Payment Processing
Can I accept debit cards?
You can accept debit cards through SmartMerchant Solutions for all
major debit networks throughout the United States.
What types of merchants does SmartMerchant Solutions accept? SmartMerchant
Solutions processes credit and debit card transactions for traditional
and Internet businesses. Whether you are building an e-commerce Web site,
a traditional brick-and-mortar business or a mail order/telephone order
business, you will want to open a SmartMerchant Solutions merchant account.
How long before my account is live and I can start accepting credit
and/or ATM/debit cards?
Once your merchant account is approved, which usually takes 24 hours,
you will be able to accept cards the very next business day.
When do my transactions get funded?
Usually within two business days after you submit your batches to
our Processing Network.
Whose Processing Network does SmartMerchant Solution use?
We utilize several of the largest Processing Networks in the industry
including First Data, Global, Paymentech® and Vital™. These options
enable us to carefully select which network to use for a particular merchant
based on a number of factors including equipment compatibility, type of
merchant (swiped/keyed, mail order or telephone orders), industry, and
other key factors.
Will I be approved if my credit history is not perfect?
Although credit scores are an important part of our approval process,
we approve 98% of all merchants.
Will my rate ever go up?
Unlike many companies, we will not periodically increase your rate.
The only time our rates may see a slight increase, is if the Interchange
rates that are charged on all processors is increased.
What if I need help with my account?
A customer service representative is available to serve you 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. Please see our Customer Service
page for phone numbers.
Equipment, Software and Supplies
How should I decide which terminal, equipment or software I should
buy? What is best for my business? Whether you are starting a new
business or expanding an existing one, SmartMerchant Solutions has the
payment solution to support your processing needs. We will help you select
the payment solution that best meets your business and financial needs.
Give us a call at 303-790-2600 or send us an email at info@smartmerchant.com
and we will help you make the right choice.
Can I order supplies for my terminal or printer through SmartMerchant
Solutions?
Yes, you can! Send us an email at info@smartmerchant.com
and tell us your merchant number, terminal type, printer type, and the
quantity of supplies you need. We know the ribbon and paper types that
support your equipment, so you do not need to list the specific item numbers.
We will process your order and deduct the charges from your business checking
account.
Check Services
What is Check Guarantee?
Check guarantee is like an insurance policy for checks you accept
at your retail location, over the phone , via fax, or on a Web site. Each
check you receive is first verified through the check guarantee provider's
check database to reduce the chance of accepting a check from a fraudulent
check writer. You receive the amount of the check from the check guarantee
provider and your cash flow continues without interruption whether or
not the check is collectible later on. Any checks that are returned unpaid
are sent directly to the check guarantee provider.
What is electronic check conversion?
Electronic Check Conversion, or "ECC" greatly reduces the
cost, time, and risks associated with check acceptance at the point-of-sale.
The ECC service converts paper checks into electronic transactions that
are sent directly to the bank. With ECC the paper checks do not have to
be deposited at your bank and the money is guaranteed. Any checks that
are returned unpaid are sent directly to the ECC provider.
Can I accept checks over the phone, via fax, or over the Internet?
Yes. Check guarantee programs are available today to enable merchants
to accept checks over the phone, via fax, and over the Internet risk free.
See "What is Check Guarantee" above for more information.
Gift Cards
How do Gift Cards work?
The purchaser buys a Gift Card with cash, or their credit or check card
just like they would purchase a store gift certificate. The recipient
uses the Gift Card just like a debit card for purchases up to the Gift
Card amount.
Do I need any new processing equipment to accept a Gift Card?
Not, in most cases. The Gift Cards are processed the same way as traditional
credit cards so, in most cases, you won't need to purchase any new equipment.
Internet Commerce
What is a payment gateway?
Secure Payment Gateway companies help other Processors conduct secure
business on the Internet using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. They
provide a system that passes credit card data, authorization requests,
and authorization responses over the Internet using encryption technology.
The transaction information is sent by the Payment Gateway secure server
via leased line to the credit card network where the validity of the card
is checked and the availability of funds on that account is verified.
An authorization code is returned via leased line to the Payment Gateway;
the authorization is encrypted by the Payment Gateway and transmitted
in encrypted form to the Web server of the merchant, which triggers fulfillment
of the order. Rather than try and create their own Secure Web System,
many Banks and Bank/Processor alliances will use a Secure Payment Gateway
Provider to perform this task for them.
How is my money protected?
Merchant Service Center is equipped to address the key protection issues
of both traditional and Internet merchants, including fraud, loss prevention
and chargebacks. Our Internet solutions use state-of-the-art security
technology, and our Secure Payment Gateway uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
technology designed to protect all merchant and payment information.
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