ClearChoice Merchant Services provides a secure gateway that allows you to accept credit cards and electronic checks on your website in a fully automated way.

You don’t need to buy any extra equipment or software. All you need is a ClearChoice Merchant Account which is free, just apply. Our virtual terminal will allow you to login securely and process credit cards manually on any computer with an internet connection.

While the popularity for credit card devices such as the Square for Smartphone’s is increasing, the idea that merchants are willing to pay more for convenience seems counter-intuitive to small business ideology.

Claiming that the Square and other devices are geared towards micro-businesses, we do not think people have thought this through completely. Higher rates, longer delays to access your money, are these really the great technology your small business is looking for?

Just because the technology is free and it seems like a great way to process credit cards, do your research. Like you have heard before, if it is free, there has to be a catch somewhere.

Visa Inc. will roll out a two-tiered interchange fee schedule in response to federal regulations limiting the amount credit card issuers can charge merchants.

The new fee schedule is will fall in line with a federal proposal limiting the interchange fees charged to merchants and would exempt financial institutions with assets of less than $10 billion, according to a news report from American Banker.

The Federal Reserve Board’s proposed rules would take effect on July 21 and cap the interchange fees charged by banks with assets greater than $10 billion at 12 cents per transaction. (Source)

Whether you own a small diner, a fine dining establishment or a specialty shop, ClearChoice provides three quick tips for processing credit cards for restaurants. We offer processing features for the restaurant industry that will support all major credit and debit cards.

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Visa will offer a dual debit interchange schedule that network sources say should allow credit unions and other smaller asset debit issuers to substantially shield their debit interchange income from drastic decreases, at least temporarily. (Source)

Low-income taxpayers who don’t have bank accounts will be able to get their tax refunds this year on prepaid debit cards supplied by the government.

The Treasury Department plans to send letters to 600,000 households next week, asking them to take part in a pilot program to put their tax refunds on the debit cards, which can be used to get money from ATM machines, pay bills or to buy goods and services from retailers. (Source)

Visa is targeting better fraud detection by upgrading its global processing platform VisaNet. Visa is developing new fraud models that enhance the speed and accuracy with which they can detect attempted payment card fraud. (Source)