--- title: "Merchant Processing: 3 Tips to Know" description: Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for a while, use these three tips to master your merchant processing. image: https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/merchant-processing.svg --- [tel:1-800-601-0230](tel:1-800-601-0230) 800-601-0230 - Features - Solutions - Developers - [Pricing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/pricing.html) - Resources [See a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/tour-payjunction) Features - EXPLORE PRODUCTS [No-code Payments Integration®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/no-code-payments-integration.html) [ZeroTouch Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-terminal.html) [Portable Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/portable-credit-card-reader-terminal.html) - ACCEPT PAYMENTS [Invoices](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/electronic-invoices.html) [ACH Electronic Checks](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ach-payments.html) [SmartSurcharge®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-surcharge.html) [Cards on File](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/store-credit-card-info.html) [Rapid Refunds](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/credit-card-refund.html) [Recurring Billing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/recurring-payments.html) [Ecommerce](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ecommerce-merchant-services.html) [Mobile App](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/payjunction/id1324839420?ls=1&mt=8) - EXPLORE CAPABILITIES [Overview](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-processing-solutions.html) [Integration Marketplace](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Remote Signature](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/signature-capture.html) [Multi-Location](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/enterprise-payments.html) [Sales Reports](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/sales-reports.html) [Search and Export](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/transaction-history-search.html) [Customization](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/custom-payment-software.html) Solutions - [Veterinary Streamline payment workflows and get paid faster with up-front deposits and payment schedules for high-cost procedures. 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Are you looking to improve your current setup? Either way, we’ve got the tips and tricks to take your business to the next level. Follow these three tips to master your own [merchant processing](https://blog.payjunction.com/merchant-credit-card-processing-facts/): ## Choose a flexible merchant processing provider. There’s nothing worse than having little to no control over what you get from your processing. Choosing a flexible provider can do a lot for your business. Some Merchant Service Providers lock customers into lengthy contracts with [costly early-termination fees](https://blog.payjunction.com/contract-terms-unethical-billing/) to ensure continued business. A flexible provider will offer month-to-month service, giving you the opportunity to truly test its service and how it fits your business. The provider you choose should be able to grow with you. We recommend all-in-one Merchant Service Providers to ensure that you’ve selected a long-term provider that can scale with you. Sure, you may not need the ability to process over-the-phone payments right now, but having [remote signature](https://blog.payjunction.com/disputed-credit-card-charges-signature/) as a readily available tool could be helpful as demand grows. Have plans for an online store in the future? All-in-one providers can streamline this setup with a range of [shopping cart integrations](https://support.payjunction.com/hc/en-us/categories/201262037-Carts-Hosted-Payments-POS) while eliminating the need to sign up with a Payment Gateway. ## Payment Processing Demo Schedule 15 minutes with a payments expert Get a customized PayJunction product walk-through Understand requirements and pricing Determine your SAVINGS! GET DEMO NOW ## Opt for future-ready equipment. The merchant processing industry is constantly changing. Owning your merchant processing means being prepared for the future. The equipment you use should be able to accept all payment methods, be [customer-facing](https://blog.payjunction.com/customer-facing-terminal-benefits/) and prepared for chip-and-PIN acceptance. Payment method options are only growing. EMV and NFC acceptance is a must for current merchant processing equipment. EMV technology was designed to replace magstripe cards so if you’re stuck with an old-school terminal that cannot process EMV, you’re putting your business at risk (more on that next). More consumers are adopting NFC payments, and why wouldn’t they? This method is convenient and results in fewer items to carry with smartphones doubling as wallets. Customer-facing terminals will prepare your business for the next major change in the merchant processing industry: [chip and PIN](https://blog.payjunction.com/chip-and-pin-vs-chip-and-signature/). Historically, PIN has proven to be more effective in fighting fraud. Combine that with EMV and the payment industry has the capacity to significantly limit fraud. Opting for a terminal that is customer-facing will prepare your business for the future and eliminate the need to pay for an upgrade to a newer terminal when technology like chip and PIN does roll out. ## Process payments the right way. It’s one thing to have the ability to process all payment methods, but it’s another to process them correctly. Knowing when to insert versus swipe versus key in a card will make you a merchant processing pro and save you money on processing fees. For card-present transactions, EMV-chip cards should always be processed by inserting or dipping the chip into the terminal. Although most terminals will process a transaction if a chip card is swiped, this practice can result in [bank-initiated chargebacks](https://blog.payjunction.com/chargeback-definition-chargeback-fraud/). Because these chargebacks are issued by banks on behalf on cardholders, you lose by default even if there is proof of purchase. When presented with traditional, magstripe cards for in-person payments, you should always swipe the card and collect a signature verifying the purchase. For card-not-present transactions, keying in the card is your only choice for both EMV and magstripe cards. When keying in, you should make use of security settings like AVS and CVV to prevent fraud along with remote signature to verify the purchase with the cardholder. Ready to take power over your merchant processing? Master it today to reap the benefits tomorrow. ## Learn how to compare merchant processing providers. [![READ OUR GUIDE](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/635739/b8b9a34c-c91f-4e34-987a-0754176b3232.