In case you own a website where you provide products and services to your customers, then you need to have online credit card processing authorization. There are many online business owners who do not provide the service of online payments just by looking at the expenditures that they may have to bear.

But unfortunately, they don't seem to realize that they are passing up a lot of money by not offering the service. Approximately 90% of all online purchases are done through credit cards, and the rest 10% of internet buys are carried out through bank account transfer, money orders, or paper checks. Yes, credit card dealings will cost a few cents more than usual dealings, but it is way better and convenient than any other mode of transaction and should be considered as an important business investment. There are many methods of online credit card processing. This article will focus on two particular modes of credit card payments, they are- PayPal and merchant account.

Let's begin with merchant account. This is a kind of account that is offered by a merchant bank that has the authority to carry out payments from credit cards like MasterCard and Visa. To avail a merchant account is quite time consuming, as it requires you to fill up a lengthy application. The bank may also check your credit history before sanctioning a merchant account to you. You are also required to go through and agree to the terms and conditions of the bank. Availing a merchant account doesn't come free; the bank is most likely to charge you a monthly fee and a percentage of every transaction you make. You may also be asked to pay a set up fee depending upon the rules and regulations of the bank. In many cases, the companies discharge the setup fee for their new clients.

PayPal is another great way to process online payments. For those online business owners who are unable to obtain a merchant account for themselves, PayPal can be an excellent option for them. PayPal is pretty much the same concept as Merchant account as it allows them to take credit card payments over the internet. But that only downside of PayPal method of payment is that a customer willing to make an online transaction needs to make his /her payments through their PayPal account. Most people who often shop on the internet do have their own PayPal account, but there are many who don't. This is a reason why many businesses that deal with online transaction have both PayPal and merchant account for the convenience of their customers. PayPal accounts, like merchant accounts charge a percent of your transactions.

The two ways of processing credit card payments that are discussed above are considered to be the most efficient and popular methods of taking payments online. In case you want to opt for the merchant account, beware of scams and it is wise to check the fine print thoroughly before finalizing anything. Although merchant account and PayPal are the best ways of carrying out online payments, it is always advisable that you do your research to find out which method suits you the best.