Skateboarding is not an afterthought. For the last few years boarding has lost its skates in the public eye. Skateboarding is not a dead art; in fact it’s more popular than ever. Skaters have new things to do as well. Since surfers that needed something to do when the waves weren’t breaking or the weather was bad turned to “concrete surfing”, the basics of balance, skill and committing to a risk in a moment have been and hopefully will be the ethos that boarding enthusiasts will continue to live by. Today, as many skaters surf, so many snowboard and wake board as well. Its natural progression and the future will bring out crazier and more extremes of board sports for the new breed of athletes who are looking for more than a stick and ball experience. When I was growing up, if you didn’t want to be on the team, whether it was softball, soccer or whatever sport kids and young adults were taking part in at the time, you turned to an individualistic sport. As options were limited, tennis, track and skiing made up the short list. In a nation that has bread teamwork and forced social skill sets, the paradigm has changed and changed in a way that has created different values, goals and interactions for our kids while they grow up. Skateboarding and alternative sports may in fact be a metaphor for the new generation of a progressive society. Participation in individual sports is not for everyone; as there is no set practice to be late for, you really need to get out there and practice and be involved. From there, advancing your skills is mainly up to you and for that reason, the learning curve is what you make of it. Skateboarders and other one-participant sports love that aspect of these activities which leaves them in charge of their own future. Studies have shown that kids growing up without team related activities, who take part in sports like skateboarding, surfing and motocross were more likely to lead and less likely to succumb to peer pressures.

Like all sports, gear is essential and to think that a skateboard is a piece of wood with some wheels on it is just going to piss off skateboarders. If you’re a skateboarder, you know what I mean. As with all industries, skateboard manufacturers spend lots of time and money researching and developing new ways to make boards, trucks and wheels more durable, lighter and less expensive, in an attempt to increase their performance and help riders further the sport. Skateboard shops are not such fringe retailers anymore. Today the sale of boards and accessories still makes up a good portion of their revenues; however, many are expanding their product lines to include other extreme sports that are loosely linked to the skate scene. It’s not uncommon to see snowboards, bmx bikes and wakeboard equipment next to decks and trucks when you walk into your local shop anymore. Merchants see the trends and are preparing themselves for the next new rage. Remember, you used to buy your skateboards in a surf shop. Skateboarding is not going anywhere; however skateboarding is a sensation activity and skaters will look outside skating for a new rush. Consequently, skaters who haven’t picked it up as quickly or get sick of skating will try the next like sport quickly, and repeat until they find one that works for their lifestyle and natural ability. Shop owners need to be ready for everything. Their shops operate mainly on a walk-in basis; however, many operate websites to serve customers worldwide. A merchant account is a necessary evil, or is it. The terms that banks offer merchants is often an unreasonable proposition that they deal with but don’t have to. Merchant service providers can help small shop owners like skate shops and the like to better their situation. Getting good discount rates on credit card processing is available if you look for it. A good place to start is online. Look up merchant service provider if you’re interested.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

We don’t mean that literally or even that you should be watching The Hills on MTV, but let’s just talk about your money or lack of it in today’s economy. It’s hard to find a starting point and even harder to pinpoint where the end to our fiscal woes is going to be and when. The sad state of affairs we call our economy probably started after September eleventh, unfortunately. This isn’t intended to unite, divide or cause alarm to anyone, but every now and then, we need to put back into perspective what our wants and needs are in reference to the dollars that we do have. As I’m no economist, I can only offer an objective view on what I do see every day and what I see on the news; sometimes these two views of American life contrast sharply.

