Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminals

Avoiding Credit Card Traps
By James Dimmitt

The next time you open your credit card statement, take a
closer look at the small insert titled “changes to your credit
card agreement”. You know the one I’m speaking about. It’s
that small, folded paper written in legalese that you promise
to read some other time (but of course that time never comes)
or you just discard it with the other “junk” inserts.

First and foremost you must understand that using your credit
card after you’ve received this notification results in your
automatic “agreement” to the new terms in the notice. To
prevent these new terms from affecting your account you must
stop using that credit card immediately or by the date given in
the notification statement.

The most common modifications to credit card agreements include
new APR’s (annual percentage rates), new fees and/or changes to
existing fees, or a change to the grace period on your account.
The grace period is the number of days during which any credit
used for purchases may be repaid in full without incurring a
finance charge.

Not knowing or not keeping track of the dollar amount limit on
your card is another trap you should avoid. Credit card
issuers will allow you to charge a small amount over the limit
set on your account. However, don’t be surprised when you get
hit with an “over limit fee”, usually around $35.00 or higher,
on your next statement. Also, be prepared for your APR to be
increased if you go over your credit limit.

You’ll also trigger an increase to your interest rate if you
miss your payment due date. Some companies consider your
payment late if not received by noon or 1 p.m. on the date due.

Along with the higher rate, you’ll also pay a “late fee” of $29
on up. Be sure to use the company’s preprinted envelope when
sending your payment. These envelopes allow the pre-printed
bar code to be scanned by the post office so that it can be
delivered more efficiently.

If you’ve counted on those few extra days from the time you
mail your check and the time the check clears your bank,
beware! Many credit card issuers have switched from the
traditional method of processing checks to a new electronic
process. This new system shaves off a day or more from the
traditional method it normally takes for your check to clear by
electronically debiting your account.

If you’re considering paying your credit card bills online,
check to see if any additional fees will be charged for using
this type of payment. I recently received an e-mail message
from one of my credit card companies announcing how easy it
would be to make my payments online. Included in fine print at
the bottom of the e-mail was this note - “A fee of up to $14.95
may be charged for this service and will be deducted from your
checking account”. Hmmm, spend 37 cents on postage and mail my
payment five days before the due date or pay now and get charged
an additional $14.95 fee? I’ll bet you can guess which choice I
made.

Taking the time to carefully read and understand your credit
card agreement now will help you save money by avoiding
unnecessary fees or climbing interest rates later down the
road.

About the Author: © 2005,
http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt
James is editor of “To Your Credit” a FREE weekly newsletter
focusing on managing your personal finances and credit.
Subscribe and get a FREE copy of your credit report when you
visit: http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Friday, July 27, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

How Wireless Handheld Credit Card Processing Can Save Your Business Time and Money
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Schiano]Gerald Schiano

If you are in a service business, how often do you invoice someone and wait 30, 60, 90+ days to get paid. How often do you never get paid? Many of you might already appreciate the benefits of accepting Visa/Mastercard, Amex, and Discover, but currently call in/key in credit card transactions. The fact that a physical credit card is not swiped is costing your business money. It is considered a higher risk transaction and your discount rate will be higher on a non-swiped card transaction. The solution that will save your company time and money is the wireless credit card terminal.

Wireless networks have evolved to the point where they are now very comprehensive and cost effective. The following list of professions could benefit substantially from wireless processing: plumbers, locksmiths, taxis, limo’s, pizza delivery, home parties, trade show participants, flea market merchants, contractors, electricians, snow plowing, lawn maintenance and photographers. The list is endless!

We all know that it is much more appetizing to spend a little more money when you use plastic. Credit Cards also make it more possible for an impulse purchase. For example, we are currently quoting an aerial photographer that takes beautiful pictures of homes in New England, then sells the finished product to the homeowner. A wireless terminal will surely increase his business and grab many of those impulse buyers that might not have purchased with cash on hand.

In closing, many industries could benefit from a wireless hand held credit card terminal. As always, do your research before purchasing and demand that your credit card processor educate you on all aspects of your contract!

Gerald Schiano is a consultant with United Bankcard of New England. He can be reached for a complimentary analysis of your businesses current credit card processing statement or a bid on new service. [http://www.unitedbankcardlowrates.com]http://www.unitedbankcardlowrates.com, [mailto:consult@unitedbankcardlowrates.com]consult@unitedbankcardlowrates.com, http://stores.ebay.com/UBC-of-NE-Accept-Credit-Cards-Now 401-404-5600

There is a reason UBC is the sixth fastest growing private company in the INC 500. Great Service & Great Pricing!

