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Back in Action!

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from posting here.� Life just gets in the way sometimes.� However, we'd like to go back to providing you with up-to-date reviews of various credit card processing services.� There are so many to choose from that it can be very helpful to have honest reviews to consider before making such a big decision.

Another big decision new businesses need to contend with is where to turn for search engine promotion.� Like the merchant service industry, SEO is a competitive business, and it can be hard to know who to trust.� We recommend AdvantageSEOServices.com for their experience and professionalism.�

They can help with projects big and small - whether you want to focus on getting free backlinks or going all out with PPC advertising and content generation, there's a package that can work for your budget.�

Check back soon for a return to topic and more merchant service reviews!

Best Adult CC Processors

When you work in the adult industry, it can be easy to start thinking of yourself as somewhat of a pariah. We aren't all fortunate enough to be able to talk openly with our families and friends, let alone other businesses, about the work that we do. This shroud of secrecy can spill over into finding corporate services as well.

For instance sex toy stores, strip clubs, websites and entertainers can have a difficult time securing adult-friendly credit card processing from traditional banks and lenders. While other retail stores, restaurants and more mainstream companies can approach their local banking institution for fair merchant rates and a quick set up, adult businesses have to do a little more work to find services that will work for them.

While it may seem like an instance of sex-shaming, there are actually sound reasons behind credit card industry concern surrounding adult transactions. For one thing, doing business online is inherently risky. Unless a company can handle a customer's Visa or Mastercard and obtain a signed receipt for products purchased or services rendered, the merchant bank is at risk of costly chargebacks.

Another concern is that, even with in person adult businesses, there are laws governing sex, pornography and related entertainment. Buyers must be over the age of 18, and banks cannot risk being held liable because the company with which they are working is not careful about verifying age. If you want to get and keep a merchant account, you need to make sure to take age restrictions very seriously.

Fortunately, despite the above concerns, many dedicated providers have discovered that there is a lot of money to be made in adult dating, toys and pornography, and cheap transaction rates are readily accessible for business owners who seek them out. Although they still classify these enterprises as "high risk," the cost for high risk credit card processing can actually be really reasonable.

Whether your business is online or off, good record keeping and a solid financial credit history can help you to activate an account with the lowest possible percentage rates and monthly fees. Most providers can also help you to get set up with an online payment system that will work well with your adult personals, sex toy or pay site. This will eliminate frustration for your customers and will keep your membership renewals processing seamlessly.

To learn more about getting cheap credit card processing as an adult merchant, click here.

How to Sell Handmade Jewelry Online

Selling horse jewelry, unique earrings and handcrafted bracelets can be a fun way to turn a hobby into a profitable business. With hard work of creating unique jewelry and research, it's easy to make some money making jewelry. Your creative unique jewelry designs will always help you increase sales. It is very important that you have created unique jewelry that is unusual and no one has seen before. This will lower the completion as you will be the only source so your retail and wholesale jewelry customers will come back to you for re-orders.

Advertising in real life is one of the most productive ways to get customers. Happy customers will recommend you to their friends about how great your jewelry designs and how well they sell. This word of mouth publicity will be priceless for your horse jewelry business. Online advertising will be another good way to get publicity for your Horse Jewelry website.

Participating in horse jewelry shows and horse trade shows will get you many contacts as well as good sales. People who are interested in your horse earrings and bracelets will visit your website in their convenient time and make orders from your horse jewelry website. It is always a good idea to give your customers at wholesale jewelry and gift shows business cards with your website address. Encourage your customers to follow on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. You can offer your social media followers a discount when they purchase jewelry from your website. Do not forget, you can have the most unique jewelry in the world but this would not help increase your sales if nobody knows about it. You have promote your handcrafted necklaces, lockets, bracelets, earrings and all your unique jewelry sets as much as you can to let people know how wonderful your horse jewelry is.

Your patterns and colors are fundamental and timeless. With an elegant pattern of individual creation of handcrafted jewelry and unique gifts will give you the edge to compete in the horse jewelry market. Your artisan jewelry, with your beautiful creations will be very unusual and most unique jewelry that will draw the customers to your creations as you will be the only horse unique jewelry supplier providing these outstanding wholesale jewelry designs. There are many reasons to buy horse jewelry and gifts.Customization of the unique jewelry combined with that friendly service that you should provide will be the key factor of increase wholesale jewelry sales.When people go into the malls and big box stores they see the same items.When horse items are created they have an original look, feel and designs to them, and most jewelry artisans will customize to suit individual customers.

These essential elements are what make the artisans horse jewelry different from the mass produced ones. Equestrian jewelry pieces become the designers reflection of his or her soul as these creations of jewelry become the pride of life for the artisan. Your personal artistic touch as well as your friendly service will set your horse jewelry business apart from department stores. You should decide how to market your horse jewelry, is it retail or wholesale that you would like to focus on. Once you make up your mind then you have to choose the proper ways of marking in the areas and retail and wholesale marketing requires different promotional strategies.

