Saturday, October 31, 2009

Hypercom Machines

Hypercom is one of the most popular credit card processing machines on the market. When you go too choose a credit card processing machine you have many companies to choose from and each one offers a full line of machines to cater to your needs. While you may be okay with whatever machine you choose to go with you should be sure that it handled the needs that your business has. With Hypercom you really can't go wrong.

Hypercom has been around for a long time. The started in 1978 and have been on the forefront of credit card processing. Hypercom is a global company offering credit card processing solutions to everyone all over the world.

Hypercom is a publicly traded company that has won many awards for their excellence. They offer a variety of credit card terminals and the prices on the machines vary. Some of the most popular payment processing products that Hypercom offers are:
  1. Otimum T4210 is a counter top machine. This handy and slim machine can connect to check readers and pin pads to help make your payment processing as easy as possible. This features an easy to read display as well as state of the art technology that is supported by most networks. Depending on where you buy this machine from you can pay anywhere from $129 to $225.
  2. Optimum M4230 is a remote terminal that comes with a removable battery that lasts for a long time. This terminal charges by two different means. You can either charge it by plugging it into another terminal or the optional charging dock. This terminal is excellent for auctions, delivery, flea markets, sporting venues, trade shows and various transportation.
  3. Optimum L4150 is a terminal that is state of the art. This is a multi-lane terminal which allows customers to swipe their card in any direction and it will work. On top of which it works as a touchless unit. This means that customers can just wave their card in from of the terminal and it will process the payment. Because of these options this is an ideal terminal for storefronts of all kinds. The accurate swiping and speed of processing allows for a line to move quickly which will please your customers.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

FatCow Voted Best Ecommerce Web Host - FatCow Discount

BestEcommerceWebHost has chosen FatCow as the best ecommerce web hosting service! FatCow is a innovative company that has a lot of fun with what they do while maintaining professionalism.

FatCow is a great web hosting company that has been serving happy customers since 1998. They are 100% wind powered and strive to be on the cutting edge of technology. Right now their web hosting is only $3.67 per month. This is about half of the usual price.


With FatCow you will enjoy great customer support, low pricing and great features that include:
  1. Unlimited web space
  2. Unlimited file transfer
  3. Unlimited domains per account
  4. Unlimited email accounts
  5. Online store support
  6. Ability to accept credit cards
  7. PayPal Shopping Cart Integration
  8. Shared SSL
  9. Site tools like: website builder, analytics, FrontPage extensions, Google Search, Google Webmaster Tools, and FTP access
  10. 30 day money back guarantee
  11. Free setup
  12. Free domain name
  13. Domain registrar transfer
  14. Unlimited subdomains
  15. $50 Google AdWords credit
  16. $25 Yahoo! search credit
  17. Applications like WordPress, Gallery 2, phpBB, GBook, Joomla and more
  18. Unlimited POP mailboxes
  19. Webmail
  20. Email spam filtering
  21. Load balanced technology
  22. 100% wind powered energy
  23. Daily server backups
  24. 24/7 monitoring
  25. Back up generator in place
  26. Affiliate program, reseller program, referral program

Friday, October 23, 2009

BlueHost Voted Best Cheap Hosting

BlueHost started in 1996 serving business and personal website customers. They offer a hosting package that benefits any business or individual and they do it for a very small price. They offer a high level of customer support with knowledgeable staff that will resolve any issues you have as quickly as possible. They know that reliability is everything with web hosting. If you don't have a great amount of uptime you will lose visitors and customers and that just isn't acceptable. BlueHost strives to be the best of the best and this month they have been awarded the 100BestWebHosting Best Cheap Host award.

