Services at MerchantConnections.net

Merchant Connections provides electronic payment and risk management services for high-risk merchants around the globe. Online payments or phone payments made using a Merchant Connections account are secure, fast and offer customer convenience. We offer real-time reporting and accounting support to all of our merchants.

Our management has over 30 years experience in absentee (payor not present) payments and the level of risk involved. We analyze each of our clients needs individually. We offer technical and/or banking solutions tailored to suit our clients. Our banking relationships are long standing and allow us to offer the best processing rates industry wide. To further lessen the cost to our merchants, we have taken a different approach to processing payments. Large staffs are a thing of the past in payment processing. Through technological advances, we have managed to keep our corporate cost down. This creates a generous increase in revenue for our merchants, as we do not have the overhead of our much larger competitors.

If you are merchant interested in cutting cost on absentee transactions, a merchant looking to reduce your exposure to risk, or both, you have come to the right place. Please feel free to contact us. Our staff is ready to take over your billing worries so you can concentrate on your core business, providing a great product.

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List of Services

Credit and Debit Card Payment Processing-

We process credit and debit cards quickly and securely.

Credit Card Acceptance

Credit cards play a key role in leveraging sales. We process credit cards quickly and securely. As a single point of contact for all major credit card types, we can set you up to begin processing within days.

Debit Card Acceptance

Banking or debit cards are the ultimate in convenience. They are quick, secure, and practical for the consumer and with the multifunctional capabilities of the debit card, they're versatile. Rapidly gaining prominence in the marketplace, they are used most often by consumers who may not have a credit card or for smaller purchases when a customer would normally pay cash. Not to be underestimated, acceptance of debit cards is important to your business and sales.

Batch Processing-
Batch processing is an additional method for processing transactions. It is most commonly used to process a large batch of transactions at a single time for merchants doing recurring billing or mail and catalog orders. If real time processing is needed for applications such as ecommerce, the Direct Post or Transparent Redirect APIs should be used instead.

Our batch process is extremely fast, capable of processing thousands of orders every few minutes. Merchants can pass a batch file via FTP over SSL in csv, xls, xlsx, or txt format. Our system will auto detect the fields or a format can be pre-configured.

Files can be uploaded in one of two ways: the Control Panel, or FTPS (FTP over SSL).

Recurring Billing

Our recurring billing engine is flexible, robust and easy. It was designed to accommodate any merchants billing preferences including anytime, any amount, any way and any payment type.

Recurring billing (somethimes referred to as Recurring Billing Software or Recurring Billing Management System) is ideal for businesses and corporations that wish to sell product or services with recurring billing (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.), to online customers.

E-Checks (Check 21)

Check 21 is a federal law that is designed to enable banks to handle more checks electronically, which makes check processing faster and more efficient. Today, banks often must physically move original paper checks from the bank where the checks are deposited to the bank that pays them. This transportation can be inefficient and costly.

Instead of physically moving paper checks from one bank to another, Check 21 will allow banks to process more checks electronically. Banks can capture a picture of the front and back of the check along with the associated payment information and transmit this information electronically. If a receiving bank or its customer requires a paper check, the bank can use the electronic picture and payment information to create a paper "substitute check". This process enables banks to reduce the cost of physically handling and transporting original paper checks, which can be very expensive.

A substitute check is a paper copy of the front and back of the original check. A substitute check is slightly larger than a standard personal check so that it can contain a picture of your original check. A substitute check must be printed in accordance with very specific standards so that the substitute check can be used in the same way as the original check. If you receive a substitute check that appears to have a problem, such as it contains a bad picture of your original check, contact your bank.

The speed of check-processing already has increased in response to check-system improvements other than Check 21. Thus, even now, once a check is deposited with a bank, it is almost always delivered overnight to the paying bank and debited from the checkwriter's account the next business day. Check-processing speeds should continue to increase, over time, as banks make further operational changes in response to Check 21. That means money may be deducted from your checking account faster. Before you write a check, it's always best to make sure your checking account has enough money in it to cover the check.

We have piggybacked this system for high risk processing. Merchant Connections will deliver digital checks to the account holder's bank aggregating payments for a variety of different markets.

Check Guarantee Services

Accept checks with confidence, and reduce your risk from fraudulent and returned checks, by verifying them on the spot with check conversion and check guarantee services. Choose the Bank of America merchant check verification service that fits your business the best.

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)

EBT is a benefit delivery system that provides public assistance recipients with electronic access to their cash and food stamp benefits. If your business caters to this market it is essential you are familiar with the process.

E-Commerce Gateway

You don't need to be an online payment processing expert if you partner with one. We specialize in online payment processing and our solution allows you to quickly begin processing all major credit and debit card payments in multiple currencies, securely, and in real time.

Our customizable gateway will easily meet your online processing requirements with four distinct connectivity options and a complete range of online benefits. We will ensure your online payment processing is seamless, reliable and fast. We have the Optimal online solution for your business

Online Reporting

Businesses today demand online, real-time reporting that gives you the information you need when you need it. Whether you have one location or twenty, our system allows you to effectively view and manage your account activity and balances wherever you have Internet access. From transaction detail to chargeback reporting, if your business requires you to check in hourly, daily, or monthly, we have the information you need with our Online Reporting tool.