For retail marketing of your horse jewelry home parties selling Horse Bracelets could be where many successful horse jewelers start out. People invite their friends for some snacks or dinner one afternoon or evening. As desert is served, and small talk begins, you can show your guests your latest horse jewelry creations. Let them take a look and feel of your products. Have mirrors handy and allow guests to try your jewelry. This relaxed and friendly environment could be a great venue not only to take pride of your handiwork but also to sell them to people who are close to you.

If you would like to venture into the outside world, craft shows are a great place to exhibit and sell your horse jewelry. Craft fairs are where people of the same interest gather to look and shop for interesting finds. Fairs provide great settings for jewelers starting out as they provide good learning experiences such as the latest trends in horse jewelry business. This is also where you could meet with potential contacts for your future handcrafted jewelry ventures for selling horse earrings.

You may also take advantage of the convenience afforded by technology by selling your products online. The great thing about online shops is you could reach a wide market without having to leave your house. You may join an online shops that specialize in accessories or you may also sell you goods in online horse sites. For a minimal cost you could enter a vast ocean of potential customers. You may also put up your own website or jewelry blog so that people would associate your products directly to you. Publishing and maintaining websites these days are no longer costly and considering how much you would earn with your handcrafted jewelry business, this could be a venture worth taking.

Revolution Money Exchange - New on the scene!

Compared to online processing giant Paypal, Revolution Money Exchange is a baby, only a couple of years into handling the transfer of funds via the internet.� Though it appeals to individuals, some small businesses have begun using it as well.� It does promise low fees and from my limited experience, it was very user-friendly.� There also aren't any monthly statement fees or contracts - you aren't locked into several years and forced to pay an early termination fee if you stop processing or change providers.�

That said, there are many reasons why businesses might choose a more secure merchant bank.� Though RME offers some perks as I mentioned above, it is entirely possible to find a credit card processor that will forgo the early termination fee and bill no monthly fees as well.� These things can be negotiated when you sign up for an account, especially with the best merchant companies.� Those companies know that their rates are excellent and a better deal would be hard to find, so they don't feel compelled to lock you into anything by contract.�

I would recommend checking out the Revolution if you want to start accepting payments quickly.� Once you're set up, you can shop around for a better merchant account.�

What Can I Do with an Offshore Company?

Many people have asked our firm: �What can I do with an offshore company?�

The question they should really be asking is: What can I do with my own company?

Setting up an offshore company is nothing more than incorporating your own company outside of the country where you currently reside. The only difference between your own company onshore and your own offshore company , is one must follow the laws of the land in which the company was incorporated. This can sometimes cause confusion.

Each country in the world has its own rules for company formation. A self-governed location, such as a country or nation state is called a �jurisdiction� if it implements an independent tax system. Jurisdictions can typically choose their own tax regulations, such as setting rates of taxes.

These jurisdictions set a rate for taxing corporate profits. Singapore and Hong Kong are amongst the lowest corporate tax rates in the world and have become popular destinations for entrepreneurs
undertaking offshore company formation. This gives business owners options, affording them to be able to seek low tax, or tax exempt, options amongst jurisdictions with excellent reputations as efficient business hubs.

To learn more, please visit:� http://www.healyconsultants.com/articles/offshore-company-qna.html

Specialized Merchant Service Providers

Some businesses are fortunate in that they can walk right into a local bank and set up a merchant account without any fuss.� These low risk industries like restaurants, retail shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, bars, and other card-swipe companies have it easy.� Other businesses - those selling online or over the phone, especially - often have to look harder to find a qualified merchant service provider willing to work with them.

High risk businesses that want to process transactions for cigarette sales, travel services, adult entertainment, and other MOTO or internet operations are still eligible for low rates and secure accounts.� You may even find some providers willing to waive early termination charges and charge no annual fees despite your high risk status.

Tobacco sellers, hotels, online pharmacies, and others will of course have to do their due diligence, shopping around for the best deal and comparing rates before signing up for an account with any one provider - just like other businesses.� Great deals are out there - get yours today!

Credit Card Information

We've been quiet for awhile, but I'm eager to start posting here again.� I think it makes sense to kick things off with an informational post about the importance of credit cards in business.�

Today, most people rely quite heavily on their charge cards to pay for large and small purchases.� Of course, they're a necessity when it comes to online shopping (and who doesn't want the convenience associated with browsing online and having their wares delivered straight to the door in a few days' time?) - but credit cards are also used with increasing frequency in brick and mortar retail stores, restaurants, and in business transactions.

