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Category: Merchant Services

BAMS featured image illustrating the difference between payment processor promises and accountable funding and support commitments.
Featured Article Payment Processor Changes: A Guide to Accountability

How to evaluate funding guarantees, support structures, and escalation paths before you switch processors Learn how to distinguish processors that advertise reliability from those that contractually guarantee it. This guide gives you a framework for evaluating funding commitments, dedicated support access, and real recourse when deposits don’t arrive on time. TL;DR Next-day funding varies wildly […]

BAMS featured image showing a customer loyalty program with a loyalty card, rewards progress and repeat purchase incentives. Take Your Business to the Next Level by Offering a Loyalty Program
Read MoreTake Your Business to the Next Level by Offering a Loyalty Program

Build Repeat Business With a Loyalty Program Customers Want to Use A customer loyalty program gives people a practical reason to come back. The strongest programs are usually easy to understand, easy to use and valuable enough that the reward actually matters to the customer. They do not need to be complicated. A simple punch […]

BAMS featured image comparing tiered pricing and interchange plus pricing for merchant payment processing. Is Tiered Pricing as Good as Interchange Plus Pricing?
Read MoreIs Tiered Pricing as Good as Interchange Plus Pricing?

What Your Payment Pricing Model Really Changes The pricing model behind a merchant account determines more than the rate shown on a proposal. It affects how easily you can see processing costs, how processor markup appears on your statement and how much information you have when comparing one provider with another. Partnering with the right […]

BAMS featured image comparing a low advertised processing rate with the total value of a merchant services account. Should You Choose the Lowest-Priced Merchant Services?
Read MoreShould You Choose the Lowest-Priced Merchant Services?

Low Price Matters, but Look at the Whole Merchant Account Low-cost merchant services can make a real difference to a business that processes hundreds or thousands of payments every month. But the cheapest advertised rate is not always the cheapest account once every fee, contract term and service requirement enters the picture. The better question […]

BAMS featured image showing a local merchant service provider with secure payments, modern payment technology and local support. Reasons Why You Should Work with a Local Merchant Service Provider
Read MoreReasons Why You Should Work with a Local Merchant Service Provider

Why Work With a Local Merchant Service Provider? A local merchant service provider can give businesses a closer point of contact for payment support, security and technology. The right provider can also help a business choose payment tools that fit how its customers prefer to pay. There hasn’t been a more successful change in technology […]

BAMS featured image showing its Low Price Guarantee, five-step payment processing review and merchant cost comparison. Low Price Guarantee: How BAMS Compares Processing Costs
Read MoreLow Price Guarantee: How BAMS Compares Processing Costs

How the BAMS Low Price Guarantee Works The BAMS Low Price Guarantee gives business owners a structured way to compare payment processing costs before making a change. The five-step review looks beyond a single advertised rate and considers how a business actually accepts payments. In the day-to-day grind as a business owner, you’re in a […]

BAMS guide showing how to set up Authorize.Net with a BigCommerce store and connect online payment settings. How to Setup Authorize.net With Your BigCommerce Store
Read MoreHow to Setup Authorize.net With Your BigCommerce Store

Connect Authorize.net to Your BigCommerce Store An Authorize.net BigCommerce setup connects your online store to a payment gateway so customers can submit card payments at checkout. Visa provides a helpful overview of how payment processing works across merchants, acquirers and issuers. BigCommerce is one of the top eCommerce platforms currently available and is the #1 […]

BAMS featured image showing how COVID-19 accelerated online shopping, eCommerce growth, grocery delivery and changing consumer buying habits. How COVID-19 is Impacting Online Shopping
Read MoreHow COVID-19 is Impacting Online Shopping

How the Pandemic Changed Online Shopping Behavior COVID-19 online shopping trends created a rapid shift in how consumers bought everyday products and how businesses reached their customers. While this article reflects the conditions of 2020, many of the eCommerce lessons around checkout, fulfillment, customer communication and payment costs remain useful for merchants today. Editor’s note: […]

BAMS featured image explaining Magento 1 end of life, including security exposure, PCI compliance risk and business disruption. What to do About Magento 1’s Upcoming End of Life
Read MoreWhat to do About Magento 1’s Upcoming End of Life

What Magento 1 End of Life Means for eCommerce Merchants Editor’s note: Magento 1 reached end of life on June 30, 2020. This article was originally written before that deadline. Any merchant still operating a Magento 1 store should treat migration and payment security as immediate priorities. On June 30th, 2020, Magento 1, one of […]

Clover POS Best Clover Apps for 2020 – Take Your Clover POS to the Next Level with these Plugins
Read MoreBest Clover Apps for 2020 – Take Your Clover POS to the Next Level with these Plugins

Take Your Clover POS Beyond Basic Payment Processing The best Clover apps can help merchants extend a POS system beyond payment acceptance. Depending on the app, businesses can add accounting automation, employee management, operational tools and other functions to their Clover setup. Clover is a popular POS system that provides both software and hardware solutions […]

