When it comes to accepting credit card payments, merchants can find themselves shelling out a significant portion of their profits in processing fees. If you’re trying to make your business more profitable, reducing the amount of money you spend on credit card transactions is essential to increase profitability. However, business owners often don’t know where to begin. Merchant cost consulting can provide the expertise and guidance you need to reduce your credit card processing fees and keep more money in your pocket. Here are some cost-cutting measures merchants should consider.
Shop Around
One way to start lowering credit card processing costs is to research payment processors and see if any have lower rates than what you currently pay. Payment processors must adhere to the interchange fee regulations set forth by Visa, Mastercard, and other card brands, so it’s unlikely you’ll be able to find a service offering significantly lower rates than others.
However, some providers offer various incentives such as discounted rates for certain card types or if you process a certain volume of transactions each month. Be sure to compare multiple payment processors and read the fine print on their contracts before making any commitments.
Although a lower fee can sometimes be negotiated, it takes someone who knows their way around the credit card industry to have those negotiations be successful. Working with a merchant cost consulting agency can help you determine the best choice for your business.
Processing Fee Break Down
Credit card processing fees are paid by merchants for every debit or credit card purchase. They include assessment fees and interchange fees.
Assessment Fees
These fees are the costs paid to the credit card brand. Popular credit card brands include Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Let’s say someone makes a purchase from your business with a Visa card. The assessment fee you pay on that transaction will go to Visa to cover network operating costs. Every company has its own credit card assessment fees. Some are higher than others which is why some businesses only accept certain credit cards.
Interchange Fees
These are fees that are paid to the bank that issued the credit or debit card being used to make the purchase, such as Chase or Citi. If a Chase Visa card is used, the interchange fee will be paid to Chase while the assessment fee will go to Visa. These fees cover handling risk-related expenses such as fraud.
However…
Credit card processing fees are complicated. Assessment and interchange fees contain multiple smaller fees. There can also be other hidden fees. Many business owners don’t have the time to figure out which credit card processing company would save them the most money. That’s where merchant cost consulting comes in.
Why Consider Merchant Cost Consulting
Merchant cost consultants can help merchants reduce their credit card processing fees by evaluating their payment process and ensuring they’re taking full advantage of the most cost-effective solutions. With today’s technology, there are multiple methods to accept credit cards, such as mobile payments or virtual terminal payments. A merchant cost consulting agency can help you identify which method is right for your business and offer ideas on how to streamline the process to reduce costs.
Merchant Cost Consulting Professionals
Think you could lower your credit card processing costs, but don’t have the time to do the research? We can do the research for you.
At RAC Consulting, we sort through the sea of merchant credit card processing providers and the accompanying fees to help you identify the best choice for your business. Our goal is to help you keep your fees as low as possible and minimize their impact on your profit margin.
Don’t think you need a credit card processing consultant? Our credit card processing consultants will cut through all the confusion and if necessary, negotiate with your processing provider. Check out our Merchant Fee Rate Calculator and reach out today! We bet we can change your mind!