Today's eCommerce marketplace is extremely competitive. Providing your customers with convenient online credit card processing is as important as selling a quality product or service. Research shows that consumers increasingly choose credit cards and ATM/debit cards as their preferred method of payment and Internet sales can increase by 100%.

Payment Processing

For all online credit card processing, there are two parts: the authorization and the settlement.

Authorization means that the fund availability is verified and the funds (if available) are automatically put on hold. This important step defines the "approved" or "declined" status of a payment.

Settlement is the process by which the money that was put on hold is electronically captured and transferred into the merchant business bank account. In most cases, this process takes 48-business hours.

eCom Merchant Solutions is proud to offer Authorize.Net as our Payment Processing Gateway. This online, secure credit card and ACH/electronic check processing program was developed with the Internet merchant in mind. The benefits of Authorize.Net include:

• Real Time Authorization
• Compatibility with any computer platform, modem or software
• Ongoing upgrades and enhancements, insuring you a cutting edge credit card processing program without future upgrading expense.
• Links to almost any Internet Merchant Account.
• Easily customizable for any Internet Store.
• Accessible from ANY computer with Internet Access.
• Recurring Billing Feature.
• Complete Reporting Capabilities.
• Redundant Backup Systems
• 24/7 Customer Support.
• As an Internet resident program, Authorize.Net links to your existing web site and provides your business with two distinct features: The Virtual Terminal and The Web Link.

The Virtual Terminal

The Virtual Terminal was designed for manual entry of live credit card and electronic check transactions as well as the administration and tracking of all transactions received through Authorize.Net. The Virtual Terminal is especially beneficial in the following situations:

• When orders are received via phone, fax, in person or e-mail.
• When recurring billing is required (in other words, when you have a service to which your customers subscribe or a product which is purchased on a scheduled basis).
• When reports on transaction or batch activity are required.
• When credits need to be issued.

The Web Link

The Web Link allows the merchant to link their web site directly to the Authorize.Net program. Customers are able to add products to their shopping cart and then purchase them by entering their credit card information and address online. Authorize.Net provides a Secure Socket Layer for transaction information and verifies each transaction through the Address Verification System for added protection. The merchant is also provided with a Payment Form template and Receipt Form template that can be customized for their site. With the Web Link, your Store becomes a completely automated, always open, money making machine.

eCheck.Net

Another add-on feature is the eCheck.Net, which allows the capture and processing of checking account information through the Automated Clearing House (ACH). This would allow the merchant to accept payments by check from those customers who need an alternative to paying by credit card.

eCom Merchant Solutions & Authorize.Net are proud to offer the long awaited solution to the Card Present Retailer!

The term “Card Present” describes a credit card transaction that is initiated at the point of sale (POS). When the credit card is swiped at purchase, data from the cards magnetic strip is read and transmitted via a high-speed IP connection to the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway.

Authorize.Net can accept retail card transactions from a wide range of businesses, for example: sports venues, clothing and furniture stores, doctor’s offices, self service kiosks, hotel reservations and restaurants; even mobile merchants such as limousine and other transportation services or businesses selling items at craft fairs and trade shows.

Please Note* at this time Authorize.Net Card Present capabilities do not include hospitality transactions (e.g. hotel transactions) or debit transactions. In addition, we do not currently support the Visa and Master Card restaurant transactions format. However, we can accept Card Present transactions from restaurants when transactions are formatted as retail transactions rather than restaurant transactions. With the appropriate programming of POS software, tips can be managed effectively. For more information, e-mail integration@authorize.net

Authorize.Net’s Card Present solutions include software for a personal computer, IP-enabled POS terminals and mobile/wireless POS devices that support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). eCom Merchant Solutions have listed a few of the software providers. If you would like to see the complete list of software providers, please visit www.authorize.net

Benefits of IP-Based Card Present Transaction Processing

• By using a continuous broadband Internet connection, merchants will enjoy 2-5 second authorization times, speeding up checkout lines and maximizing productivity.
• By eliminating POS dial-up connections, merchants can save money by reducing the number of dedicated phone lines.
• IP- enabled POS solutions will allow merchants to easily integrate transaction information across enterprise business management or inventory applications. For example, this might benefit businesses that track jobs or tickets, such as a medical office, dry cleaners or auto repair shop.
• Merchants can use Authorize.Net to operate their company’s retail and online business.
• Authorize.Net CP capabilities also give mobile merchants (e.g., taxis and limousines, craft and trade show vendors) with compatible IP-enabled wireless devices the ability to accept transactions wherever they go, potentially increasing their sales opportunities.
• With Authorize.Net certified CP solutions, merchants can leverage the speed and efficiency of the Internet and maintain their lower CP transaction rates.
• IP-enabled POS solutions also allow a single integration point to multiple processors.

Authorize.Net Certified Point of Sale Solutions
The list below provides information about CP solution providers. For a complete list please visit www.authorize.net

• POS•IM Retail Management Solutions, proven with over 6,000 users during the last 15 years, focuses on inventory management and POS solutions for independent-minded retailers by providing them with the same tools that the mega stores have. Reseller commissions are available through this solution.
• PayGo by Christian James, Inc. provides retailers with full-featured POS systems and service at an affordable price. Their solutions run on both PCs and Macintosh computers. For more information, please visit their Web site or contact Linda Crippes at linda@christianjames.net or 1-763-684-1257.
• MobileCharge.Net enables merchants equipped with a compatible wireless PDA and MobileCharge.Net’s printer with integrated mag-stripe reader to submit, authorize and complete wireless credit card transactions via the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway. For more information e-mail sales@mobilecharge.net.
• PocketCheff by PocketCheff, Inc. provides the Restaurant Wireless Ordering System. With this solution, servers are able to enter customers’ orders on a wireless PDA, which are then transmitted to the kitchen. Credit card payments are also swiped and printed by waiters using the wireless PDA and a mobile receipt printer. For more information about PocketCheff, contact Armando Cabane at acabane@pocketcheff.com.

Developer Support
Developers that would like more information about certifying their POS solutions with Authorize.Net can download our Card Present Implementation Guide at http://www.authorizenet.com/support/CP_guide.pdf. They may also send an e-mail to integration@authorize.net.