Here’s a little industry secret: terminals are not made of gold.

In fact, terminals usually retail for around $300. But many people pay hundreds of dollars a month against a multi-year terminal lease. This is maybe the most crippling and underhanded scam used by processing reps. The victims are often small and medium sized companies, the hardest hit business owners in this unstable economy.

The list of merchant complaints stemming directly from leasing is staggering.

By the rep inflating the cost of the equipment it seems perfectly reasonable to enter a long-term lease. These leases are usually non-cancellable and are not even lease to own!

Merchants feel it’s the only option because the money to buy isn’t available immediately. Because there just aren’t enough hours in the day, careful reviews and research of the equipment just isn’t possible. The easiest rule of thumb is if a company doesn’t provide the option of a free terminal… end the conversation there.

At Sekure Card Services, we have the resources available to give you the equipment you need at no cost.  Anyone who is actually interested in your business will provide you free equipment as a loaner. It’s a small but realistic investment in your business.

Two of our preferred brands are Verifone and Hypercom. They are the two biggest names in processing equipment for a reason. Both are reliable, easy to program and not tied to any one processor.
If your business is mostly manual entry and you are keying instead of swiping consider a virtual terminal. Sekure Card Services is a direct reseller for Authorize.net, a widely used online payment tool that works with most payment processing companies. This means better customer service, monthly costs and per transaction fees.

A virtual terminal is basically just a website. You go to the site, log in and enter the credit card information. It gives you an authorization code and you’re done. You can set up recurring billing and customer profiles for regular clients.   The added option of being able to review the past two years of transactions in depth is great as well. For wholesalers, manufacturers and web-based companies this is definitely the most practical solution.

Knowing the basics is half the battle and the rest is putting that information to good use. A brokered quote from a company that is genuinely interested in your business and can prove it is definitely the way to go.

Unfortunately for most merchants, fixed pricing above interchange cost simply isn’t available or offered during the setup of your merchant account. Payment processing service providers frequently increase costs to drive up their profits. Hidden fees become the norm and if your volume fluctuates, so do your rates.

In this difficult game your processor and rep’s gains come directly from your hard work. The market is full of conflicting information and sometimes it’s hard to know who you can trust.

At Sekure Card Services we’re excited to work for you to get the most competitive rates and make sure they stick. As a brokerage with literally millions of dollars in combined merchant volume every month, payment processors provide us with the privileged rates even the most well connected merchants don’t have access to. Because we side with the merchant every time, you can trust that every quote will be fixed for the length of your merchant agreement.

This model has directly benefited countless merchants in every industry type while still proving to be modestly profitable for the processors involved. By lowering the profit on each individual account, these processors have seen a steady stream of new clients and are eager to work with us.

Sekure Card Services ensures that merchants will always pay as close to cost for their processing fees, while our competition offers teaser rates with regular increases. We promise no hidden fees, no catches and no surprises. You no longer have to keep a close eye on your rates, thus eliminating the single biggest complaint merchants have with their current provider.

Another major benefit is that we analyze each merchants needs providing you with the best solution for your business. What is perfect for a retail environment may be incredibly costly for a company that keys in the majority of their cards. A cost plus structure with a small standardized percentage above interchange could give you long term savings many sales agents wouldn’t even provide as an option. By discussing your payment processing needs with one of our account managers, we can offer effective solutions and access to resources that are tailored to you as a merchant.

At the end of the day, we want you to make an informed and long-term decision so you can get back to business.

Please see below for more information regarding SekureCard Services, or visit us online at, www.sekurecardservices.com

Corporate Sales:

Phone: (866) 437-3189 ext.225

Email: info@sekurecardservices.com

Statement Analysis:

Fax or email your most recent statement to:

Fax Numbers: 1-888-990-9929
 or 1-888-990-9932

Email: analyze@sekurecardservices.com

SekureCard Services has an excellent support staff available to assist you. Accepting credit and debit is a necessity in today’s business environment and a very important aspect of your business. Electronic payments already make up the majority of consumer spending and are increasing at a rapid rate. We understand the importance of having nothing but the best in customer support and service for any need or question you may have, big or small. Our integration team is available for all your POS and terminal needs, whether its reprogramming equipment, assisting in updates or transaction inquiries.

We are dedicated to supporting you in every step of way. We believe strongly in after sales support and customer referrals accounts for 30% of our business. Sekure Card is quickly becoming a trusted name in credit card processing and has been advocating for merchants since inception.