United Bankcard of New England is a proud Agent for United Bankcard a registered ISO/MSP of First National Bank Of Omaha

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Schiano http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Wireless-Handheld-Credit-Card-Processing-Can-Save-Your-Business-Time-and-Money&id=392853

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

Lost or Stolen Credit Card? Here's What To Do
By Jill Kane

Unfortunately, purses and wallets become lost or stolen every
day. The missing credit cards in your purse or wallet become
the biggest concern.

Do you know what to do if this happens to you? Well, you should
because a few simple steps can save you a lot of headache. It
really isn't difficult to develop an action plan for your lost
or stolen credit cards.

All major credit card companies have policies to protect you
from loss or theft. You just need to know how to get their
policies working for you if your cards become missing.

The first step is to contact your credit card companies to
report your missing cards. Many companies offer a toll free
number or an online service to handle this type of problem
specifically.

Fortunately, federal law states that your are only liable for
the first $50.00 of fraudulent charges made to your account.
However, you are still required to report the card lost or
stolen and if you do so prior to any fraudulent charges, you
are not liable for the $50.00 charge either.

Be sure to carefully review your statement for any charges that
don't belong to you. And, if there are any fraudulent charges to
your account, notify your credit card company in writing
immediately.

When your send in your written notification be sure to mail it
to the billing errors address. Do not send it with your payment
as it will probably become lost and never get recorded.

A lost or stolen debit card works somewhat differently from a
credit card. If you report the card lost or stolen before it is
used you are not liable for any charges, however, if you wait
for even two business days you may be liable for up to $500.00
of any fraudulent charges made with your card.

After you have reported your missing card, be sure to review
your statements carefully for any fraudulent charges. You
should call, as well as, follow-up with a certified letter
regarding any issues with your lost or stolen card. This added
step will help to eliminate any liability on your part.

Also, remember to have your credit card contact information in
a safe place where you can quickly access it if needed.

Of course, the best way to avoid these problems is to keep
careful track of your credit cards. Know where your credit
cards are at all times and keep your pin numbers secret. Also,
be sure to use pin numbers that are not easy to figure out,
such as your date or birth.

Most importantly, be prepared to contact your credit card
companies via telephone and in writing as soon as possible in
the event your cards become lost or stolen.

About the Author: Jill Kane is an author for
http://www.yes-credit-cards.com/

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Friday, July 20, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

Credit Card And Loan Apr…some Points Of Interest
By Terry Till

When choosing to have a credit card or credit arrangement how
many of us take an interest in the APR or look into how much
our borrowing will cost us over the year that we have a credit
amount outstanding.

The APR or annual percentage rate that is used for a credit
card or credit facility is our guideline as to how much
interest we will be paying to the financial lender on the money
we borrow. With the competition nowadays to offer us credit on
all matter of consumables we can all to easily forget that what
we sign for today on a credit card or credit arrangement will
inevitably cost us considerably more than the original purchase
price if we don’t make some preliminary investigations into the
total cost of the item including the financial lenders
interest.

So when making your next purchase using a credit card, or any
other credit arrangement, be sure to enquire first what the APR
is and what the total cost of the item will cost you including
the interest.

As a basic guideline obviously the lower the APR is, the
smaller the amount of interest charged should be, however it is
always wise to ask for a full quotation of the total cost in
writing when ever possible.

Also check what APR your current credit card is charging and
make the time to see what better offers are being made by the
other financial institutions, it is not uncommon nowadays to
find interest rates now being offered from 0% to the high 20%
range. Again it is also well worth asking how long the interest
rate being offered is guaranteed for as some companies may offer
an attractive introductory rate for a short period of time which
when reverted back to their normal rate may be far more
uncompetitive than others available.

About the Author: Copywrite 2005 Terry Till
http://www.credit-card-offer-deal.info

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

Benefits Of Online Credit Card Processors
By Matt Garrett

We have all heard of PayPal. PayPal is an online credit card
processor that allows online businesses to securely accept
credit cards as a form of payment. In addition to PayPal, there
are additional online credit card processors.

Online shopping has dramatically increased in popularity and
each day more consumers think about purchasing online. Online
shopping is popular because it is generally easy and
convenient. Online credit card processors help to make online
shopping hassle free. Online credit card processors are used by
large or small businesses. In additional to nationally known
companies, online credit card processors make it easy for
work-at-home individuals to successfully make a profit selling
homemade or wholesale merchandise.

For individuals interested in starting their own online
business, finding the perfect online credit card processing
company make take sometime. Credit card number are valuable
information and unfortunately many account numbers are stolen
each day. In addition to protecting the assets of your
business, obtaining a secure online credit card processor will
also protect your customers. Consumers do not want to be
shopping or handing out valuable personal information to an
unsecured website or credit card processing company. The best
way to determine the success of online credit card processors
is by searching for customer feedback on the internet. Many
times clients will post feedback when they have had a positive
or negative experience with a company.

