A Guide How To Apply Credit Cards On Internet

Over the last few years the internet has become your one stop to finding credit cards, comparing APR(annual percentage rate), rewards programs and incentives. And the best part is you can apply for all of them online and with a secure connection. Just from searching google you can find millions of credit card resources.

One of the the best ways to find a credit card comparison website is to go to your favorite search engine and simply search "credit cards" and press "enter". Now before you jump on the first one you see there are a few things you should remember when looking for a credit card online.

1. Pick a website that offers comparisons.

2. Choose a website that offers all of the banks/issuers(American Express, CitiBank, Chase etc.).

3. Make sure the website offers more details on each individual credit card.

4. Find a site that is professional and updated often.

5. After you find a few cards that interest you make sure you compare the introductory APR, fixed APR, cash advances, balance transfers and fees, bonus or award programs, cash back programs, credit limit, annual fees, etc.

One website you may find helpful is creditcards.com. creditcards.com has a large database offering cards from, advanta, american express, bank of america, citibank, chase, discover, HSBC as well as visa. The site is easy to navigate and also tells you what type of credit rating you will need for each card. You can apply directly from the comparison page by clicking "apply here" under the corresponding card.

In essence when comparing credit cards online be sure you are looking for cards that are going to meet your daily needs. If you don't fly often then why apply for an airline credit card. If you are driving quite often and with how gas prices are these days pick a gas rebate card. Also be sure to pick a card that offers a low fixed rate. For instance some cards may offer a 0% intro apr, but 6 months later will jump to 14.99%. Lastly remember to have all of your personal information with you when you begin to fill out the online applications.

All of the above information is vital when searching for a credit card online. Be sure to remember this information when searching for a credit card comparison website and it will save you lots of money in the long run. You may also find a site you can use in the future for all of your credit card needs.

About The Author
Richard Gilliland
Web Producer and VP for http://Credit-wisdom.com and http://Jetclient.com

Richard Gilliland offers advise on comparing and searching for credit cards on the net.
Get more advise from Richard at http://www.credit-wisdom.com and http://www.jetclient.com.

How To Accept Credit Card Payments Via The Internet

So you've finally decided to explore the revenue channel offered by the Internet. Accepting credit cards via the Internet has paved the way for merchants to increase their income. With more consumers shopping online, it's a profitable decision for businesses to provide credit card payment processing on their websites. The question would then be, where do you begin?

Here are the 3 major components of credit card processing:

Payment Gateway

A payment gateway manages the secure transfer of credit card funds of your customers from your website to your merchant account. This is done with a software interface provided by the payment gateway company that collects vital credit card data from the customer, and also informs the customer in real time if their credit card was approved or not. Payment gateway companies normally charge a transaction fee and a discount rate for this kind of service. Fees will vary from one processor to another, as well as features.

The three “ty's” of payment gateways:

scalability (can they handle varying transaction volumes)

reliability (do their servers provide 99.9% uptime)

security (fraud prevention tools, Address Verification Service, 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, PCI compliance)

Without the proper security tools you are vulnerable to pilferers, and credit card scammers, and you don’t want that happening on your site.

Merchant Account

A merchant account is an account with a bank that allows you to accept credit card payments. The payment gateway wires the billing information to the merchant account provider, and subsequently collects the funds from the customer’s account.

Two kinds of merchant accounts:

‘card present’ - retail and Point of Sale(POS) merchants

‘card not present’ - Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO), and Internet Merchants.

An Internet Merchant Account enables credit card payments via the Internet. You can gain an Internet merchant account in three ways:

Through a reputable bank

Broker or intermediary

Third party

Most banks are not too keen in accepting start up businesses, and their ecommerce services are still at the developing stage. Getting a merchant account through a bank not only depends on how large your business is, but also on what kind of business you’re doing. Businesses in the field of pharmacy, gambling, adult entertainment, and travel usually won’t even dare knock on the doors of these banks for it’s just a waste of time.

Brokers, on the other hand, can help you obtain a merchant account by acting as your representative to the bank. They make your business more appealing, and improve your chances of getting your own merchant account. However, like banks, they steer clear of high risk merchants, and you might have to produce documents (business plans, personal net worth, mortgage and credit card bills) to prove your business worth.

Still unsuccessful with the first two options, most merchants are more than willing to get a free merchant account via third party processor. Application is simple and most third party processors will waive application/set up fees, and provide value-added services for free. Most processors have a “sell nothing, pay nothing” policy, and caters to most high risk merchants turned down by banks and brokers. Account approval is quick, and you can start selling in less than 24 hours. However, third party processors can charge slightly higher on transactions unlike having your own Internet merchant account.

