I am looking into getting a merchant account to process real-time on the Internet. I am not sure if I understand right how this all works.

If I get a merchant account - why would I need authorize.net?

Does all the fraud checking needs to be done by myself?

I see something like this at charge.com

Real-Time with Virtual Terminal Purchase - $195 but they also have Software Purchase would I need both at all?

Thanks for your input!

Originally posted by TheFish
I am looking into getting a merchant account to process real-time on the Internet. I am not sure if I understand right how this all works.

If I get a merchant account - why would I need authorize.net?
A merchant account is what you need to accept credit cards. When applying for an account you are registered with Visa/MC as a merchant and you are set up to receive direct deposits of funds paid to you in to your merchant bank account.

Authorize.net is a payment gateway. It basically links your payment page or shopping cart in real time to a clearing house so to speak. You would need both.


Does all the fraud checking needs to be done by myself?

I see something like this at charge.com
You can do some digging yourself, but capturing cvv2 numbers and using address verification should be automatic

but they also have would I need both at all?
The $195 fee is to set up the Authorize.net real time payment gateway. They also have a software that you can use to input orders manually. That is the difference. If you use the software, you can not do real time transactions. If you use Authorize.net real time gateway, you also have access to an online manual input page that will allow you to charge cards manually.

Software= 1 time fee, manual only
Authorize.net= set up and monthly recurring fee, real time and manual processing

Thanks for your input!

Wells Fargo will provide you with the authorize.net payment gateway for free (no monthly fee, nor setp fee for gateway) if you sign up for their merchant account.

Their merchant account is $29 a month; 2.35%, and $0.31 per transaction. $99 signup fee for the merchant account.

The fees are just built in. Banks usually charge a $0 application fee, so the $99 sign up fee is really what they use to pay authorize.net for the gateway. And the monthly fee for authorize.net is built in to the $29 monthly fee. I'm not saying it's a bad offer, just that the fees are there, just renamed.

Check out BluePay at http://bluepay.onlinedatacorp.com no upfront fees.

aNc

Checkout Echo-inc. http://www.echo-inc.com. They have a $99 setup fee but they give you both the merchant account and the gateway for as low as $10 bucks a month. And if you dont process in a month period you dont pay the monthy fee.