Some of the features you will find in hosting at BlueHost are:
  • Unlimited disk space
  • Unlimited transfer
  • Host unlimited domains
  • Free site builder
  • Free domain name
  • POP3/POP3 email
  • IMAP/Secure IMAP email
  • Web based email solutions
  • Unlimited email forwarding and autoresponders
  • Unlimited add on domains, subdomains, and parked domains
  • 1,000 additional FTP accounts
  • 100 MySQL databases
  • 100 Postgre SQL databases
  • CGI-BIN, CGI library
  • Server Side Includes
  • Custom error pages
  • Web file manager
  • Custom Cronjobs
  • Spam protection
  • PHP5, Perl5, Python, ROR, and more
  • Plug in scripts for blogs, social networking, photo galleries, polls, surveys and more
  • Ecommerce features such as SSL secure server, OScommerce shopping cart, Agora shopping cart, CubeCart shopping cart, ZenCart shopping cart, and more
  • Multimedia features like streaming audio and video, Flash, Macromedia, MIDI file support and more
  • State of the art technology such as Quad processor performance servers, UPS power backup, diesel generator backup power, Linux operating system, Apache web server
  • 24/7 monitoring of networks, courtesy backups, and more

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Small Business Loans

If your business has slowed down you may want to analyze why this has happened and what you can do to remedy the problem. You may think that getting a small business loan to jump start things is the solution. You may also want to consider making sure you accept credit cards, echecks, as well as other payment forms so that you know you aren't losing customers.

From time to time your business needs will change and you will need the money to make certain changes. Whether you need new supplies and equipment, a new webspace, some new employees or whatever you will need to have the money to supply these things. Every business experiences shortages in cash flow from time to time. It is the nature of being in business and it is to be expected. However, few people have ample cash just sitting around to draw from for these issues. This is where a small business loan can really help.

A secured small business loan is one that requires collateral. This will most likely be easier to qualify for and you will most likely get a better interest rate. The lender will use your business as collateral in most cases. If you own the building that your business resides then you may consider taking an equity line out on it. It is good to look at all of your lending options so that you don't overpay. While you may occasionally see a small business loan that is offered unsecured for $250,000 this will be rare and you need to remember that the interest is probably very high. It is always best to go with secured business loans when possible just because of the money it will save you in the long run. Interest adds up quickly. With that said, stay away from subprime small business loans. This may seems like a viable solution if you are in a jam but it will just make things worse for your business in the long run.

If you are unable to get a small business loan or you don't feel it is right for you, you may want to consider other funding options. You may need to go in search of investors who are interested in your company. Not only will you get the money needed but you may gain some insight into running your business that could help it flourish. Some people just have a talent with running businesses and they know how to make money. Don't see this as limiting your options but as expanding your possibilities. You could also use your family and friends or credit cards in a pinch.


Thursday, October 15, 2009

WebStore Review

At first glance consumers may think that WebStore Merchant Accounts is somehow affiliated with Yahoo! store features but they are not. In actuality the merchant account services are through Capital Merchant Services, Inc. This company is a ISO/MSP for Household Bank Card Services. With that said we must point out that this service integrates easily with Yahoo! store accounts. If you do not have a Yahoo! store account there are merchant accounts through this company that can help you.

Some of the features you can expect from WebStore are:
  • Fast payment (funds usually transfer in 24/48 hours
  • Free merchant account setup
  • No application fees
  • No activation fees
  • No equipment necessary
  • No payment gateway fees
  • Easy process for approval
  • CheckMAN check software is included for free
  • Low cost
The rates with WebStore are:
  • Monthly statement fee of $9.95
  • Discount rate of 2.19%
  • Transaction fee of $ .25
  • Check software cost = FREE
Once you apply for your merchant account with WebStore you will hear back from someone within 24 hours. This is a great turn around and enables you to get your merchant account set up quickly and easily. This company helps you accept all credit card payments as well as eCheck payments. Keep in mind that American Express merchant accounts require a different process. Make sure you inquire about all that it entails before assuming that this payment processing is included.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

E-Commerce Web Hosting

E-commerce web hosting is a type of web hosting that is 100% geared towards those small to large business websites. Ecommerce is not optional if you are going to be selling products online. You may not always want to go with the cheapest ecommerce web hosting you can find. Very often you get what you pay for. However, you can most likely find a good ecommerce web host for a very affordable price, you just need to do your homework.

