ExpiTrans Billing Gateway
Occent Merchant Services
Looking to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover? I can enable your business to accept all card types including debit cards as a form of payment. I also provide you these other payment services:
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Occent Merchant Services steps up to provide incomparable customer service. POS Terminals are exchanged within 24 hours. Our highly trained staff can be reached 24/7 via email and toll free phone lines to provide accurate resolutions.
I see Merchants every day. I hear statements such as “I’m happy where I am” or “I’m good”. But when I ask “How much are your rates? The answer is many times “I don’t know, but I’m happy.”
In this economy, it is mind boggling that some merchant choose not to explore lowering their rates when a fee analysis is free and only takes about 30 minutes.
YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PAYING AND WHY!!! It is crucial to your bottom line that you are an informed Merchant, and that your staff understands how to keep your costs down when accepting Credit or Debit Cards. Why pay more?
If you ask these simple questions, you are not imposing on your MSP (Merchant ServicesProvider), you are asking for business critical information that can determine profits, or losses. It can make the difference between sinking and swimming.
At Occent Merchant Services, our culture is one of full transparency in fees. Anything less is unacceptable. This includes educating Merchants and their staff on how to reduce risks, increase your profits and help your business grow. Visa Requires MSP’s to educate Merchants in this area. Has your MSP?
So let’s do a quick tutorial on what you are expected to know as an informed Business owner, large or small.
Call your Merchant Service Provider (Company that proceses for you) and ask these questions today.
Here are the questions to ask:
1. Do you offer a separate low rate for Debit Card Processing vs. Credit Cards? The answer should be YES. If answered no, skip to #3 and call me! 
2.What is my Visa/MC/DISC Check Card Discount Rate? (If offered or currently have) The answer should be between 1.39% – 1.99% (this depends on your type of business and volume)
a. For clarification, is the Rate I pay for Debit Card processing the same as for Credit Cards?
3. What is my PIN BASED Debit Discount Rate? (Also known as Debit Basis Points) The answer should be .75% + a range of $ .30 – $.50 per transaction fee. This is the rate that overrides #2, when a PIN is entered for Debt Card transactions. These transactions bypass the clearinghouse altogether and are funded straight from the issuing financial institution.
4. What is my Visa/MC/DISC Qualified Rate? This is for basic everyday kinds of personal credit cards. The answer should be in the range of 1.69% – and 2%. depending on your type of business and volume.
5. What is my Visa/MC/DISC Per Transaction Fee? The answer should be between $ .19 – $ .40
6. How much is the cost for the Application & Set-up Fee to begin accepting Credit cards or convert to a new processor for lower rates? This is processor specific, but a good range is from $195 and lower.
7. What is my Mid-Qualified Rate ? (Applies to Credit Cards only) The answer should be 1.59% or lower with Corporate approval. A Lower rate on this fee, is the exception, not the rule. 1.59% is the standard. Remember, this is the rate for accepting Credit cards with points, frequent flyer miles, etc., or any type of rewards accessed to the customer for patronizing that credit card company. It is charged IN ADDITION to #4, as these are more expensive to the issuing company, thus the fees are passed on to the Merchant.
8. What is my Non-Qualified Rate? (Applies to Credit Cards only) The answer should be 1.89 % or below with Corporate Approval. Lowering this fee is the exception, not the rule. 1.89% is the standard. It is charged IN ADDITION to #4. Remember, this rate for accepting Business, Corporate, Government, International cards, cards numbers that are KEYED IN (Card not present) and is also charged PER TRANSACTION when the Merchant has not batched within 24 hours. Not batching daily can be costly.
9. What is my average ratio history of swiped vs. keyed in transactions? If a Merchant keys in more than they swipe (Service related industry such as plumber, Locksmiths, etc, there is a MOTO (Mail Order – Telephone Order) Rate that is 2.09% + $.30-$.50 per transaction) that can be chosen for overall savings. This requires a separate agreement in addition to the retail account. Once established, your terminal will prompt the merchant to answer “Is this MOTO transaction?”, and when answered YES, the rate reverts to the MOTO rate, saving the stacked rates of # 8 and # 4. You cannot have a retail account with one processor, and a MOTO account with another. You need one MSP for both.
a. Do I have a separate agreement for MOTO transactions? If so, what is my MOTO rate and per transaction fee.
b. If not, what is the cost to establish one?