We are always honored when a Merchant allows us to analyze their statement, whether it leads to a new customer or simply empowering a merchant with valuable information. SekureCard reviews thousand of credit cards statements every month. We attract a wide variety of potential customers ranging from savvy business owners looking to cut costs, to some merchants that actual feel like they have been taken advantage of or even been victim of a scam.

Whatever your reason may be, Sekure Cards staff of over 150 professionals is ready to help. If you would like a free analysis of your statement without any cost or obligation then call us today or visit us online.

www.sekurecardservices.com

1-866-437-3189 ext.225

TERMINAL LEASING

Unfortunately there are numerous ways a merchant can fall victim of a scam when shopping for payment processing services. One of the most common, as well as financially damaging, is leasing a credit card terminal.

Far too often some smooth talking salesperson convinces a merchant their current equipment “isn’t compliant” or “needs to be upgraded”. Surprise, surprise… they have the perfect solution! They offer a state-of-the-art terminal that is always much more expensive than you’d expect. Surely you wouldn’t want to pay thousands of dollars upfront for such a sophisticated new machine. The rep then cuts you a great deal with reasonable monthly payments for the next four years and the machine is yours.

What isn’t brought up is that the leasing agreement can’t be cancelled and the true value of the terminal is usually no more than a few hundred dollars. It isn’t uncommon to pay well over ten times the value of the terminal over the length of a lease. Many of these agreements aren’t even lease to own, and  in some cases the equipment may be refurbished or less current than the previous terminal.

Most reputable companies will provide you a free terminal as a loaner or simply sell it to you at cost. Often the equipment you have is perfectly fine and can be reprogrammed in a few minutes over the phone. SekureCard Services  has a full integration team for ease of switch or reprogramming your equipment.

Sekure Card Services has had only one complaint with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) which was successfully resolved, thus giving us an “A” rating CLICK HERE to see SekureCards BBB rating.

If you wish to have a review done of your processing statement and fees you can contact us at,  1-866-437-3189 ext.225 or visit us online at, www.sekurecardservices.com

Merchants’’ often feel scammed and often have complaints about the cost associated with accepting credit cards from there payment processor.

A payment processor is a company appointed by a merchant to handle credit card transactions, and is usually broken down into two types: front-end and back-end.

Front-end processors have connections to various card associations and supply authorization and settlement services to the merchant’s banks’. Back-end processors accept settlements from front-end processors and, move the money from the issuing cards bank to the merchant’s bank.

In an operation that will usually take a few seconds, the payment processor will both check the details received by forwarding them to the respective card’s bank or card association for verification, and also carry out a series of anti-fraud measures against the transaction.  Once the payment processor has received confirmation that the credit card details have been verified, the information will be relayed back via the payment gateway to the merchant, who will then complete the payment transaction. If verification is denied by the card association, the payment processor will relay the information to the merchant, who will then decline the transaction.

SekureCard services support merchants’ with a fast and reliable payment system that includes;

• Credit Card Processing,
• Check Acceptance,
• Fleet Card Acceptance,
• Wireless Payments
• Gift Card / Loyalty Programs,
• Online Payments,
• Mail / Phone Payments
• Business Cash Advances

As each service has a cost associated with it it’s important to understand how those fees are established so merchants’ can understand how best to make use of their payments services.  Sekurecard ™ services include over 100 professional looking to keep their merchants abreast with changes, making sure right POS (Point of sales) equipment is used and that the services they provide are understood, saving merchant’s money and easing the process so they can grow their businesses without feeling scammed by their payments processor.

Please see below for more information regarding SekureCard Services, or visit us online at, www.sekurecardservices.com

Corporate Sales:

Phone: (866) 437-3189 ext.225

Email: info@sekurecardservices.com

Statement Analysis:

Fax or email your most recent statement to:

Fax Numbers: 1-888-990-9929
 or 1-888-990-9932

Email: analyze@sekurecardservices.com

Because of ties between certain key processors and point of sales system providers, switching your merchant services provider can sometimes be an investment. Licensing fees, service contracts and a variety of other costs are an unfortunate but necessary hurdle for some businesses. However, switching providers can often reduce your expenditures and the savings over just a few months can often cover the cost of your POS switch.

The obvious question is, what’s the best way to do it?

On a local level, this process is often extremely difficult. Conflicting information from various sales reps can make the process long and confusing. The vested interest of  small time sales reps (signing bonuses, monthly residuals, etc..) make it hard to know who to even believe and some merchants have specific complaints about being scammed by false statements of being unable to switch. The last thing any business owner wants is down time or compatibility issues added to their already overflowing dance card.

In some ways, the idea of switching almost becomes more overwhelming than actually making the change. That is exactly what these various companies want. The more you feel restricted, the safer their pay checks become. They want you to feel quick and easy solutions simply doesn’t exist. They do.

