Best Rate Merchant Account

Save money with cheap merchant accounts

If you want to save money wherever you can, consider investing in cheap merchant accounts. Many times companies that are just starting up will offer cheap merchant accounts as a way to build a customer base and history. While you would normally hesitate with sinking money into a start-up, consider the benefits in doing so with a new merchant provider: possible discounted or even waived application fees, affiliate and referral bonuses, and low cost monthly service fees. Also, you may be able to work out an advertising deal in exchange for cheap merchant accounts: agree to advertise the merchant provider, either on your business receipts or even business cards, in exchange for having some of the normal monthly costs waived.

Lowering costs with cheap merchant accounts

The best way to lower the cost of a cheap merchant account is to make the setup process as easy as possible. Rather than relying on the merchant account provider to complete your application and make the necessary calls and requests for needed paperwork, fill out your own application, and gather your own documentation! The trick of the trade, any trade really, is to do as much of the legwork yourself. This will save you considerable amounts of money if your merchant account provider charges for these services.

Tips for cheap merchant accounts

Cheap merchant accounts can be cheap without cutting out the features and security you not only want, but have come to expect as an industry standard. Let's start with gateway fees. Skip processing credit card transactions real-time, and save up to $30 per month. Then there's the cost of the credit card processing equipment. Instead of paying high rental rates each month, purchase the equipment outright. It's yours forever, for maybe $200 or $300, rather than twice or more than amount over the course of your agreement with the provider of your cheap merchant accounts.
Chargeback fees aren't avoidable entirely, since you can't count on what a customer will or won't do, but you can reduce the risk by operating a business that is low risk to begin with. Be up front with all costs and policies, and see if you can work out resolutions with a consumer directly, rather than forcing their hand in contesting a charge. If a customer wants a refund, give it to him: better to pay the cash out of pocket, then to pay it from the merchant account provider, and then their fee as well!
Annual fees and cancellation fees can also be reduced or eliminated if you agree to certain terms with cheap merchant accounts, or if you're willing to pay for the duration of the contract up front.