BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING

1.    REMEMBER, YOU MUST SIGN A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES BEFORE A MERCHANT ACCOUNT CAN BE OPENED FOR YOUR BUSINESS.  ANYONE THAT TELLS YOU THERE IS NO CONTRACT IS NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.  WHEN YOU SIGN YOUR NAME, YOU ARE SIGNING A CONTRACT.

2.    ALL LEASES ARE NON-CANCELABLE.  ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN CANCEL YOUR LEASE AT ANY TIME IS NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.  LEASES FOR EQUIPMENT ARE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO CONSERVE YOUR MONEY IN THE SHORT RUN.  BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING.

3.    YOU WILL PAY A FEE FOR MERCHANT SERVICE PROCESSING.  THE CARD ASSOCIATIONS, VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, AND DISCOVER, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE DEBIT CARD NETWORKS, CHARGE A FEE FOR THEIR SERVICES.  THEY DO NOT OFFER IT FOR FREE, NOT EVEN TO WAL-MART!

4.    THERE ARE NO WHOLESALE PROCESSORS.  INDEPENDENT COMPANIES SUCH AS STICKMAN BUSINESS SERVICES COMPANY, AS WELL AS YOUR OWN BANK, CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTY PROCESSORS TO PROVIDE MERCHANT SERVICES.  THESE THIRD PARTY PROCESSORS DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE CARD ASSOCIATIONS.  THEY DO NOT PROVIDE MERCHANT SERVICES DIRECTLY TO MERCHANTS.

5.    ALL CREDIT CARD EQUIPMENT IS NOT THE SAME.  YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.  RELY ON THE EXPERT ADVICE OF YOUR MERCHANT SERVICES COMPANY TO PROVIDE THE BEST EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR PARTICULAR NEED.  STICKMAN BUSINESS SERVICES COMPANY CAN SUPPLY BOTH FACTORY FRESH OR EXPERTLY REFURBISHED EQUIPMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH MANY YEARS OF RELIABLE SERVICE.  AVOID QUESTIONABLE EQUIPMENT SOURCES.

6.    CHECK CONVERSION DOES NOT INSTANTLY DRAW MONEY FROM THE CHECK WRITER'S ACCOUNT.  BY LAW, NO ONE CAN ACCESS ANYONE ELSE'S BANK ACCOUNTS WITHOUT THAT PERSON'S EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT.  THEREFORE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRAW MONEY INSTANTLY FROM ANYONE'S ACCOUNT SIMPLY BY VERIFYING THEIR CHECK.  INSTEAD, CHECK CONVERSION ACTUALLY CONVERTS THE CHECK TO AN ELECTRONIC IMAGE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE BANKING SYSTEM ELECTRONICALLY.  VERIFICATION AND GUARANTEE IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ALL OF THE NEGATIVE CHECK WRITING DATABASES TO OBTAIN EACH AUTHORIZATION.