Saturday, May 10, 2008

Online Credit Card Processing - How It Works

People in every corner of the globe are looking into the world of online credit card processing. This is because online credit card processing is typically faster, easier and offers a number of unique features over its traditional counterpart. However, there are trade offs about online credit card processing that must be considered.

It is said that online credit card processing is meant to provide you with less paperwork and is more convenient and saves you time, but it really is only a part of the process of issuing credit cards. The initial application can be done online, but eventually the paperwork will need to be done as this is basically necessary for all issued credit cards.

Safety must be taken into consideration for both you and the company. There are risks inherent in providing immediate credit based upon a form and database inquiry. Chief among these is identity theft and the possibility of data fraud. Therefore, a number of companies decline to offer an immediate decision, waiting until proper confirmation.

It seems easy for businesses to process credit cards. You go to the cashier, or you hit the button that takes you to the checkout page on a website, and before you know it, your items are paid for and you can move on to your next project. Even though it may seem simple from the aspect of the shopper, behind the scenes it's very complex. In those few seconds between the time the credit card number is recorded by the merchant and approved by the credit agency many things transpire.

A transaction is initiated with passing the credit card's magnetic stripe through a terminal, or manually entering the card number into the system by either the merchant or by the owner of the card. The transaction details enter into the processor's network through these processes.

When you use a credit card, a set process occurs to complete the transaction. First, an authorization request is sent to the issuing bank's system. Upon receipt of the request the bank confirms that this is a valid credit card account and that a positive balance exists in the customer's account. After this validation takes place, the bank reduces the amount in the request from the account. When this process is complete, the bank will deposit the same amount in the merchant's account. This occurs usually within the same business day. Because of the speed and accuracy of the process, a credit card processing equipment business is a thriving enterprise.

Want to know more about

online credit card processing? Our website has more information on credit card processing for business, as well as credit card processing equipment

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