Not only do Americans today have mounting debt, but they also rely on their debit cards rather than carrying cash, which seems to get spent much, much too quickly. ��

If you're running a company, it's absolutely imperative that you consider accepting credit cards as a means of payment.� Your customers will demand it - or they will end up going elsewhere, to purchase the same products or services from a business willing to work with their cards.� Don't be left out in the cold! �

Review: Google Check Out

Though Google Checkout is not a typical merchant service in that it doesn't allow businesses to handle card swipe transactions and functions similarly to Paypal and other online-only payment processors, it bears mentioning here.

Their transaction fees are fairly comparable to other credit card processing companies:� the current going rates are as low as 1.9%+$0.30 per transaction if you do a very high volume of sales.� However, if you are just getting started, working with a service like Google Checkout can help you to avoid paying setup fees.� There also do not appear to be any "early cancellation" fees or contracts that can lock you in for two or more years as there are with other merchant service providers.� You can also save some money on fees and receive additional benefits if you are advertising through Adwords while using Google as a payment processor.

Another benefit of working with Google is simply reputation -- the company is well known and well-respected, so potential customers will feel confident when they see a related badge on your website.� Google Checkout also works for many, many stores, and some consumers will prefer to shop this way rather than having to input credit card information fresh for every purchase they make.

While this service certainly isn't going to put Paypal and other, more traditional merchant service providers out of business, it can be a good starting point for a new web store owner.�

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Landmark Merchant Solutions -- A Review

Today, I will be reviewing Landmark Merchant Solutions, a company provides credit card processing and POS credit card equipment to large and small businesses.�

They appear to have received mixed reviews from current and past customers.� Some laud them for having excellent, fast, and responsible customer service, while others suggest that they are not good at maintaining the details of their contracts and that they make promises that they don't keep.� There seem to be many concerns about the free websites offered by Landmark; customers say the sites are difficult to use, involve too many redirected links to rank well, and often undergo changes without warning from Landmark.

On the positive side, other reviews speak of Landmark as a great business partner and possibly even the best merchant solutions company out there.� The Better Business Bureau cites few complaints, but states that LMS is not registered with them.

As always, do your research before signing up for merchant services.

We give Landmark:

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Review of MsMerchantAccount.com

Fairly new to the merchant service market but very successful nonetheless is MsMerchantAccount.com, providing merchant accounts for various high and low risk industries.� Linking businesses that wish to process credit cards with traditional banks, merchant service corporations, and offshore processing solutions, MMA is an up-and-coming leader in her field. ��

Providing excellent and expedient customer service, offering international services as well as domestic, and working with every type of business imaginable -- from brick and mortar retail, restaurants, and convenience stores to adult entertainment and gambling -- Ms. Merchant Account has a solution for every industry.

Additionally, this merchant service provider has an excellent and easy-to-use website that features many great resources for new and established business owners.�� You can't go wrong with� MMA!

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Card Service International

Card Service International is one of the most widely known credit card processing companies out there.� Upon starting up a small clothing shop in my home town, I set up my merchant account with CSI.� Though it was far from smooth sailing, I had an overall positive experience with the company.� It was somewhat difficult to discern who to call in order to resolve various problems -- my account rep, the equipment company, or a general service number -- but once I found the right people, my questions were answered quickly and honestly.� And even though my store closed before our merchant agreement was up, they gave me a discount on paying off my contract, which I really appreciated.��

Some other reviews of Card Service International can be found here and here.�

Based on my own experience as well as the other reviews I've seen, I have to give Card Service Intl

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Merchant Warehouse Review

My searches have turned up some excellent reviews of Merchant Warehouse credit card processing services.� Overall, this processor is cited as being reasonably priced, quick to set up, and accessible online and off.�

Merchant Warehouse also approves 99% of the applications it receives, which makes it a good possibility for high risk merchants and newer companies who are looking for an easy start-up.�

Of course, not all the reviews are positive.� Here's one from a customer who was none too pleased with Merchant Warehouse.

As always, read up, do some searching, and make an educated choice before signing anything with any merchant services company.

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Pipeline Data Review

It's not hard to find bad reviews of Pipeline Data, a large merchant services provider that works under various names including Securepay.com and Charge.com. Some complaints include bad customer service, holding onto funds longer than expected, and questionable business practices. Pipeline Data was also reported to have the lowest possible rating with the Better Business Bureau.

As always, businesses who are looking for cost-effective merchant service solutions must take care to research their choices thoroughly. There are some very professional credit card processing companies out there, and reading through their literature, checking for good and bad reviews, and asking advice from your bank or other businesses in your area can help you to make a smart choice.