Merchant Club Program

This is a program and benefit from our Partnerships that bring you special savings and exclusive discounts on all kinds of premier business services that help you grow your business.

MOTO Processing

MOTO is short for Mail Order/Telephone Order. MOTO refers to anything "card not present" or "non face-to-face". There are several ways you can process MOTO transactions:

   1. Virtual terminal - Secure, web-based "terminal" that allows you to manually enter in credit card information. Virtual terminals are great because they do not require any software installations and can be accessed from any computer that can connect to the Internet. It is probably one of the most cost effective methods as well.

   2. POS Software - POS, also known as "Point-Of-Sale" software such as ICVerify, PC Charge Pro, and others are installed on your computer and use your computers modem to send credit card transactions through. POS software does offer some more detailed functions then virtual terminals do, however their price tag can usually be much steeper.

   3. Touch-Tone Processing - This alone is probably the most basic and inexpensive way to easily process credit cards. There is no additional equipment needed, you simply use the keypad on the telephone to enter in the credit card information, amount, etc. An approval code will be given for you to write down and store in a safe place. The service can even be utilized by cell phones. Touch-tone processing is perfect for any location. It makes a great mobile solution.

Gift Card Programs

The Merchant Connections Card Program is customizable, affordable, powerful, and essential in business today.

The Possibilities Are Infinite and Essential.

Are you looking for an effective merchandising vehicle that builds sales, draws in new customers, and retains existing ones? Plastic gift, loyalty, and stored-value cards are taking the payment industry by storm. Why? Retailers love them for many reasons, most of which reflect back to increased sales, client base expansion, and retention, three key components of business growth and success. We can help you harness the power of this plastic revolution with our versatile Merchant Connections gift card program. It's customizable, affordable, powerful, and essential in business today.

Gift Card Programs
Consumer demand for gift cards is skyrocketing because they are the perfect gift for that someone who's hard to buy for, and retailers couldn't be happier meeting that demand. Gift cards are expanding beyond the retail market to many non-traditional markets because the benefits are universal. They used to create a point of differentiation for the merchant and now they are a competitive necessity. Merchants love gift cards for many good reasons. Here are a few:
   Research shows that many consumers spend almost twice the face value of a gift card.
   Gift card recipients tend to purchase more regular priced, high-margin items.
   When displayed at your checkout, gift cards become an impulse purchase item.
   Gift cards tend to decrease the amount of returned merchandise.
   Gift and promotional cards can increase sales during quiet selling periods.
   Gift card sales create a reservoir of funds for the merchant.
   It is estimated that approximately one-tenth of gift card sales go unredeemed.

The common denominator of each and every gift card benefit is increased sales and profitability. It is obvious why gift cards are exploding into the payment industry.

Promotional Card Programs

Merchants who are great merchandisers use a promotional gift card as the key component of their marketing initiative. You see it everywhere and it works. If you have a customer who is contemplating their purchase, a promotional incentive is an effective method of closing the sale. The customer receives value with the promotional card and the merchant receives the sale in addition to the incremental sale when the card is redeemed. When the incentive benefits both the customer and the merchant it's a win-win scenario that you should not overlook.

Examples of promotional card programs :
   Spend $100 the first week of November and get a $20 gift card.
   The first fifty customers in our store this Saturday get a $10 gift card.
   Finance any item over $1000 and you'll receive a $100 gift card.
   Bring this gift card into our store January 30 and find out if it's worth $5, $50, or $500!
   Buy any of our regular-priced suits during April and get a $100 gift card.

With a minimum order of just 100 cards, you have the flexibility to create a promotional card for every one of your marketing initiatives.

Lockbox

A lockbox is a special postal address that is used solely for the purpose of collecting payments. Mail sent to lockboxes is delivered more frequently than payments sent to business addresses and processed faster than payments processed by in-house staff. Available for more than 50 years, lockboxes are a well-tested cash management tool.

Who typically uses lockboxes?
Any organization that receives payments through the mail can use a lockbox. Utilities, local governments, medical practices, property management firms, charities, office supply companies, and corporations of all kinds benefit from lockbox services.

How do I know if I need a lockbox?
Your organization may be able to benefit from a lockbox if you receive payments through the mail and are interested in:

increasing your profitability through improved cash flow

   receiving faster payment information to improve customer service

   reducing your operating expenses

   reducing your payment risk

Contact Merchant Connections to learn about a lockbox solution that would work for you.

How does a lockbox work?
Lockbox processing can vary widely. In its simplest form, the following process is followed:

Wireless & Internet Payments

Wireless credit card processing increases sales, saves time, and reduces operating expenses. Here are just a few of the many benefits of using wireless:

   Wireless is small, lightweight, and portable.
   Can accept cards where it previously was impossible (in a parking lot, outside a sports event, etc.)
   No second phone line needed
   Swiping cards reduces chance of fraudulent or stolen card being used.
   Increased security. Wireless processing reduces the amount of cash you and your staff handle.

We offer a variety of wireless credit card processing solutions. This allows you to accept credit card transactions wherever you are, whenever you need it - without depending on the availability of phone lines.