At CardFellow, we received this message from a curious business owner. I have a question about a specific company - [removed to protect the guilty]. They are saying the rate they can provide is 1.54% on qualified and mid-qualified cards ("flat wholesale rate"). The only other rate is "up to 4.61%" on non-qualified cards. Then they charge a three-c...

A more cost-effective, transparent alternative to tiered merchant account pricing is available to businesses that know enough to request it. What is Tiered Pricing? Tiered pricing is a merchant account rate structure that credit card processors use to assess charges. It is also referred to as bundled pricing because it allows processors to grou...

If so, you'll be really happy to learn that non-qualified rates are primarily a figment of your processor's imagination. They are often used to increase profits through the practice of excessive surcharging. Non-qualified rates can be easily avoided, and this article will show you how to rid yourself of non-qualified fees. The Frustration of N...

Understanding how credit card processing fees are determined and how different merchant account pricing models work can save your business hundreds of dollars a month in transaction costs. One of the first questions you'll ask is "Which should I go with, tiered pricing or interchange plus?" Tiered pricing is never in your best interest, but don't j...