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/635739/b8b9a34c-c91f-4e34-987a-0754176b3232) Let us know if you’ve used any of the tips above – we’d love to hear how they’ve changed your merchant processing for the better! Share your story in the comments below. *Editor's Note: This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness and accuracy.* [Business Tips](https://blog.payjunction.com/topic/business-tips) --- ##### [![4 Must Do's To Expand Your Medical Practice Into E-Commerce](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/medical-practice-e-commerce-1.svg) 4 Must Do's To Expand Your Medical Practice Into E-Commerce](https://blog.payjunction.com/medical-practice-e-commerce) ##### [![How Credit Card Machine Leasing Companies Hurt Your Bottom Line](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/credit-card-terminal-leasing-unethical-billing.svg) How Credit Card Machine Leasing Companies Hurt Your Bottom Line](https://blog.payjunction.com/credit-card-terminal-leasing-unethical-billing) ###### About Author ![Picture of Ursula Librizzi](https://blog.payjunction.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Ursula_Librizzi.jpg?width=200&height=200&name=Ursula_Librizzi.jpg) ### Ursula Librizzi Ursula is the sales and marketing operations manager for PayJunction. She oversees daily marketing tasks and liaises between the sales and marketing departments. ###### Related Posts ## [![EMV Fallback And Putting Your Business at Risk](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/emv-fallback-risk.svg) EMV Fallback And Putting Your Business at Risk Let’s paint two seemingly harmless scenarios for you. A customer comes into your business and attempts to pay for a purchase with an EMV chip card.](https://blog.payjunction.com/emv-fallback-risk) ## [![POS Credit Card Terminal: The Advanced Shopping Guide](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/credit-card-terminal-guide.svg) POS Credit Card Terminal: The Advanced Shopping Guide Investing in a POS credit card terminal carries obvious benefits. A combined 75 percent of consumers prefer to shop with a credit or debit card, so accepting credit cards opens your business up to a wider market than businesses that only accept cash. Some modern credit card terminals can also process alternative forms of payment, such as mobile payments. One downside is that researching credit card processing terminals can be daunting. What do you really need to know about EMV, NFC and PCI DSS?](https://blog.payjunction.com/credit-card-terminal-guide) ## [![Chip and Signature vs Chip and PIN](https://blog.payjunction.com/hubfs/BLOG/FEATURED%20IMAGES/chip-and-pin-vs-chip-and-signature.svg) Chip and Signature vs Chip and PIN When the United States finally embraced EMV, the major card issuers favored chip and signature as the authorization method. However, as security measures to prevent credit card fraud advance, chip and PIN is the natural progression. Below, we discuss each verification method and best practices to prepare for what’s to come.](https://blog.payjunction.com/chip-and-pin-vs-chip-and-signature) ## Meet a Payment System You’ll Love - ###### FEATURES [No-code Payments Integration®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/no-code-payments-integration.html) [ZeroTouch Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-terminal.html) [Portable Terminal](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/portable-credit-card-reader-terminal.html) [Invoices](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/electronic-invoices.html) [ACH](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ach-payments.html) [SmartSurcharge®](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/smart-surcharge.html) [Cards on File](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/store-credit-card-info.html) [Recurring Billing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/recurring-payments.html) - [Ecommerce](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/ecommerce-merchant-services.html) [Customization](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/custom-payment-software.html) [Remote Signatures](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/signature-capture.html) [Rapid Refunds](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/credit-card-refund.html) [Multi-Location](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/enterprise-payments.html) [Sales Reports](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/sales-reports.html) [Search and Export](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/transaction-history-search.html) [Mobile App](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/payjunction/id1324839420?ls=1&mt=8) - ###### BUSINESS SOLUTIONS [Auto Dealers](https://www2.payjunction.com/automotive-merchant-services) [Veterinary](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-veterinarians) [Dentistry](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-dentists) - ###### RESOURCES [Product Overview](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-processing-solutions.html) [Integrations](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Blog](https://blog.payjunction.com/) [Guides](https://guides.payjunction.com/) [Support](https://support.payjunction.com/) [Service Status](https://status.payjunction.com/) [Tutorials](https://blog.payjunction.com/tag/pj-university/) [API](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-api.html) - [Trust Center](https://trust.payjunction.com/) [Request a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/payjunction-demo) [Pricing](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/pricing.html) [About Us](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/about.html) [Careers *HIRING*](https://www2.payjunction.com/careers) [Press](https://media.payjunction.com/) - ###### RESOURCES [Integrations](https://integrations.payjunction.com/) [Guides](https://guides.payjunction.com/) [Tutorials](https://blog.payjunction.com/tag/pj-university/) [API](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/payment-api.html) [Request a Demo](https://www2.payjunction.com/payjunction-demo) [About Us](https://www.payjunction.com/payments/about.html) [Careers *HIRING*](https://www2.payjunction.com/careers) [Press](https://media.payjunction.com/) [Trust Center](https://trust.payjunction.com/) [Service Status](https://status.payjunction.com/) - ###### BUSINESS SOLUTIONS [Auto Dealers](https://www2.payjunction.com/automotive-merchant-services) [Veterinary](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-veterinarians) [Dentistry](https://www2.payjunction.com/payment-processing-dentists) ##### 800-601-0230 SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER  Become a better advocate for your business. 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