PayPal, Google Checkout or Standard CC Merchant Account?

rookaps

I have been using PayPal and Google Checkout to accept credit card payments online.
 
However, it seems that many corporate card holders and government purchase card holders can not use either of these.  In those cases I usually accept a purchase order, or have the customer send a check.  However, it sure is embarrasing to not be able easily accomodate a customer.
 
My reason for using PayPal and Google Checkout is to save money.  (Google Checkout  charges us no fees and PayPal has no minimal fees).  However, now I think it is time to get a standard credit card merchant account. 
 
My budget is tight, but I suspect I am losing business because of the cumbersome payment options we have, and so need another options for accepting credit cards.
 
I have compared cc processing merchants until I am blurry eyed.  Can anyone recommend one that is economical, but secure and reliable?  
 
Currently all sales are done online, however, I am planning on doing tradeshows.
 
I welcome solicitations from SUN members that may be in the Merchant Account business.
 
Thanks!
rookaps6/17/2008 9:22 AM

DaleKing

Charlotte, you need to do a careful and accurate financial analysis to determine what percentage of customers you have to invoice as well as the average amount of each invoice, and determine if it would be worth it to have a merchant account.
 
When doing the analysis, think long-term, not short-term.
 
Dale King

minimegeology

Charlotte,
I`ve had good luck with authorize.net. 
 
Good luck!

foodietwoshoes

We chose Authorize.net with Dharma Merchant Services as our provider, and we couldn`t be happier. Our start up fee was $50. They have one price for all qualifications, which was important to us because our purchases are more likely to be mid qualified. They have a simple rate table for everything on their website. They also donate a percentage of their gross proceeds to charity. We were with a major player before them, and they were deceptive about their pricing so we left them and went to Dharma.
If you have questions or confusion about any of the merchants, I suggest calling them directly and asking questions - I found it much easier to absorb it all listening to them explain it than I did reading it myself. It was all Greek to me, but finally the quarter dropped!
(Barry, I didn`t even know that Quickbooks had a merchant service, interesting! It sounds like you have good rates also.)foodietwoshoes7/2/2008 1:15 PM

sipmarketinggroup

your own merchant account >>>>>>Paypal

sipmarketinggroup

Actually, I was saying that having your own merchant account is better (> = greater than, i guess I`m a forum geek) than having paypal anyday. I am NOT happy with the customer service I received in the past from paypal and I wouldn`t recommend them to anyone. 
GET YOUR OWN MERCHANT ACCOUNT!
Lee

menappi

Anybody know of an all in one solution, with shopping cart gateway and merchant services included? Anybody here use zencart?? It`s free but it requires programming. The only part that worries me when thinking about switching to a real shopping cart solution is redoing my website to fit within the shopping cart software...