Does your company need credit card processing? It does if you can benefit from the following: Credit Card Processing Enhances Your Professional Status. When customers know that you accept credit payments, they often are more likely to pay more, return often, and tell their friends if the service is good. This is because a company that makes credit payment options available to clients is telling the world that they care about customers and they are professional enough to invest in systems that will enhance the shopping experience for guests. No one likes that disappointed feeling when, after browsing, you find something you want to buy but then fail to find enough cash in your wallet to purchase it. Writing a check may put you over the balance, and you don't want to take time to run to the ATM machine to withdraw the money from savings. When customers can pay with a plastic card, they may show their appreciation by returning again and again to shop your store.
Credit Card Processing is Inexpensive. It depends on your current business budget, of course, but you don't have to sink a lot of money into credit card processing equipment. All you need do is get a merchant account services account, buy or lease a credit card processing unit, and you are good to go. Plug it in or take a wireless unit with you on the road to make credit payments easy, fast, and secure. Plan on paying a per-transaction fee of perhaps 25 cents or a low interest monthly rate that may include minimums. Associated expenses may include discount fees, gateway fees, print statement fees, and membership costs. There may be others as well. Overall, however, the benefits of a merchant account outweigh its costs.
Credit Card Processing is Flexible. You don't have to be stuck behind the cash register all day to appreciate the advantages of a merchant account's ability to provide credit card processing. You can take a wireless unit from one destination to another to let clients pay at the point of purchase rather than wait for billing. You may want to invest in a pager that will let you provide instant deliveries or prompt responses to customer inquiries, some of which could lead to direct or indirect sales with the option of credit card payments. You can also set up an online Website to accept credit card payments from potentially billions of customers around the world. It's all up to you, of course, as to what you're ready to do in terms of growing your company's sales. You won't need extra staff to manage credit card processing, either. In fact, you may be able to operate some credit card processing systems automatically when you opt for the telephone payment system or the Website option. But you will need to have a staff member available at certain times for questions or troubleshooting issues.
Don't get left behind by competitors who already have merchant account services and customers who expect them. Start browsing now to learn more about Credit Card Processing.
Would you like to do something worthwhile with those cash back and reward points that you're earning on your rebate credit cards? Many major non-profit organizations would be delighted to help you do that. By making an affinity credit card your major credit card, you can donate hundreds of dollars to your favorite charity - just by using your credit card the way that you normally would.
Affinity credit cards have been around since the 1980s, but they've really taken off in the last four to five years. Among the non-profit organizations that have teamed up with major credit card issuers to offer affinity cards are the American Red Cross, the Humane Society of the United States and the Cancer Society. Add in the National Audubon Society and a wide variety of local police organizations, alumni associations, homeless shelters and labor unions.
Affinity cards, like co-branded cards, have both the credit card logo and the emblem of the charity that benefits when you use it on the front. Most affinity cards, however, don't offer special perks to the user, unless you count the knowledge that you're supporting a worthy cause that's important to you - and it's costing you nothing.
Just how much good do affinity credit cards do?
According to MBNA, about 35,000 people use a Humane Society of the United States affinity credit card. Over the last ten years, contributions through the affinity credit card have been 'well into six figures' annually. That's a lot of puppies and kittens being saved through people's credit spending.
That's just the tip of the iceberg. The World Wildlife Federation started issuing an affinity credit card in 1995. In the past ten years they've earned over $8 million in affinity credit card contributions.
Affinity cards work on the same principle as Earned Rewards cards. Whenever a holder of an affinity credit card makes a purchase using that card, they're credited with 1-1.5% back. The difference is that instead of receiving that reward themselves, it's contributed to the company that places its emblem on the card. It's a painless way to contribute to your favorite charity and let your spending habits do some good.
But how many people actually use affinity credit cards?
According to the Nilson Report, affinity credit cards make up almost 29% of all credit cards in use. That's nearly 1/3 of all active credit cards. That's a lot of charity going around for a country that supposedly has a heart of stone.
Should your non-profit agency consider issuing an affinity credit card? According to the experts, the standard rule of thumb is 'can you generate 50,000 credit card users in two years?'
What can you expect if you do decide to market an affinity card in conjunction with a credit card company?
Most companies - and they include local police unions, sports groups and philanthropic groups - get at least $1 per user that signs up for your affinity card, and a percentage of whatever is charged on those cards. Whether you're looking into applying for an affinity credit card or finding a bank that might be interested in sponsorship from your organization, be sure to shop carefully.
The better the deal you get on your affinity card, the more you'll be helping the people that are important to you.
Both Ankur Bhardwaj & Joe Kenny are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.