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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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