Ecommerce | Ecommerce News

A Step-by-Step Guide for Setting up an Online Merchant Account

The first step in setting up online merchant accounts is selecting the right one to set up. Not only are there quite a few ecommerce merchant account providers available, each one has several different plans each designed to match the needs and size of your online business. You are going to have to go through a procedure to set up the account, and it will involve sharing information with the provider. The time to decide on the perfect provider is before this information sharing process even begins. The best companies that handle internet merchant accounts will have very user friendly websites. All fees and charges involved in the set up and operation of the account will be very clearly presented and easy to understand for each different account plan. If this is not so, you need to find another provider.

Once you understand the fees, and have matched the right account to your own business needs, you can begin the process of actually setting up the account. The first step will be to provide basic information. You will be asked for your name as well as the name of your business. You will need to provide the business name and a business phone number. It will be necessary to provide a valid email account as well. If you do not have an email that will be used for your business, you really are not ready to be handling credit card purchases online anyway.

Usually, after this first exchange of information, you will select a user name and password. This is very important as the user name and password is going to access the gateway to where your credit card payments can be transferred to your business checking account. If this user name and password were compromised, it would not be good. Select the password with the care and attention given to high security internet transactions.

Once the password is selected, and you have entered the secure side of the site, you will have to provide more information. You might need your social security number, and if you are incorporated, a Federal Tax Identification number. Next will come some critical information. You will need to provide the account number and routing number of the checking account used by your business. Some account providers will make a small deposit to your account at this time, and you will have to enter the exact amount deposited to verify the transaction and activate the account. This is a security measure to guard against fraud, and the amount deposited is usually less than one dollar. Once the account is activated, you will be able to access the gateway freely and take advantage of any extra services offered. At this time, you will also be able to learn the exact procedure for activating the payment window on your website, and how to link in the shopping cart feature if it is available.