Today, we all pay more for the things we need as well as the things we want. Not a winning proposition; in fact that is the heart of our frustration. Essentially, our wants are drowned out by the need to partake in crazy activities like driving to work and school and eating food. A lot of this is created by the rise in oil prices. When it costs a manufacturer more to produce goods and deliver them to you. We’ll work backwards from here. Increased manufacturing and transportation prices are more of a result of our weak economy. Being in a recession, everyone cuts back, consumers are fickle which makes it difficult for manufacturers and retailers to predict what it is that they are going to buy. What makes it almost funny is that as Americans, we tend to buy things we want and skimp on, borrow or neglect purchasing the things we need. That’s why, when they say that consumer confidence is low, it’s almost all our fault. Another factor that is interchangeable with consumer confidence and increased prices on goods and services is unemployment. With manufacturing costs being high in America, manufacturers have turned to Asia, namely China to produce whole products or some of the parts that make up “American Made” products, putting Americans out of work. It’s easy to see the next step backwards is that those people with no or limited income, feel the crunch more than everyone. Before all of this started, the housing crunch began. This was a result of people taking full advantage of their bank prequalification letters, in my opinion. You all know what I mean, for years prequalification letters gave home buyers an estimate on what they could afford based on their credit score and debt to income ratio; for a while approvals were fast and loose on those guidelines. Yes, the catch was that they had to take an adjustable rate mortgage. Who’s to blame? Is the banking industry to blame for creating such a financial product or consumers for agreeing to pay massive mortgage payments? Looking back further, I find it comical to think that those people just needed a nice house with a nice driveway to park their nice car in that they could afford only because they got it at zero percent interest. Why did that happen? I remember about seven years ago, no one spent a dime; in fact we all thought the sky was falling and hoarded our money. That was until we could buy a turbo diesel one ton pick-up truck for $450 a month. I guess we can’t blame the auto industry for our woes, but taking our current situation into consideration, it’s really clear that (and I’m sorry to say) many of the issues we fact today, we have indirectly created for ourselves by making poor and hasty purchasing decisions in our past.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

Organic produce has worked its way from a nonsensical luxury to a fringe health craze to the mainstay of the fruit and vegetable industry. Once, when farms were being forced to shut down, the farmers chose to grow organic produce to supplement their incomes. In rural areas, farmers offered co-op markets where mostly local residents could pay an annual upfront fee and visit the market once or twice a week to pick up a predetermined amount of organic produce for their families. In many cases this type of business became more than a supplement than a sideline; farmers were now able to forecast crops, have working capital to run their farms and even grow the size of their farms which in most cases makes them more competitive in terms of harvest size which can lower their market price, bring a quality product, organic or non-organic to consumers in the super market and make room for new types of crops.

Today, the produce section at the super market is comprised of twenty to thirty percent organic fruits and vegetables. The pricing is becoming more in line with non-organic produce; as well, the selection and quality is much better than it was even a couple years ago. With the supermarkets purchasing organic produce in mass quantities, some farms are converting all of their crops and facilities to strictly organic. Like most good ideas whose time has come, small farmers markets, roadside stands and co-ops have all but disappeared, and it’s easy to see the reason the minute you walk into your local grocery store. Bringing products, especially produce to market is becoming harder than ever; with the cost of fuel ever on the rise, farmers can only afford to produce in mass quantities. To add insult to injury, the pricing is not in line with the buying in mass quantity school of thought that we are used to when making a purchase. Super markets prices are through the roof totally defeating the purpose of farmers increasing production and to bring their products to market cheaper. In reality, the only people winning at this game are trucking companies, if they can win at anything these days? We all know that truckers are bearing the brunt of the oil crisis in America; what we mean is that perishable items need to be replenished which fosters a need to keep the trucks running, that is all.

What is a farmer to do? Do they increase crop sizes, lower costs of harvest and eventually go out of business, while large super market chains and pessimistic futures investors systematically grease the pole that farm owners are sliding down? Some farm owners are getting back to basics or downsizing crops and reopening their roadside markets and co-ops. What they’ve found is that this doesn’t cut into their newly grown business and reinvigorates the local need for quality produce. Co-ops, farmers markets and corner produce stands have always been a cash business. Maybe some people like it that way, but today, Americans are carrying around a lot less cash. Even, for a farmer to have a merchant account so that they could accept credit cards at their stands can help grow their business more. Naturally, credit cards create a buy now pay later mind set; while it’s not always an ideal way to live, it tends to bridge the gap between consumers and consumables. For farmers or operators of farm markets, this can be the difference between a ten dollar sale and forty dollar sale. For small businesses like them, merchant service providers can be most helpful. Dealing with small businesses and being in touch with those new to processing is what sets them apart from the rest of the pack. If you don’t know to get in touch with a merchant service provider, you can find one on the internet.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

Today with E-banking and E-commerce becoming more mainstream; the services that banks, processors and their affiliates are able to offer make breaking the mold of local and domestic processing an easier and more seamless integration for merchants. This does not mean that domestic banks are suffering and local vendors will eventually stop using them. Web hosting companies are seeing a lot more businesses than usual come to them as vendors to either supplement their existing business or start up and maintain a new entity. Websites are funnels for advertisers, satellite industries and support businesses like banking and customer support. The hosting companies are really doing a lot of work for free so that not only their main client (the merchant) can do business, but also several other companies can make their money. This is fine, but what if you are a hosting company that sets up E-commerce websites for businesses every day only to send them packing off to a search engine to find credit card processing or can’t even answer the question?