In these situations you need someone who stands to gain less financially off of your account than a sales rep. Someone who simply presents the facts and leaves you to make the best choice for your business.

SekureCard Services has already integrated thousands of POS systems and continues to work with hundreds of Merchants every month. Sekure Card has access to low rates, budgets and tech support a local rep just can’t offer. By working with hundreds of merchants every month and millions of dollars in volume, Sekure card services can get you a wholesale-style rate on payment processing you simply wouldn’t get as a single business.

Aside from heavily discounted rates, SekureCard Services can also pay all or most of your POS re-licensing fees or switch fees depending on the total cost to switch. This is usual decided on a case by case basis.

Unfortunately there are some systems (Quickbooks POS, Flex Track, TeleFlora) that simply won’t integrate with anyone but a single processor. At this point another question becomes a key factor:

Should I run my payments without integrating it with my point of sales system?

As much as it goes against popular opinion, the answer is often yes.

Many businesses (including retail environments) have a relatively small number of transactions in a day. By processing through a separate terminal and manually entering the transactions into your POS, you can have your cake and eat it too! The added work involved is remarkably small and the long term savings can be a major help to any operation.

Every situation should be assessed individually, and based on each merchants needs and requirements. SekureCard has many specific software plug-ins like Charge Anywhere. This program creates a new drop down window in Quickbooks Enterprise, Pro and other packages. This allows you to stay integrated in a way that seamlessly blends with your day-to-day operations.

Always remember that you have options. SekureCard Services is your best defense against the potentially high cost of switching your POS system and getting a low cost rates. Have Sekure Card review your statement today by calling, 1-866-437-3189 or visit us at www.sekurecardservics.com

Credit card processing requires an enormous communication infrastructure and it is impossible to offer the service for free. To keep costs down and charge those that use the service more than those that don’t, the processing fees are billed at a percentage rate on total volume and a transaction fee as well. The lion’s share of the fees goes to Visa, MasterCard and the issuing bank.

Processing companies assume most of the risks on each transactions, so the riskier the transaction usually means the higher the cost will be for the Merchant to process said transaction. Each time a credit card transaction is processed, the credit issuer pays out the cash and then bills the consumer who can pay quickly or default on a credit card balance. The retailer then gets paid without assuming any risk, or very little risk.

Because businesses assume no risk on the transaction, except in case of a charge back where the Merchant could be out the product and payment for the product they are asked to pay a merchant fee that is consistent with the level of risk, costs and losses incurred by the processor. In order to maintain accreditation credit issuers must maintain high standards to meet federal guidelines.

Businesses benefit by supporting credit card payments options, although they do also take a small hit in terms of the merchant fees, this cost is part of doing business and has become a vital service in today’s consumer driven economy.

Retailers have several ways to offset the cost of credit processing. Only accepting a qualified credit card is one step that merchants can take to keep their rate low. Another option is to only process cards that swipe, and refuse to offer manual entry. The merchant rate can be figured based on several factors for each transaction. Ensuring that you are familiar with the way that fees are charged can help you get the best merchant rate on each transaction. SekureCard Services specializes in analyzing merchant statements and lowering merchant fees. If you have a complaint regarding your current providers fees or would simply like a free review then allow Sekure card services to analyze your statement.

Contact a Corporate Sales representative today

Phone: (866) 437-3189

Email: info@sekurecardservices.com

Statement Analysis

Fax or email your most recent statement to:

Fax Numbers: 1-888-990-9929
 or 1-888-990-9932

Email: analyze@sekurecardservices.com

One of the greatest misconceptions in payment processing is the benefit of a local rep. In many ways it is a quaint and old-fashioned notion. It almost hearkens back to the days of going to your local butcher, the neighborhood bakery or getting milk delivered to your door. You have the warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing someone from your community has your business’ best interest in mind. They periodically drop in to say hello, or maybe they are an acquaintance or were recommended by your local bank. They are relatable because they service your area.

Unfortunately, this antiquated approach is absolutely one of the most costly ways of handling your business’ payment processing needs. Local reps often don’t make any reliable form of pay. They exist solely off commission and signing bonuses. In this feast or famine situation, most reps will understandably say anything they need to for you to sign on the dotted line (regardless of how legitimate their claims are).

They also often work for third or fourth party resellers for much larger processing companies, keeping you further and further away from the actual processor while keeping as many thumbs in the pie as possible. With all of these factors at play there’s almost no way to get a truly competitive rate on a local level with a local agent.

