1. Does the Secure Payment Gateway and Merchant Account already work with the shopping cart or solution you want to use? Integration can be expensive or impossible.
2. Does your Web Hosting company support the Gateway/Processor you prefer? They may accommodate you, but usually this takes time and patience, or can be impossible.
3. Does the Gateway/Processor support electronic checks? If not, you will have to pay yet another company to do this for you. Some providers have checks, credit cards and a gateway all under one roof.
4. Does the provider publish all of their fees on their site? The ones that don’t are withholding this information so that they can mark up the price they charge you!
5. Is the company too big for their (and your) own good? In many cases, a smaller company is better able to provide direct support, integration help, and consistent service.
6. Does the Merchant Processor or Gateway only provide Internet services? We have all heard about “dot com failures,” and Internet Processors are no exception. CyberCash, perhaps one of the the best known Gateways in the early part of the decade, filed for Bankruptcy! Make sure that your Processor/Gateway also has real world merchants as clients to insure long term relationship stability for your business.
7. Does the Gateway provide a Virtual Terminal and Online Reporting? Make sure they do, since you will need these.
Make sure you also carefully read all the terms and conditions and keep your eyes on all costs involved, not just the discount and transaction rates.
Next Page: Third Party Credit Card Processors