Merchant service providers, processors and banks see the forest for the trees in that website hosting companies can be a great referral and affiliate source for them in ultimately obtaining new business. Why give the business away when you can refer it to a paying partner? Processors that deal with multiple banks naturally are able to achieve superior results through excellent rates, custom tailored processing solutions and services that customers may not have thought were available through their current or even any bank or processor. Processors are able to pay commissions to web hosting companies for the leads, and with website optimization becoming increasingly difficult; these fees often prove to be a more calculated expense with a higher rate of return than the processor or merchant service provider climbing the ladder to the first page of a search engine. Merchant service providers interact with several processors, who in turn interact with a number of banks. Likewise banks and merchant service providers foster relationships where the processor is the last piece of the puzzle when the deal comes together. As there are a number of scenarios, any one of these ultimately benefits merchants and the web hosting company that brought them to a processor or merchant service provider first. Merchant service providers typically are on the front line in the credit card processing battle. They deal with new customers every day and are able to gauge the ultimate success of the processing relationship and in turn match them with a processor and/ or bank that will foster the most seamless, quick and least cost intensive credit card processing solution for their customers. For web hosting companies flat rate referrals are only the beginning; high volume, high dollar merchants referred to merchant service providers often rate a percentage commission which can add up quickly. There are a lot of variables when it comes to these relationships, and for web hosting companies, researching the right merchant service provider will improve your customer relations and offer you a niche’ in the market.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

The topsoil and stone business is more or less a necessity driven industry that is becoming harder and harder every day to maintain and for businesses to stay competitive. The reason behind the pinch is the increasing cost of fuel. The stone industry is separated into three categories, quarries, gravel pits and recyclables.

Quarries typically use measured and strategically placed charges to blast stone into workable sized pieces. Then the stone is either loaded into trucks and hauled to a stationary processing plant that crushes, screens and sometimes washes the stone with high pressure watering systems to clean off sand and fines. The end products are uniformly sized materials that are used for roads, parking lots, driveways and in the building process. The materials that quarries and gravel pits make are used to make concrete and asphalt, both of which are used to build the roads we drive, walk on, run on and bicycle on every day.

Gravel pits are similar to quarries in that the processes for crushing, screening and washing the products is much the same. To harvest the stone from a gravel pit doesn’t necessitate the use of explosives as the material can be excavated with heavy equipment due to the fact that gravel is a mixture of sand and natural stone that lays beneath most of the worlds geography that ledge stone (which is quarry rock) does not inhabit. Various regions of the world are known for different types of rocks; some are hard, some are soft and some are very abrasive.

As both quarries and gravel pits typically use off-road dump trucks to transport the feed product to the stationary plants, some operations are turning to mobile equipment to bring the plant to the pile. Today, with the cost of fuel being so high, eliminating machinery and manpower and maintenance is a much needed cost saving measure. What is happening is as the face of a quarry or gravel pit moves back, the machinery moves with it. This not only eliminated the costly haul trucks, but it increases cycle times as the material doesn’t have to travel long distances to the plant.

Recyclable stone products are typically concrete and asphalt that are the products of the demolition and road rebuilding process. In the past, these materials were hauled to landfills and buried; today, savvy contractors are purchasing and renting mobile rock crushers much like the ones used in quarries, to crush down their jobsite waste to be used back on that jobsite or sold to other contractors in that area. This can work well for other contractors as a quarry or gravel pit may be a far drive and the fuel costs for getting a product to them may be too expensive.

Topsoil companies or organics producers either purchase raw workable topsoil and other products that can be turned into topsoil, mulches for landscaping and highly enriched garden and potting materials. Many of these companies use their own trucks to deliver their products to customers, while others travel to jobsites to turn an unusable and unsalable material into a salable commodity.

