Online Merchant Accounts For Mail Order And Other Offline Businesses - Virtual Terminals Explained

Here's an exciting prospect for those of you that would like to accept orders over the phone or via mail order in addition to via your website (such as in the case of an online business running a direct mail campaign in national newspapers).

With the right online merchant account you are also provided with what is called a "virtual terminal". It's like a bog standard PDQ (swipe) machine that you see in shops every day of the week but it's on your computer and it's easier to get approved for than the PDQ's usually provided by banks.

In almost all cases it is illegal to enter anyone else's credit card details into your online form.

If, for example, a customer posts or faxes you their credit card details because they're worried about online credit card fraud, then you can't legally enter those details into your secure form to charge their card.

Please be careful with this and check the fine print as some online merchants have tried it (unknowingly or otherwise) in the past and had their merchant account cancelled and funds forfeited.

After all your hard work the last thing you want to do is to lose your merchant account and your profits.

However, this is where a virtual terminal comes in. Like a shop assistant swiping and charging your card, you too can have this capability with a virtual terminal.

Think of the possibilities! These are perfect for mail order companies or those businesses who'd like to take orders offline as well as online.

What's more, some of the better companies provide a virtual terminal as a "perk" of using their merchant account over others so if you think it sounds interesting, maybe you should consider such a company.

Our top US merchant account recommendation comes complete with a virtual terminal, so why not check them out today!

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