Offshore Credit Card Merchant Accounts - Answering Common Merchant Account Questions

Offshore Credit Card Merchant Accounts - One of the questions providers get asked the most by businesses is if they really need a merchant account. The answer to that question depends on how you want to process your customers' cards.

If you would like to take cards in your business' own name, you will need a merchant account. Otherwise, you will have to process the cards through an expensive third party, such as PayPal.

Merchants also commonly ask how much they should expect to spend on a new merchant account. The set-up cost will vary by provider, but monthly charges usually involve a general swipe fee in addition to a percentage-based fee for each transaction.

Finally, businesses usually want to know how long it will take to create their merchant account. Although this will vary, providers typically take a few business days to approve an applicant, after which the business can begin processing cards.