Typically a local rep will approach a business offering great savings. However, because they will have to survive off of a percentage of your processing fees in years to come your volume 100% dictates your pricing. Usually you end up with a very low introductory offer or “teaser quote”. The quote is intended to lure you in to signing. Many local reps will also claim to do you a favor by leaving the agreement as a commitment free month-to-month agreement. This also means there is no real guarantee that the pricing will last while keeping you comfortable.

These very simple sales tactics then set the stage for what will eventually lead to hundreds of online complaints and negative reviews. What you may not be aware of is that your new rep has received a rather lucrative signing bonus, another kickback when your new account is approved, and yet another when you are “plugged in” and processing. This allows them to coast for a few months while you, confident in your new deal, gradually stop paying close attention to your monthly billing.

Because you now represent monthly residuals to this rep they will gradually increase your fees to boost the account’s profitability. Previously undisclosed corporate fees, non-compliance charges and customer rewards programs typically start popping up on both your statement… and the withdrawals from your checking account each month.

My best advice to any merchant is to approach your payment processing just like your larger, nationally franchised competition. THINK BIG. Instead of bouncing back and forth between numerous smaller local companies, essentially all working in the exact same way I’ve described above, THINK BIG.

The Wal-Mart’s of the world get great rates because all of their locations, and their volume, move as one. Working with industry specific buying groups, and large established processing brokers like SekureCard Services are the easiest ways to access this type of pricing.

Sekure Card Services has a very simple model. We work with volume, instead of working with a few merchants a month as a local rep might; we work with a few hundred merchants each month, and thousands every year. You can have your statement reviewed for free, without any cost or obligation.

SekureCard will also pay your current company’s early termination fees, supply free equipment or terminal reprogramming and various other things that others charge for or won’t even do. SekureCard is one of the few companies to actually pay money against POS switch fees instead of relying on projected savings. We also have a dedicated customer support and technical integration team to provide a much higher level of assistance than a single rep, despite that rep being a few minutes away from your business. SekureCard only has one complaint with the BBB that was resolved, giving us an A rating. CLICK HERE for SekureCards BBB rating.

If you’re looking to reduce expenditures in what is a rocky financial time for all of us, I would highly suggest broadening your horizons. To maximize your profits, you will definitely have to look further than your back yard when it comes to payment processing.

Please see below for more information regarding SekureCard Services, or visit us online at, www.sekurecardservices.com

Corporate Sales:

Phone: (866) 437-3189 ext.225

Email: info@sekurecardservices.com

Statement Analysis:

Fax or email your most recent statement to:

Fax Numbers: 1-888-990-9929
 or 1-888-990-9932

Email: analyze@sekurecardservices.com

Interchange fees or rates are determined and set by the issuing bank. The issuing bank is the bank that distributes or offers the branded credit card (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) to the consumer. The interchange rate, which is the bulk of the fees Merchants pay for accepting credit cards, will vary depending on several factors. These include but are not limited to risk level, transaction amount, and how the card is accepted (swiped or keyed). In short, the riskier the transaction, the higher the rate will be.

This predetermined interchange rate is the basic cost that all processing companies work with, mark up accordingly and then charge to the merchant. Processors will either bill their Merchants on a tiered setup or an Interchange plus setup. Tiered billing consists of categorizing the merchant’s credit card transactions into 3 or more categories. The basic categories are, qualified, mid-qualified and non- qualified. From there, processing companies will mark up the interchange rate an average of 30 to 80 basis points and also mark up the transaction fees. Other fees, such as monthly statement fees and batch fees, are also quite standard. Interchange plus billing is a little different. The processor will pass on the actual interchange rate established by the issuing bank and then charge a separate fee or rate. This allows the merchant to have some transparency in what the real costs are and this usually results in a more cost effective solution for the Merchant. Beware of the flat rate scam, this is a deceitful practice often used by local agents or sales reps where a flat rate is offered without the mention of interchange being added. As an example, you may be offered a flat rate of 1.20%, when in actuality this is in addition to the interchange cost.

SekureCard Services offers both, tiered and Interchange plus. SekureCard usually prefers to offer an “apples to apples” comparison and will work with whichever setup the potential client is currently on. SekureCard always offers very close to cost rates so whether you’re on a tiered or interchange plus, you can rest assured that we will find you the best deal out there. In keeping with our philosophy of transparency, we will openly share that SekureCard Services has had only one complaint with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) which was successfully resolved, thus giving us an “A” rating.

If you would like a free analysis of your statement without any cost or obligation then call us today or visit us online.

www.sekurecardservices.com

1-866-437-3189 ext.225