Both the stone and topsoil industries are really feeling the pinch of high fuel prices and a soft economy. Increases in products make up for some of it to offset these circumstances, but to remain competitive, even more cost saving measures need to be implemented. As these businesses typically accept credit cards, many of the transactions are done over the telephone and a receipt is either printed to be signed by the customer on delivery, or an invoice is sent out. In most cases, the transactions are classified by banks as “Card not Present Transactions” and these businesses are placed in a high risk category without even knowing about it. Merchant service providers have a lot to offer these merchants in the stone and topsoil industry. They’re used to dealing with business owners that mainly run card not present transactions and they often deal with high volume high batch submissions. What they can offer are competitive rates, custom tailored services to various industries and low fees. Contact a merchant service provider today to find out more.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

For most merchants, using their credit card merchant account has not only helped their business grow, but it has been the mainstay of their cash flow. For online merchants, not being able to accept credit cards is not an option. Another great option for merchants to electronically process consumer transactions is through ACH.

ACH is Automatic Clearing House and basically an electronic wire transfer system and the transactions are settled in much the same way that traditional paper check transactions are; meaning that the bank divides the batch submissions by the originator bank and sends them off to clear, and wit for the respective deposits. Unlike paper checks, ACH transactions are usually high dollar amounts and are popular with international merchants selling products or services to clients abroad. This usually works out well because of the time and risk involved with mailing funds. Internet merchants are believed to be particularly savvy when it comes to funds acceptance diversification. ACH has been around since the early 1970’s and has always been a risk for businesses to perform due to theft and fraud. Unfortunately criminals will always find a way into the most elaborate and secure funds transfer systems; however, this cannot stop merchants from looking forward to add ACH to their stable of acceptance venues.

When ACH was born, the US Federal Reserve offered help by way of offering electronics and computer systems to aid banking institutions deal with, organize and settle ACH transactions. In 1974 NACHA, which is the National Automatic Clearing House Association, to help establish rules and guidelines as well as regulate certain portions of the ACH industry. Today they operate and maintain their website which is www.nacha.org which offers news, information, resource links and statistics for merchants that are interested in ACH. Currently ACH transactions increase an average of about 15% each year, with a 13.4% volume increase in 2007. Due to the internet revolution, ACH has grown steadily and seems to show no slowdown in sight for the near future; however it is unclear today what the effects of a slow economy or recession will have on these transactions. It is possible that ACH transactions may spike in a slow economy because of the relative low cost of a per transaction fee, no discount rate and no chargeback risk. As with any avenue in business, industry professionals work to make their products and services more mainstream and a questionable economy just may be the way to accomplish that.

Setting up an ACH account is fairly simple. Many merchant service providers that set up and assist in the maintenance of merchant credit card accounts offer ACH set up services. This is great for one stop shoppers; however there are companies that specialize in ACH set up and servicing specifically ACH customers. The application process is very similar to credit card acceptance applications and there is usually a set up fee, monthly fee and transaction fee, which is the same for credit card accounts. A great money savings for merchants is that there is no discount rate involved. This means that there is no percentage of each dollar being processed taken out for the bank or processor. Transaction fees vary, but usually fall between $.25 and $1.00 per transaction. This can mean real dollars saved for certain industries, but it would be a hard sell for many merchants that benefit from the ease of credit cards and allot for those expenses. While it may not happen tomorrow, ACH is here to stay and enjoys steady growth in a fickle and ever changing marketplace. If you are interested in information on ACH accounts, checking with your merchant service provider is not a bad place to start.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

With the weak economy, the heavy equipment industry is adapting and overcoming by going global. For this and all of the construction industry, a weak economy is a frightening thought. For the larger contractors, a lack of federal and state funds for large projects like roads, bridges and infrastructure mean that they won’t be working as much and need to start liking at medium and small jobs. For the medium and small contractors, a weak or slow economy means that contract work from large contractors will dwindle or at least there will be more competition. For small specialized businesses like landscapers, loggers and tree service companies a slow economy means that businesses and homeowners won’t be spending the money that year. If you’re in the equipment retail or rental business, all of these people are your customers and if any one of those demographics are have a bad year, then so are you.

