Wireless Payment Processing

The convenience of credit card processing wirelessly is important for companies who conduct a lot of their business on the road. The days of processing payments back at the office is a thing of the past. There are a number of cost effective options that will allow you to quickly and conveniently process payments virtually anywhere. Check out some of the options below.

Cell Phone Processing with Merchant Account

Of all the wireless options available, this one seems to be the cheapest option available unless you process more then a few thousand dollars each month. You'll understand why in just a moment.

Cell phone processing actually comes in two "flavors" so to speak; with or without equipment. Some solutions allow you to key in the credit card information manually using the phones keypad while with others utilize a card reader that is attached so you can just swipe cards instead. Pricing is drastically different for both options. Below is a comparison.

Interested in cell phone processing? Touch-Pay is a really great service that is priced very reasonably.

With Card Reader	No Equipment; Use Keypad
Lower processing fees since the card is actually being swiped. 1.60% to 1.79% and $0.25 cents per transaction. Other fees may apply depending on your cell phone carrier. A statement fee of approx. $10/month is usually standard. A setup fee is also not uncommon.	Higher processing fees since the card is NOT swiped, but rather entered in using the phones keypad. 3.85% per transaction. Statement fees of $5 to $10/month. Setup fee usually applies as well.
Card reader attachments can be pricey, costing you a few hundred dollars. However, they are much more reasonable then wireless terminals which are usually over $1,000 easily. Unless the card reader also has a printer (most don't and if they do they cost even more), you might want to purchase a manual imprinter for $25 to $35. Having signatures are essential to win battles against chargebacks (disputed charges).	If providing a receipt is a requirement of yours, think about purchasing a low cost manual imprinter. You can usually get one for $25 to $35. These will also allow you to capture a signature. Signatures are very important to have if a client ever tries to dispute a charge.
Good option for those who process more than a few thousand dollars per month. Also for those who don't mind footing a higher upfront cost to save per transaction.	Good option for those who expect their processing to be low volume, but still want to offer the convenience of payment on-site.

Or, Cell Phone Processing for merchants that already have a merchant account and do not wish to open a new account

If you're a merchant that is already or is considering using an online, shopping cart, or payment gateway merchant account and would like to simply accept credit payments using that existing account from your touch tone phone; for mobile transactions, click here for the SOVAI payment service. This service allows you to use an online gateway account to securely accept mobile payments from your touch-tone phone without needing a new merchant account.

Wireless Terminals

Out of all the available wireless options, wireless credit card terminals are the most expensive ($450 and up). You can purchase a new or refurbished wireless terminal for around $450 - $800 from some providers. A few tips about eBay terminal buying, 1) If possible, buy a terminal with at least a 1-year warranty. 2) Don't necessarily go with a seller who requires you to purchase a merchant account from them with the terminal, they may not have the best deal. If you do go with them, request all rates/fees in writing before signing the dotted line.

Here are some suggested wireless terminals to look into:

Lipman Nurit 8000
Freedom MIST
Verifone Omni 3600
Way Systems MTT

In addition to regular merchant account fees (discount rate, statement fee, transaction fee, etc.) there will also be a monthly wireless access fee. This is usually $15 to $20/month and a wireless per transaction fee that's usually around $0.05 cents per transaction.

Company Suggestion

Recommended Resources:

Merchant Accounts to accept credit cards - MerchantSeek.com - Eliminates the hassle of searching the internet for credit card processors by providing a one stop resource for merchants looking for credit card processing information.

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