BAMS featured image showing eCommerce payment processing with secure checkout, integrations, chargeback defense, reporting, transparent pricing and support. Why BAMS Is The Perfect Solution For Your E-commerce Business?
Read MoreWhy BAMS Is The Perfect Solution For Your E-commerce Business?

eCommerce Payment Processing Built for Online Businesses eCommerce payment processing plays an important role in the customer experience and daily operation of an online business. A complete solution should support checkout, payment security, reporting and the technology a merchant already uses. Over the past decade, the world of e-commerce business has completely transformed consumer purchasing […]

Professional fintech infographic showing four pillars of an accountable payment processing partnership: proactive account monitoring, dispute defense infrastructure, transparent fee architecture, and human-first escalation support. Merchant Account Optimization: A Chargeback Defense Guide
Read MoreMerchant Account Optimization: A Chargeback Defense Guide

How to shift from reactive dispute filing to a prevention-first strategy that protects your account standing Learn how to audit your payment processor relationship against a concrete accountability framework. This guide helps eCommerce managers identify template-and-disappear support models and build a prevention-first chargeback defense strategy. TL;DR Chargebacks are an account health issue, not an admin […]

5-step framework for reducing credit card processing fees Merchant Services Optimization to Cut Hidden Fees
Read MoreMerchant Services Optimization to Cut Hidden Fees

A line-by-line guide to reading processor statements, calculating effective rates, and eliminating costly surprises Learn how to audit your payment processing statements, identify negotiable fees, and choose the right pricing model. This guide gives eCommerce managers a repeatable system for merchant services optimization that delivers predictable costs. TL;DR Know your effective rate – Total fees […]

Checklist of hidden merchant fees including effective rate, PCI fees, downgrade charges, and processor markups 10 Hidden Merchant Fees Your Processor Won’t Reveal
Read More10 Hidden Merchant Fees Your Processor Won’t Reveal

A monthly payment processor audit checklist that exposes the line items silently inflating your processing costs Discover the 10 most commonly obscured merchant fees draining your margins and learn how to run monthly audits that catch them. This tactical checklist helps eCommerce managers cut processing costs by up to 60%. TL;DR Hidden merchant fees inflate […]

Monthly payment processor audit checklist showing 9 key checkpoints including effective rate, downgrades, PCI fees, and chargeback monitoring Monthly Payment Processor Audits: 2025 Checklist
Read MoreMonthly Payment Processor Audits: 2025 Checklist

The specific statement checkpoints that catch hidden fee discrepancies before they drain your margins Learn the exact line items and fee categories to inspect each month so your merchant fee comparison reflects what you actually pay. Built for eCommerce teams processing $50K+ monthly. TL;DR Monthly audits beat annual reviews – A 30-minute monthly check of […]

Comparison of interchange-plus pricing and surcharge programs for eCommerce businesses Interchange Plus vs Surcharge eCommerce Comparison
Read MoreInterchange Plus vs Surcharge eCommerce Comparison

How each model affects your transaction costs, customer experience, and bottom line Learn which payment processing model fits your eCommerce business. This comparison breaks down fee transparency, customer impact, and true cost differences between interchange-plus and surcharge programs. TL;DR Interchange-plus pricing shows every fee component so you can see interchange, assessments, and processor markup separately. […]

Level 3 processing cash flow framework showing seven strategies including next-day funding, authorization optimization, and chargeback prevention for eCommerce Level 3 Processing Speeds Up Cash Flow
Read MoreLevel 3 Processing Speeds Up Cash Flow

How modern payment infrastructure helps eCommerce managers reduce deposit delays and build lasting customer loyalty Learn how level 3 processing and remote deposit capture can cut your cash flow gaps from days to hours. This guide covers practical strategies for mid-size eCommerce businesses to modernize payments without enterprise budgets. TL;DR Level 3 processing cuts costs […]

How transaction reporting quality impacts payment processing costs, interchange rates, and deposit speed in eCommerce How Transaction Reporting Cuts Payment Processing Costs
Read MoreHow Transaction Reporting Cuts Payment Processing Costs

Use level 3 data and cost-plus pricing to lower interchange rates and speed up deposits Learn how strategic transaction reporting reduces payment processing fees and accelerates cash flow. This guide covers level 3 processing requirements and cost-plus pricing for eCommerce businesses. TL;DR Transaction reporting quality directly affects your costs – More detailed data means lower […]

Comparison of best payment gateways for small business cash flow including deposit speed, fees, digital wallet support, recurring billing, and fraud protection 5 Payment Gateways for Small Business Cash Flow
Read More5 Payment Gateways for Small Business Cash Flow

Fast deposits, predictable fees, and built-in support for digital wallets and recurring billing Discover which payment gateways actually speed up fund access for growing eCommerce businesses. We compare features that matter: deposit timing, fee transparency, and modern payment support. TL;DR Funding speed matters as much as fees – Standard 3-5 day deposit windows lock up […]