Below are some answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about obtaining a merchant account through CardService International. If you have additional questions please contact our Sales Team at [email protected].

What is a merchant account? Why do I need one?

A merchant account gives a business the ability to accept credit cards as a payment for the company's goods and services. This provides your customers with an extremely popular payment option, beyond cash and checks.

Studies have shown that merchants can typically increase their business 30-70% or more - sometimes even hundreds of percent! Plus, customers are more willing to purchase higher cost goods using a payment method that offers them repayment flexibility. It is projected that by 2002, credit card transactions will account for 98% of Internet sales, equaling .6 billion!

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How does it work?

The merchant account provider authorizes the credit card transfer from your customer and deposits the funds for their purchases right into your business checking account, typically within two business days.

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How do I get a merchant account?

Merchant accounts are available from some banks and other independent providers such as Cardservice International. Cardservice International is a leading transaction service provider. Last year the company serviced over 125,000 merchants and processed over billion in bankcard volume.

Cardservice International offers small-to-mid-sized business merchants a variety of services including credit card, electronic check, Internet transaction services, and more. Nexpoint has simplified the task of approval for an online merchant account through a partnership with Cardservice International.

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Would it be easier to go to my local bank to get a merchant account?

Many local banks do not set up merchant accounts, but have relationships with companies like Cardservice International. Also, in addition to offering outstanding programs, Cardservice International works with the kinds of businesses that most banks consider risky and shy away from, such as new businesses, Internet, phone and mail order businesses.

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How long does it take to get a merchant account?

Application approval and set-up can be completed in as little as 24 hours through the special Cardservice International program available to Nexpoint clients.

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Which credit cards can I accept?

The most popular credit cards-MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. Cardservice International can also support all other major credit cards, including Discover and Diner's Club.

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What kind of equipment do I need to process credit cards?

A computer terminal / PC with Internet access is used for Internet, mail,fax and phone orders.

In a retail environment, a specialized terminal/printer designed to read the magnetic strip on the back of the customer's credit card is used. This can provide the customer with a paper receipt at the time of purchase.

An imprinter, which takes a physical copy of the customer's credit card, may also be used.

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How do I know that I'm getting a "good deal"?

The Cardservice International program offers an outstanding value across the board-functionality, security, reporting, initial set-up and low residual costs.

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Can I use my merchant account to accept credit card payment in my online store? Is it safe to process credit cards over the Internet?

Yes, Cardservice International's Secure Sockets Layer Application Programming Interface (SSL API) offers Internet Service Providers an encrypted connection to its Secure Payment Engine. By using the LinkPoint Secure Payment Gateway technology, all Cardservice International merchants receive fraud screening on each transaction and real-time reporting via their Web browser.

For the merchant who wants to get online fast with a limited start-up budget, Cardservice International is the best choice.

Using Cardservice International's SSL API, all orders and payment information sent from the merchant's Web site will be encrypted using industry standard RC4 1024-bit encryption with SSL Version 3. This encrypted and secure data is routed to Cardservice International, decrypted and processed. All processed information (Approved/Declined transactions) is then re-encrypted and sent securely back to the Web site. Once at the Web server, it is decrypted and displayed to the consumer. Also, order confirmation e-mails are sent to the consumer and to the merchant. The Cardservice International SSL API guarantees that the orders and payment information generated by the merchant's Web site remains totally secure.

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The fraud protection features sound great, but what about other features?

Using the following e-commerce modules, Web customers will be able to order products, pay for them and arrange for shipment all in real-time.

These modules include real-time:

• Fraud Protection
• Shipping
• Tax calculation
• Business Reports

• Virtual LinkPoint allows merchants to manually enter credit card transactions on a PC through a secure connection to the Internet. Virtual LinkPoint is the Internet equivalent of a point-of-sale (POS) terminal or PC-based transaction software without the hardware/software and maintenance expenses. Sales, returns authorizations and real-time reports are all provided by Virtual LinkPoint.



• LinkPoint HTML is a simple, yet sophisticated product and requires a little hands-on work by the merchant to use. It wraps around the merchant's existing Web site, allowing shoppers to select and order products and securely pay for them with a credit card. All the same services provided by the Virtual LinkPoint are available with the LinkPoint HTML.



• LinkPoint API is the most sophisticated level of service, enabling software companies, Commerce Service Providers (CSP's), Internet Service Providers (ISP's) or cyber-wise merchants to add Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) payment capabilities to their products, services or custom storefronts. Additional features, such as tax and shipping calculations and Electronic Softgood Download (ESD)- i.e., software, pictures or text - are included.

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How can we help you? Give us a call Today, (866) NEXPOINT, 866-639-7646