As for Pipeline Data, I can't give them more than:

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Review of Authorize.net

Authorize.net has been on the receiving end of many harshly critical reviews, including reports that their practices "border on fraud," that they don't accept responsibility for their own actions, and that they treat their merchants "like criminals" when trying to access their money. Additionally, the Better Business Bureau gives Authorize.net an unsatisfactory rating, indicating that they have left some customer complaints unresolved.

However, there are also quite a few positive reviews of this service to be found.� For instance, this page includes comments on how great Authorize.net is for techno savvy users and others who are looking for good customer support.

As always, finding reliable merchant services can be a challenge, but it's important to look at the whole picture before making assumptions about a potential service provider.

Going on the experiences of my colleagues as well as the positive reviews I've read, I have to give Authorize.net:

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QuickBooks Merchant Service

I was surprised to discover that the popular business software, QuickBooks, actually offers merchant services.� Not only do they claim to beat most of their competitors' rates, but they are also fully integrated so that QuickBooks users will be able to easily manage their credit card services within the software they already have.

Reviews appear to be mixed.� One discussion reveals that the newest card processor for QuickBooks has slowed down processing time and caused rates to increase, while others seem quite impressed with the concept and the service itself.

Not having used the service, I can't say for myself.� I give a definite A+ for ingenuity, but obviously people who are inexperienced with QuickBooks are not going to be interested in using their merchant services.�

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Charge.com Review

Charge.com may have done well for themselves by securing a domain name any merchant service company would be happy to have, but as a business, this company has done a very poor job of serving its customers. According to many reviews, Charge.com operates using highly deceptive practices, sneaky wording in contracts and applications, and doesn't even review applications -- everyone is automatically accepted. This should be your first clue that the company is not legitimate.

Additionally, Charge.com has incredibly poor -- virtually non-existant -- customer service. They charge exorbitant early termination fees starting at $300, and other monthly fees for non-use of the payment processing service. Also, there are more words of warning about this company's direct services provider right here.

Quick and easy approvals are often enough to draw new business owners in to Charge.com's lengthy contracts, but don't be fooled. This isn't a company you want to depend on for something as important as your merchant services.

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Experimenting with Google CheckOut

It's no secret that Google is taking over the web, with everything from powerful search capabilities to free email to blogs and news alerts and even payment processing through Google CheckOut.� I gave their service a whirl the other night, lured in by a $10 off discount for new sign-ups, and as a customer who is already proficient in Paypal and other online payment systems, Google's check out went very smoothly.�

As far as the merchant side of things is concerned, Google has attempted to increase brand loyalty by offering Ad-words customers a limited amount of free payment processing based on how much money is spent on advertising.� Certainly that is a good incentive for merchants who don't yet have any experience using Google Check Out. ��

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FiveStarPayments.com Review

This site here looks to be brand new in the financial arena.� It's called FiveStarPayments.com, and�it's geared toward�small, medium,�and large business owners who�are looking to�process credit cards for their customers.�

One unique thing that Five Star Payments promises is credit card processing services for all businesses, even if they are considered high risk by the merchant service industry.� Though many companies will accept high risk businesses like adult entertainment or MLM, they typically charge prohibitive fees to do so.� Five Star claims to find affordable solutions for these businesses,�in addition to working with�low risk companies.� �

The site is very new, so it's hard to say whether or not they deliver on their promises.� However, it can't hurt to get a quote for merchant services and proceed from there!

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Merchant Service Review: Paypal

When it comes to buying and selling online, PayPal.com is a clear industry leader.� It is the preferred form of payment for Ebay transactions, and it is also the most commonly accepted way for cutomers to buy products from small home-based ecommerce businesses.� Nearly monopolizing the online payment industry, PayPal is a force to be reckoned with!

Like most merchant service companies, Paypal charges fees to buyers and sellers who send money through this service.�� Some say that their fees are higher than they ought to be, but because many traditional credit card processing companies require a minimum amount of monthly transactions, PayPal is still a great resource for very small businesses or start-ups.�

Overall, Paypal has received mixed reviews from various sources.� The domain, www.paypalsucks.com has been in existance for years, encouraging readers not to use the service for any of their online transactions.� Citing problems with chargebacks, lawsuits, and poor customer service, many reviews are hesitant to speak positively about Paypal.� Other reviewers admire the fraud protection and flexibility; it is true that Paypal allows users to send money in various popular currencies, calculating exchange rates on the spot.� Most agree that the customer service, at least, is quite poor.� It is difficult to find a phone number or even an email for technical questions, and most responses seem canned and unhelpful.

I highly recommend Paypal to people who are looking to process a very small number of transactions per month or year, and it's virtually a necessity if you're planning to buy or sell on Ebay, Etsy, or other home-based business sites.� However, people who process larger transactions on a regular basis will benefit far more from signing with a traditional merchant service provider, using either online card processing or card swipe equipment.

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