A merchant account lets you accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and other credit and debit cards, and have the funds directly deposited into your own bank account. There are several types of merchant accounts, those for use in "brick & mortar" retail establishments, those for mail and phone order businesses, and those for Internet storefronts. Our recommended merchant account provider, QuickBooks Merchant Services, allows you to use ONE merchant account to accept credit cards everywhere you do business.
Why do I need a merchant account?
You can increase sales by accepting credit cards
Credit cards are the most popular way to accept payments on the Web. Offering customers the option of paying with credit is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. Over 95% of Web stores accept credit cards. Make sure your merchant account is open when your Web Store launches.
You can make it easier for your customers to purchase
Visitors to your Web store want the flexibility and security of using a credit card. By offering credit cards you can streamline the purchasing process and motivate customers to buy now. Businesses who don’t accept credit cards may forfeit up to 80% of shopper impulse buys.
You can present a more professional image to your customers
Credit cards provide a secure, cost-effective, and reliable way to collect payments and process transactions – and they increase your credibility.
Why spend time processing checks when you can have proceeds from all your business transactions deposited directly into your personal or business bank account? Approved funds can be deposited within 2-3 business days.
Why is a merchant account better than PayPal?
A merchant account gives you complete control of your funds
With a merchant account, your funds are deposited directly into your bank account and are available quickly within 2-3 business days. Your bank account is protected by federal banking regulations.
PayPal deposits your funds first into a PayPal account, which is managed by PayPal and not protected by federal banking regulations. PayPal then transfers funds from your PayPal account into your bank account. Funds may be frozen by PayPal.
A merchant account that integrates with your accounting software will save hours of time and paperwork
You’ll save time managing your online store if you choose the right solution from the start. The best solutions integrate your Web store, merchant account for credit card processing and accounting software.
By choosing our recommended merchant service provider, QuickBooks Merchant Services, you can accept credit card payments in your Homestead Storefront, download them into QuickBooks and update your books with just a few clicks.
Why should I choose QuickBooks Merchant Services?
QuickBooks Merchant Services lets you accept credit cards with the small business experts.
Makers of QuickBooks, Quicken, and TurboTax, Intuit's products are used by more than 25 million customers, and Intuit merchant service customers process more than $5 billion in sales every year. QuickBooks Merchant Services has integrated with Homestead, giving you a complete Web store solution.
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|---|---|
Accept all forms of payment |
Process all major credit and debit cards on your Web store, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB. |
Save Money and |
Rates are affordable with no hidden fees, no application fees, no cancellation fees, and no annual fees. |
Pricing Special Risk-Free Offer |
|
One Account Does It All |
Everything from advanced reporting to the ability to take phone orders from phone, email, or fax using a Virtual Terminal. And there is no need for a separate Internet Gateway! |
Secure |
Every transaction is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology, ensuring that your customer's credit card information is always secure. |
Use with or without QuickBooks |
You don't need to use QuickBooks to use QuickBooks Merchant Service—and you get all the benefits. |
Live, Free, 24/7/365 Support |
Our merchant experts are happy to answer your questions—and we never charge for calls! Any questions? Please call 800-556-9152. |
How to Get Started
- Choose the right Homestead Storefront for your business.
- Sign-up for a QuickBooks Merchant Service account so you can start processing credit cards when your Web store opens for business.
- Build your Homestead Storefront.
- Connect your QuickBooks Merchant account to your Web store. Follow our step-by-step instructions and click through an online form to connect your merchant account to your Web store.
- Accept orders online. After you’ve set up your store and connected it to your merchant account, customers can place orders at your Web store.
Can I use my existing merchant account?
You should be able to use your existing merchant account if it is compatible with one of the payment processors integrated with Storefront. If your existing merchant account is not an Internet merchant account, you may or may not be able to use the account to complete online credit card transactions through ProStores. Please check with your merchant account provider regarding compatibility and Terms of Service.
Payment Processors/Gateways currently integrated with ProStores.
| Payment Gateway | Company | Website |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Merchant Services | Intuit | www.quickbooksmerchantservice.com |
| ANZ eGate | ANZ | www.anz.com |
| Authorize.net | Authorize.net | www.authorizenet.com |
| BluePay Gateway | Online Data Corp | www.onlinedatacorp.com |
| Concord EFSNet | Concord EFS, Inc. | www.concordefsnet.com |
| CyberCash | Verisign | www.cybercash.com |
| CyberSource | CyberSource | www.cybersource.com |
| Innovative Gateway | Innovative Gateway Solutions | www.innovativegateway.com |
| iTransact | iTransact Inc. | www.itransact.com |
| LinkPoint API | LinkPoint International | www.linkpoint.com |
| NobelPay | Nobel Electronic Transfer, LLC | www.nobelpay.com |
| PayFuse | First National Merchant Solutions | www.fnms.com |
| PayGateway | Paradata Systems Inc. | www.paradata.com |
| Paymentech Orbital Gateway | Paymentech | www.paymentech.net |
| Pay Me Now | PayMeNow Payment Gateway and Virtual Terminal | www.paymenow.com |
| Verisign Pay Flow Pro | Verisign | www.verisign.com |
| WorldPay | WorldPay | www.worldpay.com |
| Website Payments Pro | PayPal | www.paypal.com |
| QuickCommerce Pro | E-Commerce Exchange | www.ecx.com |
What are some resources for learning more about merchant accounts?
E-Commerce Guide (Internet.com)
