Online Credit Card Processing Means a Bigger Customer Base

Credit card processing software or terminals checks the customers’ credit card numbers, expiration date, and other pertinent information, then withdraws money from their cards and deposits it directly into your merchant account. Statistics show that online credit card processing can increase the online business revenues anywhere from 50% to 400%, Different types of credit card processing software will suit different needs, but most will provide a merchant account for immediate processing, secure and encrypted SSL (Secure Socket Layer) for secure transactions and a web-based terminal from which to access your account.

There are three major types of online credit card processing. A virtual terminal allows manual addition of mail and telephone credit card transactions of the type that were used before the Internet existed. The second type, a simple integration method, links your site directly to the credit card and bank system, allowing you to instantly accept transactions over the Internet. Finally, the advanced integration method provides a mechanism for custom-linking your system to more complex systems using a transaction gateway server. The benefits of these various systems include the ability to access all of the information from the internet without making manual transactions impossible, setting up recurring billing cycles, and, most importantly for the business, protecting against fraudulent transactions.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/credit_card_processing.html