We have received lots of inquiries about merchant credit, via email and by phone. Although we are happy to answer individually, for every spoken query there are probably ten or more people who are wondering about being able to accept Visa or other credit cards for payment. Call your local banks and ask about merchant credit fees and charges, the discount rate, etc. Don t be surprised if your local banks and some advertisers don t want to do business with home-based businesses . Several years ago I researched the subject and found that it s common for merchant credit arrangements to vary considerably in their fees and contract.
Some contracts have a reserve clause.
Some companies will close your account if you have no activity for two or three months. It s a hassle to reopen it, and there may be extra fees. Working as an artist or artisan is a seasonal business. There may be several months in which you have little or no business , without processing any charges in that time period. Go with a company that is used to working with home-based businesses and won t penalize your business for being seasonal or for being small .