In this economy, the last thing your business needs is another bill every month. The smart choice for your credit accepting business is to own your own credit card machine. You can find ones for the right price online, from a vendor, or from your merchant account provider. However, with all these choices, how do you decide where to buy you machine?
Buying from a vendor ensures the reliability of your product and you can be sure that your costs will remain low. The choice of vendor is not really important. However, this is a one-time purchase. You do not establish a relationship with the vendor, so over time when you need a new one, you’re not guaranteed the best price possible because of past purchases.
Buying your credit card machine over the Internet has the same risks as buying anything off the Internet has. Unless you do extensive research, there is no way to tell if the company is reputable. Also, it is hard to make sure the quality of the product is up to par. You also have to make sure you understand return policies, restocking fees, warranties, and service agreements. All these elements may be hidden, added costs to you purchase.
Buying your credit card machine from your merchant account provider is the best solution to your machine needs. your merchant account provider can make things simpler for you. They will pre-program and setup your credit card machine for you. Some, like Integrated Card Services, can even re-program your old machines for you. Also, because the company knows you’re loyal and you will be working with them fora while, you’re more likely to get a break on new machines in the future. Companies like ICS are interested in keeping your business and have the authority to hand out incentives that are appealing to you.