CardFellow Credit Card Processing Blog

Credit Card Processing

Mastercard Card Validation Code (CVC2) Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

As of 2018, Mastercard charges $0.0025. Let’s take a closer look at the criteria for the fee and how to determine if you’ve been charged. Card Validation Code Fee Mastercard Assessment Fees Locating the CVC2 Fee on Your Statement How to Find More Competitive Processing Card Validation Code Fee As mentioned above, the CVC2 Fee…

Mastercard’s Card Validation Code 2 (CVC2) Fee is a charge that applies when you submit the CVC2 (three-digit code on the back of a customer’s card) with a transaction for authorization.

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Credit Card Processing

Mastercard Account Status Inquiry Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

As of 2018, Mastercard sets the Account Status Inquiry Fee at $0.025. Mastercard Processing Fees Account Status Inquiry Fee Fees on Your Processing Statement How to Lower Your Processing Costs Mastercard Processing Fees The fees that Mastercard charges for credit card processing are called assessment fees. They’re one part of the total cost to process…

As the name implies, Mastercard’s Account Status Inquiry Fee is charged when a business requests information about the status of a cardholder’s account, such as whether the card is valid, but doesn’t actually charge the customer’s card.

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Credit Card Processing

Discover Network Authorization Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

Discover implemented the Network Authorization Fee in 2013 to replace the Data Transmission Fee, which applied to fewer transactions. The Network Authorization fee is often charged in tandem with the Discover Data Usage Fee. However, some processors only list one or the other. As of 2018, Discover sets the fee at $0.0025. What are assessment fees?…

The Network Authorization Fee is an assessment charge that applies to all Discover authorization transactions.

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Credit Card Processing

Mastercard Processing Integrity Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

The amount and criteria for the fee vary depending on specific circumstances, which we’ll explain in detail below. Processing Integrity Fee Summary Mastercard Assessment Fees Processing Integrity Fee in Detail Pre-Authorization Final Authorization Undefined Authorization Other Rules Locating the Processing Integrity Fee on Statements Lowering Your Mastercard Acceptance Costs Processing Integrity Fees Summary As of…

The Mastercard Processing Integrity Fee is an “assessment fee” Mastercard charges to encourage businesses to adhere to correct authorization standards for transactions.

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Credit Card Processing

Assessments: Discover International Processing Fee and International Service Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

If you take a Discover card that was issued outside the US, you’ll be subject to international processing fees. Discover Assessments Discover International Fees Identifying International Processing Fees Lowering Your Costs Discover Assessments Assessment fees are a non-negotiable component of credit card processing costs. Assessments are set by the card brands and are the same…

Discover imposes two assessment fees specifically for international transactions: The International Processing Fee and the International Service Fee. Both fees can apply to one transaction.

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Credit Card Processing

American Express International Assessment

by Ellen Cunningham

As of 2018, the International Assessment carries a rate of 0.40% of the total transaction volume. Let’s break that down further and take a look at when this fee is charged. OptBlue Pricing Model American Express Assessments When is the International Assessment charged? Lowering Your Amex Acceptance Costs OptBlue Pricing Model Firstly, the International Assessment…

The International Assessment is a credit card processing charge that a business on an OptBlue pricing model incurs when accepting an American Express card that was issued outside of the United States.

American Express Data Security Operating Policy

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Credit Card Processing

American Express Card Not Present Surcharge

by Ellen Cunningham

Let’s break that down a little further. Defining Card Not Present What is OptBlue? Card Not Present Surcharge Do all processors impose the Card-Not-Present Surcharge? Defining Card Not Present The term “card not present” can be a little tricky. It covers any transaction where you don’t run the card through a credit card machine using…

American Express’ Card Not Present Surcharge is a fee charged to businesses on the OptBlue pricing model that take credit cards through non-swiped methods, such as online or by keying in card details.

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Credit Card Processing

Discover Data Usage Fee

by Ellen Cunningham

However, processors may or may not charge it, and may or may not list it as the “data usage fee.” What are assessment fees? Data Usage Fee Paying the Data Usage Fee Interchange Plus Pricing Flat Rate Pricing Can I lower or avoid the Data Usage Fee? What are assessment fees? Assessment fees are a…

The “Data Usage Fee” is an assessment charge Discover imposes when you accept Discover cards at your business.

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Credit Card Processing exposed