In addition to personal and business security, fully
researching the various different online credit card processors
is a potential way to increase your profits. For allowing you to
use their services, you are charged a fee. The fee and rates
will depend on the online credit card processor in question.
For this reason, it is important to shop around and find the
best value for your money. Although cheaper rates are nice, it
is not always better. Go with your gut instinct, if something
seems too good to be true it may be. Research is an important
tool in keeping your profits intact.

It is not uncommon to come across online credit card processors
that offer certain guidelines or restrictions on their services.
For example, there may be a select few of online credit card
processors that limit the amount of sales it processes. This
limit may be monthly, weekly, or even daily. If your business
becomes a success, this restriction could only hurt it and
could cause you to lose potential profits.

Another restriction may include the type of business that you
are operating. Although each online credit card processor is
different and they tend to operate under different standards,
some online businesses may be a violation of their standards. A
few examples of the businesses that online credit card
processors may refuse to service are gambling sites, adult
sties, or pharmacies. Before entering into a contract with an
online credit card processing company, it is important to read
through their contract rules and guidelines.

Credit cards are used by consumers because they are a
convenient and easy way to participate in online shopping. If
you are operating an online business, whether it be large or
small, consider accepting online credit cards. There a wide
number of online credit card processors available to serve your
needs and help your businesses grow.

About the Author: Matt Garrett, SEO Services
http://www.Accept-Credit-Cards-Online.co.uk

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Friday, July 13, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

Review Of Third Party Credit Card Processors
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Frank_Owen]Frank Owen

Popular Credit Card Processors

Many small businesses rely on third party processors or merchant account providers to accept credit cards on the Web. But how do you know who is the best processor for your business?

Clickbank

For a long time Clickbank was one of the most popular third party processors on the Web. In order to sign up with Clickbank you have to set up your Website to accept payments following their guidelines. You will for example have to state that Clickbank is responsible for processing payments. It usually takes up to three business days to verify that a site is ready to accept payments via Clickbank. Once this is achieved you can start accepting credit card payments. Fortunately Clickbank offers low fees and an affordable service for most people. Some people have complained however that they have lost business because the company has refused valid credit cards.

2Checkout

Another choice is 2Checkout. This company usually requires less than 24 hours to set up payment processing. 2Checkout also processes credit card payment for a low fee. The company doesn't provide you however with built in affiliate software. This means if you have affiliates you can't sign them up for service on the spot, they will have to sign up and pay an activation fee.

Paypal

You can also try Paypal. Many online merchants prefer Paypal because it accepts US and non-US businesses. Paypal is easy to sign up for. It allows customers to pay using multiple credit cards. Paypal does charge a slightly higher fee than other merchants. Paypal also provides you a shopping cart you can place directly on your website.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on credit card processing for more information on credit card processing http://www.creditcardprocessinginsider.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Owen http://EzineArticles.com/?Review-Of-Third-Party-Credit-Card-Processors&id=88341

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Wireless Credit Card Terminal

Review Of Third Party Credit Card Processors
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Frank_Owen]Frank Owen

Popular Credit Card Processors

Many small businesses rely on third party processors or merchant account providers to accept credit cards on the Web. But how do you know who is the best processor for your business?

Clickbank

For a long time Clickbank was one of the most popular third party processors on the Web. In order to sign up with Clickbank you have to set up your Website to accept payments following their guidelines. You will for example have to state that Clickbank is responsible for processing payments. It usually takes up to three business days to verify that a site is ready to accept payments via Clickbank. Once this is achieved you can start accepting credit card payments. Fortunately Clickbank offers low fees and an affordable service for most people. Some people have complained however that they have lost business because the company has refused valid credit cards.

2Checkout

Another choice is 2Checkout. This company usually requires less than 24 hours to set up payment processing. 2Checkout also processes credit card payment for a low fee. The company doesn't provide you however with built in affiliate software. This means if you have affiliates you can't sign them up for service on the spot, they will have to sign up and pay an activation fee.

Paypal

You can also try Paypal. Many online merchants prefer Paypal because it accepts US and non-US businesses. Paypal is easy to sign up for. It allows customers to pay using multiple credit cards. Paypal does charge a slightly higher fee than other merchants. Paypal also provides you a shopping cart you can place directly on your website.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on credit card processing for more information on credit card processing http://www.creditcardprocessinginsider.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Owen http://EzineArticles.com/?Review-Of-Third-Party-Credit-Card-Processors&id=88341