eCommerce web hosting should include all that you get with normal affordable web hosting but it should include the following for your business needs:
  • Shopping cart - A shopping cart online is exactly what it is in reality. It is the ability for customers to put items in a "cart" while they continue to shop. The customer can then pay for all of these items at once using some sort of merchant account or a program like PayPal and so on.
  • Advertising credits - When you have an ecommerce website you are going to need to market it and get the word out. You want as much advertising as possible and free is always good. There are many websites that will allow you to build ads and then you pay for them either when you have them placed on a website or whenever someone clicks on them. One of these companies is Google AdWords and another is Yahoo! Marketing. Most good eCommerce websites now offer vouchers or credits for a certain amount of credit at these kinds of companies. The more the better so make sure you compare closely.
  • Product catalog - You need the ability to upload and enter product information so that when a customer is at your site they can easily navigate your product line and read information regarding each particular product. One careful thing to watch for is that some sites will limit the amount of items you can have in your in your catalog so make sure they offer enough for what you now sell and what you may potentially grow into.
  • SSL - The data encryption stands for Secure Sockets Layer. This is what allows you to do business transactions securely on the Internet. Your customers will rely on you to provide them with nothing less than the best security so that their information remains private.
  • Support - It is a good idea to make sure that you will get support for things like your inventory program and sales reports. The more data you have on what sells and what doesn't or what your customers are looking for and interested in, the better you can build your business to meet the needs of visitors.
This month ixWebHosting was voted the #1 Best eCommerce Host! They have plans starting at $3.95 per month and they have great features to help your online business succeed.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

AbleCommerce Review

AbleCommerce was founded in 1994 and is a division of Able Solutions Corporation which is an ecommerce solution based company. The company is privately held and offers technology and marketing partnerships with Microsoft, Adobe Systems, UPS, Card Service International, Authorize.net, and more. They strive to offer the best ecommerce solutions worldwide.

The company has gone from introducing the first released version of ColdFusion (1.0) to offering AbleCommerce 7.0 for electronic shopping systems that have all an online store could possibly need.

This great software is great for businesses that have outgrown their current ecommerce solutions. AbleCommerce works hard to provide you with customized services to meet your every need. The software for AlbeCommerce 7.0 is priced at $995.00 and you receive the following features (not all are listed):
  • Store administration that is web based and compatible with Internet Explorer 6 and 7 as well as Firefox and Opera.
  • Catalog management, orders and customer management.
  • An administration interface that is specifically designed for you with onscreen help.
  • Compatible with shared servers, VPS or dedicated servers.
  • Simple installation.
  • Unlimited categories for your store, unlimited products and unlimited web pages.
  • Support for SQL Server 2000/2005 and SQL Server Express 2005
  • A merchant dashboard all on one screen that you customize. This dashboard gives you access to graphs, reports, links to your last five orders and more.
  • Easy to use catalog features to make managing your store as simple and efficient as possible.
On top of all of this you get shipping options, gift wrapping and gift notes, gift certificates, coupons, product reviews, subscriptions and recurring billing, bulk buying discounts, affiliate program options, mailing lists, order management and details and more. You really get all that you need from this software and it is well worth the money. You will not have to upgrade, this is all you will need! We could not possibly list every feature that you will get with this innovative ecommerce software. Be sure to visit AbleCommerce to check out the complete features list.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

FirstData Merchant Services Review

FirstData Merchant Services has been in the merchant account business since 1969. This great company has seen a lot of growth and expansion over the years and is affiliated with fantastic companies. They are a worldwide leader in the merchant services field.

