Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Posts
    62

    Question Why is it hard to get your own branded online credit card acceptance?

    Revecom and Instabill are by far the most used systems by reading through posts here, with a handful of other similar setups being the rest.

    But these companies brand the customer's charge statement with their own name, not yours. Or they force you to use their forms for customer info. Or both.

    I know I've ordered stuff from tons of online stores that have their own payment form pages and their own name on my credit card statement when it comes in. Obviously the big ones like Buy.com and Amazon.com, but all the little one man shows have it too.

    I know when I was running a business, it was a piece of cake to get us a merchant account with our own name branded on the statements, but that was non-internet.

    So what does it take to get an account that you can interact with online in real time with your own scripts/server/cert and shows up on the client's statement as your name only?

  2. #2
    It is not hard if you have good credit and a business bank account. I went to ezmerchantaccounts.com and was up and running in a week or two. As a US resident, they only required a copy of drivers license and a voided business check.

    It did cost $200 out of the gate to pay for the Authorize.net web terminal, but other than the upfront cost, my merchant account was not more difficult than signing up with Revecom.
    Marty Hoskins
    http://tlcwe.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Barrington and Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Posts
    318
    For us... we use CardService International to PROCESS out cards... we use cybercash for our gateway to get into cardservice. Anyways, so we use cardservice and they are great. We used cybercash because it is/was a very common gateway 2 years ago so it worked well with various billing options we were looking at.

    Cardservice is the one that puts our name on your bill though.
    Jeff Link - jeff.link@intrahost.com
    NewLinkOne.com - Resell Domains and we handle billing!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Posts
    62
    Oh, so it is possible. I just felt as if every post I was looking at was for the Revecom/Instabill type of account and figured they were the only game in town.

    I don't understand why someone would use them when there are better alternatives right here. ? Do that many people have bad credit?

    I think CSI (Card Service International) is who I had an account with before...hard to remember, the company I signed up with was bought out by someone else who was in turn bought out by someone else too.

    I'll check out the companies you guys mentioned, thanks for the pointers. Anyone else have suggestions on companies to use and/or gateways they'd recommend?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Tacoma, Washington
    Posts
    9,576
    We recently set up with Planet Payment, and didn't have too much trouble with them. Revecom etc, are cost effective for when you start out, and that's usually a reason people go with them (I know that's why we did).

    Net merchant accounts are garder to get then offline ones. Coupled with higher chargebacks, and fraud (from both sides), banks tend to make sure they are approving trustworthy businesses before giving them the go ahead.

    Greg Moore
    Former Webhost... now, just a guy.

  6. #6
    Since several months, PlanetPayment does require you to place several graphics / logos on your order forms. Which is a pity..

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    6,623
    Originally posted by Lurker

    I don't understand why someone would use them when there are better alternatives right here. ? Do that many people have bad credit?
    In addition to the point that startup fees for a full merchant account and gateway are typically $250-$500, they also usually will involve monthly minimums and monthly gateway fees that might mean even if you do no sales at all you'll pay around $40 a month. Generally you'll have no fees with the third-party billers unless you have some charge activity.
    Specializing in SEO and PPC management.

  8. #8
    Originally posted by Lurker
    I don't understand why someone would use them when there are better alternatives right here. ? Do that many people have bad credit?
    Well maybe not that, but a lot of Hosting Providers that you'll find on these forums are not liscensed buisnesses with bank accounts, and thus they are not able to get a merchant account.

    Also, some companies just don't see why it's worth it to get an account, when you could use Revecom or Instabill for a lot less money.
    Kevin Bombino
    Founder
    Action Verb, LLC

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Posts
    69

    Are you looking for?

    Do you need a merchant acct. or just a payment gateway?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    1,097
    Originally posted by bombino
    Well maybe not that, but a lot of Hosting Providers that you'll find on these forums are not liscensed buisnesses with bank accounts, and thus they are not able to get a merchant account.
    Personally, that right there is why I feel the hosting business is going south (it's looking better lately, but can still be improved a great deal).

    Not having an established business tends to leave the owners in a "hrm, this didn't work out, oh well" state of mind when things go wrong and pack up and go. It happens often -- I could probably name at least 10 hosts that I would almost guarantee aren't licensed businesses.
    Alex Llera
    Professional Server Management
    FreeBSD|Linux|HSphere|Cpanel|Plesk

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    175
    I have less than great credit and got a account with E-commerce Exchange very easy only it is a little expensive. Costs $39 month plus .15 a transaction, there is a limit you have to charge per montht too. However it was easy to get and it shows my name on the credit card that was billed.
    David Smith

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Posts
    124
    What is E-commerce Exchange's website address.


    Thanks

  13. #13
    I think I will throw my 2 cents in here now.

    I have no credit problems and can get a merchant account in an instant, but...

    As far as internet traffic goes your rate is 2.3 to 2.5 % and a transaction fee of $.30

    At $4.95 X 2.3% that is .12 cents + .30 for the
    transaction which comes to .42 cents.

    I go through instabill and only get charged $.50 cents
    They have address verification, they rebill the card automatically, I don't get accessed a $10 to $25 charge if there is a chargeback, I have no gateway or subscription fees.

    So for $.8 cents I felt it was eaiser in the long run to let them handle it.


    Hope this sheds so lite on this. As far as my business goes, it is licensed, has its own bank account and is not run by a 12 year old.
    L. James Prevo - President/Owner
    Prevo Network, LLC - http://www.prevo.net
    Est. 1999 - Month to Month Billing!!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Chennai, India
    Posts
    92
    Licensed Hosting companies ?.

    Is there any specific licensing for Hosting Companies in US/UK ?.

    Here in India, I have a business bank account in the company's name which was opened after certification from a Chartered Accountant. Now Im also filing tax returns for my Company. I also have a taxpayer ID.

    A trademark application has also been filed in my Company's name for the logo.

    Does this make my Company a 'Licensed' one ?. Or are there other qualifications ?.


    Matra
    Eviance Consulting
    Web Hosting & Design

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