Accepting credit cards can increase your sales. It is the most convenient payment option available and promotes "impulse buying". | Top

First Data Independent Sales processes credit and debit card transactions for more than 170,000 merchants and Internet businesses. Whether you are building an e-commerce Web site, a retail business or a mail order/telephone order business, you will want to open a First Data Independent Sales merchant account, which enables you to accept credit cards and/or ATM/debit cards as payment for customer purchases. | Top

A merchant account is a commercial bank account established by contractual agreement between your business and the banks First Data Independent Sales (FDIS) represent. A merchant account enables your business to accept credit card payments from your customers. | Top

There are different requirements for Retail and Internet/Mail Order businesses. Typically, a Merchant Account is set up for Retail or Internet/Mail Order credit card transactions. Contact us to see if you need a different Merchant Account. | Top

Once your merchant account is approved, which usually takes two business days, you will be able to accept cards the next business day. | Top

Depending on your setup these are few suggestions for terminals and services you can select.

• Internet
• Retail
• Mail Order
• Restaurant

These are just suggestions and popular choices we do carry other equipment and services. Contact us for more information at (888) 373-3037. | Top

The Internet has allowed all businesses to compete globally for customers. E-Commerce is growing and the investment to have an Internet presence is minimal. | Top

First Data Independent Sales provides the Linkpoint API Gateway Interface that is quick and easy to set up. Your website order pages are simply linked to our secure server. The order forms and "Thank You" pages can be customized by adding your logo and background graphics with point and click ease. | Top

We maintain one of the highest approval rates in the industry. | Top

There are four steps to getting your money - initiating, authorizing, completing the transaction and receiving your funds.

Step 1 - Initiating the transaction to verify that a card is active and within the approved spending limit:

• Brick-and-mortar and retail or restaurant environments - swipe the card or key in the number through a point-of-sale terminal (i.e., card is physically present).
• Mail order/telephone order environments - enter the card identifiers the customer has provided you by mail, telephone or fax (i.e., the card is not present).
• Internet environment - Customer provides your Web site with card identifiers (i.e., card is not present).

Step 2 - Real-time authorizing, which reduces chargebacks and catches card-entry errors:

• Credit card number is entered.
• Terminal or software transmits the credit card number and expiration date and sales total to First Data Independent Sales.
• First Data Independent Sales transmits data to customer's credit card-issuing bank.
• Customer's issuing bank approves or declines the transaction.

Step 3 - Completing the transaction:

• Merchant's terminal or software transmits transaction details to First Data Independent Sales in a batch at close of the business day.
• First Data Independent Sales forwards transactions to each credit card company, which redirects the transactions to appropriate banks.
• Bank debits credit cardholder's account and credits First Data Independent Sales

Step 4 - Receiving your funds:

• First Data Independent Sales credits your merchant account, usually within two to four business days. | Top

First Data Independent Sales customer service is available via 800 phone number 24/7 and a statement is mailed to you once a month and online reports are also available to you as well. | Top

First Data Independent Sales is equipped to address the key protection issues of both traditional and Internet merchants, including fraud, loss prevention and chargebacks. The company uses state-of-the-art security technology, and the LinkPoint Secure Payment Gateway uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology - designed to protect all merchant and payment information. | Top

No. There is no application fee. | Top

First Data Independent Sales has more than 200 customer service representatives available to serve you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 140 languages and dialects. In addition, Mymerchantoffice.com, First Data Independent Sales' merchant-dedicated Web site, allows you to access your merchant account information online at any time, from any location. | Top