ForumsStarting a Business

Novice, I was confused like you when I started with credit cards. Everybody has an offer and a "deal". It was all very confusing. What I did was to start with BOA because they were who I bank with. After I was able to know my average ticket and volume, I was able to put a pencil to the numbers other people gave. I then selected another vendor based on the rates and free equipment offered.

Novice,

Welcome to the forum. I had many "brick and mortar" locations and accepted cc's.

I have a associate that had helped many people.

Email me and I'll make the introduction. He has good rate, free machine, great service and understands all the problems small businesses can run into because he has dealt with so many.

kathyhadley@earthlink.net

Good Luck

Kathy

Dear Novice,

Good luck on your new business venture.

One point of contention I'd like to take with what someone told you on another post. You do NOT just get started with some processor, even your bank, with intentions of looking for better rates and switching shortly thereafter. That's because nearly every processor out there has at least a 2-3 year contractual obligation with early termination fees. In fact, that's the first red flag you look for in any merchant agreement....the longer the term and stiffer the early termination fee, the more you'll regret your mistake sooner or later.

I know a place, major national processor, with competitive numbers, provide equipment at no cost, and no contractual terms or early termination fees. That's very important..., if you hate them or find a better deal a week after signing up with them, you give them 30 days written notice and you're out scott-free. That, by the way, is the processor's incentive to make sure your numbers are competitive. Lots of processors out therer have 'free equipment' deals, but if you're smart enough to read the 'fine print' you'll see they all have long term contracts that you're stuck with and cost you big-time if you change processors, go out of business, change your mind ,whatever. Don't go there.

Please email me privately and we'll discuss. Thanks.

Barry G
amspcs@juno.com

As long as we are passing self endorsements for merchant service providers (I didn't know that was permitted or encouraged) , we'd like to pass our contact info as well:

AMS, Inc.
1-877-689-1691 toll free
amspcs@juno.com

We represent several processing acquirers for US based merchants, not just one. Some of more popular programs feature:

• free or low cost equipment, including POS software
• agreements with no early termination fees in case you change your mind or find something better....this

is a biggie. Don't get locked into a processor you don't like because you'd owe them several hundred or
thousands in termination fees if you break the contract. This is very common.

• ecommerce solutions
• check guarantee, verification and conversion services (including no or low cost check readers & imagers)
• free NSF check collection services

Feel free to email or call my office 9-5 M-F. Thanks, have a good weekend.

I guess we are the only one that suggested we wanted your business and the other free equipment offer's are never truly free long contarcts will apply so beware of the free offers out their and most of the time your rates on those programs will increase to pay for the free eqiupment.

I appreciate the responses. Unfortunately, it seems many of the responses were from merchant service sales agents trying to sell me their services, rather than a forum of other merchants sharing their experience of what did and did not work for them. For those responses that did fall into that category, thank you. It seems that the (small) consensus from other merchants starting out is that going with Bank of America is the safest option. If anyone has any other thoughts or experiences, I would very much like to hear them.

Novice,

As noted in my posts, I too was a little taken aback when the business trolling became a little blatant and obvious. Yes, I have been in the merchant services business for many years and, if I do say so myself, have earned some credibility and respect in my field. My primary intent was to provide you with worthwhile knowledge which I feel I did--presumably you would not have preferred that I kept it to myself and NOT shared what I know? The points made about contractual terms, termination fees, and so on are quite valid and should be of utmost interest to you. As noted in my post, I 'advertised' myself only after it became obvious that was the tactic everyone else was using blantantly which I found to be a little distasteful myself..

So again, you might want to investigate and see what's out there before you opt for the 'easy' way of going through your bank. Who knows, if you make a little effort you might even learn something valuable and find something that makes sense for you, be it the products I offer or otherwise. I know the following sounds self-serving, but nevertheless it is the absoute truth: Processing directly through your banker, 'the 'easy' way, almost always accomplishes nothing but assuring that you will pay the highest possible rates and fees, since all you are doing is adding an unnecessary middleman to the pricing equiation.