Online Merchant Account for the Development of Web-Based Business

When starting a new business one should make a number of important decisions. Opening an online merchant account and choosing the right merchant account provider are the two the most important steps any merchant should take, while starting a web-based business. In today’s extremely competitive market, choosing an online merchant account provider is a challenging task. This is a choice that every businessperson needs to thoroughly think over, before making.

In the past, to pay for telephone or catalogue purchases a customer had to send a paper check or state a credit card number by filling out a form or through the phone. That type of payment posed a few complications for both the customer and the merchant.

Businesses that accepted checks had only a few ways to complete money transaction – trust the customer’s uprightness and release the product at purchase, not release product until the check cleared or rely on highly expensive checking account verification service.

That frequently resulted in additional costs related to collecting the sales amount and bounce checks, and thus had a negative effect on income. Though merchants could get the check verified, it took about a week to get money on the business account.

With the emergence of e-commerce or online business, a great need to provide instant merchant services has occurred. Online merchant account providers offer attractive and efficient services. 

By opening online merchant accounts, online business owners get an opportunity to accept credit cards from their customers. Merchant account providers offer immediate credit card approvals, and thus merchants got an opportunity to get payments as quickly as the process allows. 

Moreover, the use of bank check and debit cards enabled customers placing money in the accounts that are immediately available. Another advantage of this technology is that customers can keep transaction histories as close at hand as a mobile phone inquiry or personal computer keystroke. Avid online shoppers prefer visiting e-commerce websites that accept debit and credit cards. Online stores offering this service will have greater traffic and thus more potential buyers and greater income. Web-based businesses that require check submission and successful processing before a purchased item is shipped will undoubtedly lose customers, as they prefer dealing with online merchants offering credit card processing service.

The use of high tech computerization and instant verification of online purchases results in quick automated shipping and thus online businesses can boast their quick delivery. In fact, a number of online merchants use the service of overnight delivery to attract new customers.

Therefore, by opening an online merchant account you will get a valuable business tool that will lead to greater success and increased revenue.