For every region in the country, their seasons break at different times. Basically no one likes working when it’s too hot or cold, that included equipment. You get the picture. The heavy equipment industry is basically at the mercy of the economy both directly and indirectly. Cost saving measures are implemented every day to make sure that their machinery maintains its equity, customers receive the service and maintenance they need and the company can be in business for another year. From the big dealerships to small equipment houses, they all do extremely well at watching their day to day costs and making sure that equipment deals pass the fairness test. A real aspect of the industry that is not given as much attention as it may should pertains to their banking and funds acceptance. As with many service industries, many dealers have card not present accounts so that they can take credit cards over the phone or on a jobsite; while they’re also set up at the store with a terminal for parts and other over the counter sales. While it may seem like a credit card driven industry, most dealers use their own credit lines established through an internal credit department that invoices customers and sets, increases and puts stops on all lines of credit within the company. What if this internal cost could be outsourced by using the customer’s credit cards to complete transactions? Many domestic banks probably won’t jump at the chance to have out low rate credit lines to the equipment and construction industry, but there are many banks and processors that look outside the box and may be willing to take a risk on credit lines for equipment, sales and rentals of heavy equipment. Merchant service providers are the best direct link to banks that are interested in that type of business. Just like contractors specialize in various skills and disciplines, doing the same thing day in, day out; merchant service providers are highly skilled in linking the right customers with the right banks. If you’re interested in a merchant account for your construction equipment sales, rental and parts business, contact a merchant service provider or find one on the internet.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

Men don’t go to the barber anymore and their wives, daughters and girlfriends don’t just go to the salon, they go to the spa. With everyday life getting busier and more hectic, everyone needs a time out; the spa industry has just what you need to revitalize yourself and escape if not for just a bit. The spa has taken over the cosmetic and salon industry offering more than just haircuts. Most spas are full service; they offer services such as manicures, pedicures, massages, tanning and they’ll even do your make up for you. Five years ago, if you owned a spa or full service salon, you owned the market in your town. Today, with many to choose from, spas need to differentiate and offer services that separate themselves from their competition. Some of the most sought after services today are full body wraps, hot stone therapy and of course there’s always a line out the door for a three hundred dollar haircut. It really sounds crazy, but it’s true, people are doling out big bucks to make themselves feel better and there is really no slow down in sight for the near future.
In addition to traditional salons and spas, specialty spas and salons are popping up in major cities, except their clients are probably not who you think? Kids and pets, that’s right, pedicures, massages and fancy hair do’s for your children and prized pups currently make up a small but growing percentage of the spa industry. In addition to service and product differentiation, these small businesses need to keep up revenue and watch their profit margins as this industry is high end and its clients demand the very best in terms of atmosphere and amenities. If you’re a salon or spa owner, the banking industry may not be your best friend as of late. Banks are cutting back on business improvement loans, both in terms of the size of the loan, term of the loan and interest rates are not as good as they once were. However, businesses need to keep up with trends, change to meet consumer demands and expand to grow their businesses. These are realities that spa and salon owners cannot ignore if they want, if they want to stay in business for the long term. A great way for small businesses like these to save money is taking a good look at their credit card rates; really, what they are being charged by their bank and/or processor to accept credit cards at their business. So many business owners are just too busy running their business to take a close look at their statement every month, and just chalk up the fees and high discount rate to the cost of doing business today. If that’s the case, then please look again. Sometimes banks and processors will place a business like a salon or spa in a high risk category; they often justify this to their customers because of the nature of their business, in that these are not necessities but luxury purchases. If you find yourself in a position that you don’t want to be in for the future, you may want to contact a merchant service provider. A merchant account service provider is simply a broker that deals with a lot of different banks. Two really good reasons for dealing with them over one bank is that you can shop rates of several banks while dealing with only one person and certain processors and merchant service providers deal mainly with specific types of industries. For spa and salon owners, this means that they’re in sync with busy times of the year and know how to handle chargebacks more effectively. For a business owner, that can mean real dollars saved and sleeping better at night!

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

The fight is on and some people would argue; but the satellite television industry is on fire and there aren’t any signs of the cable industry gaining any headway toward offering their customers competitive products or services that will sway folks from taking down the big ugly dish on the roof. Cable television is not a bad service in as much as it has been around forever and the companies have serviced their customers well. In fact it’s doubtful that cable will ever go away. What’s most exciting about the satellite television revolution is that the services are getting so much more competitive; where two and three years ago, better receivers, monthly fees and coverage area were consumer hot buttons. Now with high fidelity digital channels being a must have as well as number and selection of high definition channels being a main bone of contention for the present and future in customer loyalty. Today, satellite companies have cornered the market on high definition selection; having more of them and better selection, which is drawing customers their way. In terms of pricing and install fees, both satellite and cable tend to be very competitive; where perspective satellite customers may not have the direct line to the satellite in the sky, cable companies don’t service everywhere, in every crevice of the countryside. What is important to stay is that where satellite companies are pulling away from the competition with great services; the cable companies aren’t helping themselves out by cashing in on regular rate increases.

