you’re offered a savings analysis. Perhaps you get a cold email from a processing rep. The website text or salesperson says that it’s free and will show you how much you can save by switching. There’s just one prob...

As swindlers find it more difficult to rob consumers by impersonating them at brick-and-mortar registers or by skimming their card information, they’re turning to online card-not-present attacks. The Fraud Picture A December 2018 survey by global data and analytics company Lexis-Nexis Risk Solutions found that online fraud attempts had risen ...

Credit card processing isn’t cheap. But it doesn’t have to be as expensive as many business owners think. In this article, I’ll cover the different types of price increases, which ones are avoidable, and how to stop them. Types of Price Increases When your processing rates go up, it could be because Visa and Mastercard raised rates, your proces...

The method to go about choosing the right credit card processor is very similar whether you’re taking cards for the first time or switching processors from your existing solution. The only real difference is equipment considerations. This article will go over what you need to look for (and avoid!) in order to choose a merchant services provider ...

In the past, Clover’s focus had been small, quick-service restaurants. Now the company is turning its attention to full-service restaurants, a vertical that requires wider functionality. Clover is owned by Fiserv (formerly First Data), which owns the STAR network that processes about one-third of all U.S. debit cards. Although Clover comes with ...

It’s not about brand recognition, star ratings, or exhaustive spreadsheets comparing rates. It’s about knowing what to look for that meets the needs of your specific business. Here’s what the savviest business owners know about credit card processing. Use their secrets to find the best account for your own business. 1: They Know that Right ...

Unfortunately, many practice management systems lock you in to one or two processors, eliminating your competitive leverage to negotiate low pricing for your merchant account. So, what are your options? You can either resign yourself to continually watching your pricing and fighting off rate hikes, or you can consider a “non-integrated” solution. ...

There are plenty of Stripe competitors that offer similar services. The trick for finding the right alternative to Stripe is to know exactly what it is about Stripe that you like and what you don’t like. In this article, we’ll look at when to use Stripe, and when to consider a company like Stripe instead. Online Payments Terms A few terms wil...