MONTHLY FEES
10. How much is my monthly Statement fee, and/or fee to access my Statement on-line? The average is $9.50 – $10.00 per month. Processors can waive or reduce these fees and are more likely to, if you choose other services such as Trinity, Gift and Loyalty cards or Check 21 Services or purchase or lease equipment from them.
11. Am I paying for an equipment warranty plan, and if so, how much per month and what does it cover? If you have leased equipment, the warranty is built in to the lease payment and you should not be charged separately for the warranty coverage. If you have purchased your equipment outright, then yes, this warranty coverage is a good idea. Not only does it cover damage, it allows for free software upgrades throut the life of the service contract. These range from $8.95 +, depending on your equipment. It’s always good to have this coverage. It keeps you compliant and covers replacement. Waiving this fee is counterproductive to a good Merchant to Processor relationship. If something goes wrong, the Merchant is responsible for replacing the terminal themselves, and the processor looks bad for not protecting the merchant with this warranty.
12. What are my Batch fees? The answer should be $.25 per batch. This is an industry standard. If you fail to batch daily, you are accessed a higher transaction discount rate (see #8). Not batching daily, increases your risks and most imporantly, delays your payment. Batch daily. If your terminal is not set up for auto-batching at closing time, or shortly thereafter, call your Merchant Service Provider to help get that programmed in. It’s free, and life gets busy. The auto batch protects your rates and lessens your risks. Ideally, batching before the bank switches to the next day’s business at 3pm (batch by 2:45pm- 2:55pm) gets you paid faster. Also though, that can be an accounting nightmare unless you run as the next days business with your store/business as well. Many restaurants batch at the end of every shift for register reconciliation and accounting purposes, etc. It’s really a Merchant preference thing.
13. What is my AVS fee? AVS is the Address Verification fee and is commonly used for manually keyed-in entries. When prompted, you enter the 1st 4 digits of the card holder’s home address (the address the bank has on file for them – where the statements go). This fee is a common industry standard and is usually $ .05 per Verification. Using AVS when keying in transactions reduces your risks of fraud and charge backs and is the PCI Compliance security standard set by Visa and MasterCard.
14. What is my Voice Authorization Fee? This is a common industry standard fee accessed as described yesterday. The fee is usually $1.00 per transaction.
15. What are my Chargeback fees? This is a common industry standard fee of $25-$30.00 per occurrence.
CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT – FEES TO CONVERT TO NEW PROCESSOR FROM CURRENT ONE
16. Where am I in my Merchant Service contract and how much is it to cancel at this time? When converting to a new processor to obtain lower rates, the fees depend on where you are currenlty in the contract. I know at Occent, we pay up to $250 to the Merchant when conversion occurs after proof of charges have been obtained. The answer to this question will vary, again, depending on where you are in the contract and who your processor (MSP) is.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When converting to a new processor, it is the MERCHANT’S responsibility to cancel the old contract. Upon proof of fees charged, most new MSP’s will reimburse this charge up to a a point. If any of the above mentioned fees were waived in order to earn your business, you are less likely to be reimbursed due to the savings you incurred by the waviers. The key here is for Merchants to ASK the Account Executive, as many do not offer reimbursement until asked if significant setup fees were waived. Sad, but True. ASK! At CPC, we offer it!
A NOTE ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS, DISCOVER & EBT
AMEX sets their own rates and are not negotiable my ANY Merchant Service Provider. To ask for reduced rates with AMEX, a Merchant, or their representative, must call AMEX themselves to negotiate lower rates. AMEX has the highest rates in the industry and are the most expensive to process, in my experience. The also settle separately from Visa/MC and you will receive a separate monthly statement fee from AMEX. Usually, $10. Call AMEX and ask what your rates are today and try to negotiate a better rate for yourself, as a Merchant.
DISCOVER cards are rewards based cards. Keep in mind, by accepting them, you will incur the Base Qualified Discount Rate + the Non-Qual or Mid-Qual rates stacked, depending on if it is a personal or Non-Qual type card.
EBT rates and per transaction fees are minimal, are set by the state, and are non-negotiable. A Merchant Service Provider cannot open an EBT account for you. You must do that through your own state.
A Word Of Advice To keep your Rates Low and Avoid Fines:
Never, never, never (did I say NEVER) allow the use of a credit or debit card by anyone other than the card holder! ALWAYS HAVE THE DEBIT CARD HOLDER PUT THE PIN IN !!!
When was the last time YOUR MSP visited you?
Allow me to set up your merchant account and other payment services today! Start saving money and get the service you deserve. For more information please call 949-999-6969 or e-mail me at: bryan@occent.com.