Website

Without a functional website, you won’t be able to sell your products and services on the Internet. Merchant account providers sometimes offer site templates to choose from, and payment gateways offer shopping carts that are seamlessly incorporated on your site. The key words here are: easily integrated. If you can’t integrate, you can’t sell.

In general, these three are the main factors when accepting credit card payments over the Internet. Having these three won't guarantee a successful online business, but are imperative if you plan on engaging in ecommerce. Search the web for the best solution you feel can help your business succeed. Merchants have long tapped the revenue potential of the ecommerce market, its about time you do.

Benedict Bailey writes for several web companies mostly in the areas of free merchant account services, ecommerce, and credit card processing. After a serious misfortune on his first ever ecommerce site, Benedict started to educate people through his writing on the merits & perils of being an ecommerce merchant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benedict_Bailey

How To Accept Credit Card Payments Via The Internet

So you've finally decided to explore the revenue channel offered by the Internet. Accepting credit cards via the Internet has paved the way for merchants to increase their income. With more consumers shopping online, it's a profitable decision for businesses to provide credit card payment processing on their websites. The question would then be, where do you begin?

Here are the 3 major components of credit card processing:

Payment Gateway

A payment gateway manages the secure transfer of credit card funds of your customers from your website to your merchant account. This is done with a software interface provided by the payment gateway company that collects vital credit card data from the customer, and also informs the customer in real time if their credit card was approved or not. Payment gateway companies normally charge a transaction fee and a discount rate for this kind of service. Fees will vary from one processor to another, as well as features.

The three “ty's” of payment gateways:
# scalability (can they handle varying transaction volumes)

# reliability (do their servers provide 99.9% uptime)

# security (fraud prevention tools, Address Verification Service, 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, PCI compliance)

Without the proper security tools you are vulnerable to pilferers, and credit card scammers, and you don’t want that happening on your site.

Merchant Account

A merchant account is an account with a bank that allows you to accept credit card payments. The payment gateway wires the billing information to the merchant account provider, and subsequently collects the funds from the customer’s account.

Two kinds of merchant accounts:

# ‘card present’ - retail and Point of Sale(POS) merchants

# ‘card not present’ - Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO), and Internet Merchants.

An Internet Merchant Account enables credit card payments via the Internet. You can gain an Internet merchant account in three ways:

# Through a reputable bank

# Broker or intermediary

# Third party

Most banks are not too keen in accepting start up businesses, and their ecommerce services are still at the developing stage. Getting a merchant account through a bank not only depends on how large your business is, but also on what kind of business you’re doing. Businesses in the field of pharmacy, gambling, adult entertainment, and travel usually won’t even dare knock on the doors of these banks for it’s just a waste of time.

Brokers, on the other hand, can help you obtain a merchant account by acting as your representative to the bank. They make your business more appealing, and improve your chances of getting your own merchant account. However, like banks, they steer clear of high risk merchants, and you might have to produce documents (business plans, personal net worth, mortgage and credit card bills) to prove your business worth.

Still unsuccessful with the first two options, most merchants are more than willing to get a free merchant account via third party processor. Application is simple and most third party processors will waive application/set up fees, and provide value-added services for free. Most processors have a “sell nothing, pay nothing” policy, and caters to most high risk merchants turned down by banks and brokers. Account approval is quick, and you can start selling in less than 24 hours. However, third party processors can charge slightly higher on transactions unlike having your own Internet merchant account.

Website

Without a functional website, you won’t be able to sell your products and services on the Internet. Merchant account providers sometimes offer site templates to choose from, and payment gateways offer shopping carts that are seamlessly incorporated on your site. The key words here are: easily integrated. If you can’t integrate, you can’t sell.

In general, these three are the main factors when accepting credit card payments over the Internet. Having these three won't guarantee a successful online business, but are imperative if you plan on engaging in ecommerce. Search the web for the best solution you feel can help your business succeed. Merchants have long tapped the revenue potential of the ecommerce market, its about time you do.

Benedict Bailey writes for several web companies mostly in the areas of http://www.freemerchantaccount.biz free merchant account services, free merchant account services, ecommerce, and credit card processing. After a serious misfortune on his first ever ecommerce site, Benedict started to educate people through his writing on the merits & perils of being an ecommerce merchant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benedict_Bailey