FirstData has all of your payment solutions and services taken care of from start to finish. They have a full range of payment solutions for your business and they cater to your needs. If terminals for payment processing are necessary they have what it takes to get your what you need and to keep you set up with supplies. Other services offered are: mobile commerce, card issuing, ecommerce, ATM, prepaid and paperless payroll, Internet banking and loyalty programs. The offer government solutions, bill pay, cash management, fraud prevention and risk management. This is not even all of their services. FirstData knows this industry inside and out and they have specialists in each area to better fill your needs.

In this day and age it is critical to accept all forms of payment in your business. Credit cards are key for merchants because most people don't ever write checks now and it isn't as safe to carry cash as it is to carry your credit or debit card. With this in mind, if you have a business you really need to consider making sure you have a merchant account but you also need to make sure that your customer's security is a high priority. With a company like FirstData this is not hard. You know that they are based on solid practices or they wouldn't be here about 40 years after they started.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Avoiding Credit Card Fraud

The Federal Trade Commission claims that there are hundreds of millions of fraudulent credit card charges each year. While you may not always be able to prevent credit card fraud the FTC gives some great advice on what you can do to help yourself.

  • Sign the back of ALL of your credit cards. This does protect your credit card.
  • Keep your credit cards in something separate from your wallet. A separate zippered pouch or credit card/business card holder is ideal.
  • In a very secure place keep a complete list of all of your credit card companies, addresses phone numbers and your account numbers.
  • Whenever possible keep the card in your sight during a transaction, watch what clerks do with your card.
  • Shred your carbon copies from purchases.
  • Don't put off opening your bill and making sure your account is okay.
  • Report any questionable charges to your credit card company or bank immediately.
  • Notify your credit company as soon as possible of any address changes.
  • Don't leave your receipts or statements lying around.
  • Don't loan your card to anyone.
  • Don't ever sign a blank receipt.

Credit card fraud and identity theft are a growing problem. It is important to be aware of the latest scams and to know what you should do. Knowledge is power in this case. If you know what to look for you can keep yourself from getting into a situation where a thief can get your information and cause you a world of hurt.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Chase Merchant Account Review

Chase Paymentech is a unit of JPMorgan Chase that offers tailor made merchant account services for business of all kinds. If you need a merchant account for your storefront, your online store, catalogue business or a mix of all of these you can rely on Chase Paymentech. They have been helping customers with payment processing since 1985. With so many years of experience you can rest assured that Chase knows what you need and how to meet your payment processing needs.

Some of the things that you will find at Chase are:
  • Point of sale solutions
  • Fraud protection
  • Gift card processing
  • Take recurring payments
  • Accept credit cards
  • Accept debit cards
Chase offers payment processing solutions for your specific business. They know that not all businesses are the same, they all require special consideration and different features. Your customers expect to pay by credit card, debit card and gift card in this day and age. It is to your businesses benefit to be sure that you can accept payment and to know that your customer's information is safe and secure.

Chase is easy to integrate and offers a built in payment gateway so you can use one company for both your payment gateway and your merchant account. No need to sign up with two different companies any longer.

Chase does not post their merchant account fees on their website so when you inquire about your accounts make sure you ask about:
  1. Application fees
  2. Setup fees
  3. Equipment/software leasing
  4. Transaction fees
  5. Discount rates
  6. Statement fees
  7. Monthly minimums
  8. Any other fees, or difference in fees due to type of sale



Thursday, October 1, 2009

Merchant Warehouse Review

Merchant Warehouse got their start in 1998 with the intention of providing every customer who needed a merchant account the best rates and the best service. They have served over 80,000 customers to date and they are still a top competitor in merchant accounts. Payment processing has never been so easy and so affordable. For every type of business, Merchant Warehouse has solutions for you.

Merchant Warehouse offers credit card processing for retail stores, Internet stores, catalogue and mail order, and wireless payment processing. They have all the equipment you need including software. Some equipment is refurbished and can save you even more money.

Upon application you will have a customer service representative give you a schedule of the discount fees and transaction fees. There are no setup fees, no hidden fees, and no contract or cancellation fees. They guarantee they have the lowest overall fees and lowest equipment fees.

Visit MerchantWarehouse today!