The really great thing about the satellite industry is that the dissemination of innovations happens so fast. Integrating homes, businesses and entire hotels is a bit easier due to high end components and wireless ability, which makes slot of accounts for satellite companies easier to maintain. Due to increased fuel prices, the cost of installation and cost of components is a bit higher today than it was three or even five years ago. Well, when it comes to raising prices, satellite television companies need to be careful; getting lumped into the category that their competitors in the cable business is always in the back of their minds. With a lot of billing done directly by automatic billing through their customer’s credit cards, these business owners typically pay a lot to banks in terms of rates and monthly processing fees. The day to day stresses and frustrations of running a business tend to take precedence over cost control. It’s probably not the most popular thing to say to a business owner, but many satellite companies are small businesses that need to control costs, but seldom have the time due to high workloads. A great way to control your merchant service costs is just by looking to your statement! That’s right, do it once a month; what you might find is that you are paying higher rates and unnecessary fees every month. You may also find that chargebacks due to customer’s credit card issues add up and if not addressed promptly will cost you, not them. You may also find that you’re probably paying a higher rate and were placed in a high risk category due to the fact that much if not all of your business is categorized as card not present. These transactions are convenient for business owners and basically necessary in the satellite industry, but are placed in that category as a rule based on principle by the bank because of the type of transaction that they are. By doing some basic research online, you may find that international banks that are located outside your domestic region are not only very competitive but probably offer better rates than your domestic bank. This is simply because this is found business outside of their market. Banking standards, while secure, are more lenient and merchant friendly toward the small business owner. Merchant service providers are usually the best resource to getting in touch with these banks and finding a better banking solution for you.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.

Everyone likes to travel and get away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. Destination weddings, all inclusive vacation resorts and boat rentals are becoming more and more popular among the vacation jaded. Travel agencies, brokers, wholesalers and direct sales houses that have lived through the peaks and valleys of various economies know, within reason how to predict consumer confidence. Today, the western economy is slow and travel is down; you know this, so watching your costs is a must to turn any profit.

There are several ways that business savvy travel industry insiders keep in the black and in business. the first is by packaging deals that cost average several aspects of a vacation; some with inflated costs and others that are true deals. This is fine by most consumers; nobody likes to shop around for a relaxing vacation. Another good way is to wholesale packages to businesses. Companies like to give away things to their employees that help drive business, build moral and keep the employees happy. This is a great way to associate a lot of value by buying in bulk. You all know this. With the relevant demise of corner travel agencies, online travel brokerage agencies have made some headway, sourcing sought after destinations with the amenities and activities that today’s traveler demands.

The travel industry is one of the internet’s most researched topics. Whether it’s destination, hotel, flight or packaging, most, if not all decisions can be made in your own home. Internet travel business owners feel the pinch every time they read their merchant account statements. Like any industry, there is a risk involved; however, banks view the travel industry in a high risk category. There are two reasons this happens. First is that there is an inherently high number of chargebacks in travel. People’s lives change, their plans change and there is always fraud and theft. These factors drive a merchant’s discount rate high, in some cases through the roof. Online travel merchants pay on the high end of the credit card industry; which is in itself an oxymoron. Travel entails moving people from point A to point B, right? Many times, travel is international. Merchants usually do business with clients within their domestic market; meaning US merchants are most likely to sell vacations and plane tickets to US customers. Many of these tickets and vacations involve international travel. When these merchants batch and process their transactions, it’s usually at a local bank, or at least a domestic bank…charging them a high discount rate reflecting a high risk business. Merchant service providers specialize in sourcing banks or banking solutions for various clients. There are a lot of benefits to obtaining a merchant account from a merchant service provider. They can offer many services that you may either have to pay for or may not have access to at all through your current bank. Some of these services include virtual terminals, third party fraud scrubbing and high volume accounts. If you’re in the travel industry and are interested in getting a better rate on your credit card transactions, contact a merchant service provider today.

For more information on credit card processing and check processing please visit http://www.stradafee.com.