Blog

Merchant Services Basics

Building Customer Trust Through Secure Payment Experiences

At Beacon Payments, we believe that secure, customer-friendly payment experiences are essential to long-term success. Here’s how your business can build trust at the point of sale.

August 21, 2025

Merchant Services Basics

Avoiding Downgrades: How Transaction Types Affect Processing Fees

If you’ve ever looked at your merchant statement and seen “non-qualified” or “downgraded” transactions with higher fees, you’re not alone. Many business owners don’t realize that how you process a transaction directly affects what you pay in interchange and processing costs.

August 21, 2025

Merchant Services Basics

Navigating Payment Processor Contracts: 6 Key Clauses and Red Flags

Choosing a payment processor isn’t just about finding the lowest rate—it’s also about understanding the contract you’re signing. Many merchants discover too late that their agreements contain hidden costs, restrictive terms, or obligations that hurt their business over time.

August 19, 2025

Industry News

Understanding Interchange Rate Updates for 2025: Stay Informed and Keep Costs Down

Interchange rates play a major role in how much your business pays for credit and debit card processing. Set by card networks like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, these fees are paid to issuing banks and typically make up the majority of your total processing cost.

August 16, 2025

Fraud Prevention and Security

Chargeback Reduction Strategies — EMV, Tokenization & Beyond

For business owners, chargebacks are more than just a hassle—they can eat into profits, damage customer relationships, and even put your merchant account at risk if they happen too often.

August 14, 2025

Payment Technology Trends

How to Handle Recurring Payments: Merchant Services for Subscription-Based Businesses

In today’s economy, subscription models are booming. From gyms and streaming services to HVAC maintenance plans and software-as-a-service (SaaS), recurring payments create predictable revenue streams that help businesses grow faster and operate more efficiently.

August 12, 2025

Residual Income and Career Development

How to Make Money on the Side by Selling Merchant Services

Looking for a way to earn extra income without giving up your full-time job? Selling merchant services part-time is one of the smartest ways to build long-term wealth while keeping the flexibility to work on your own schedule.

August 09, 2025

Sales Strategies

Future-Proofing Your Payments IQ: Top Certifications and Training for ISO Agents

Standing out as an Independent Sales Organization (ISO) agent requires more than just sales skills. Business owners want trusted advisors who understand compliance, security, and financial strategy—not just someone offering rates and terminals.

August 07, 2025

Payment Technology Trends

Navigating PSD2/Open Banking for U.S. Merchants

The payments industry is evolving quickly, and one of the biggest global shifts has been open banking. In Europe, the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) has transformed how businesses and consumers interact with financial data, payments, and security

August 05, 2025

Fraud Prevention and Security

How to Prevent Credit Card Fraud at the Point of Sale

Credit card fraud continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses today. Fraudulent transactions not only cost merchants money but can also damage their reputation and strain relationships with banks and payment processors.

August 02, 2025

Residual Income and Career Development

Why Selling Merchant Services Is One of the Best Commission-Based Careers

When most people think about commission-based careers, they imagine real estate agents, insurance brokers, or financial advisors, but there’s another field that often flies under the radar yet offers incredible earning potential: selling merchant services.

July 31, 2025

Payment Technology Trends

How to Use POS Data to Make Better Business Decisions

In today’s fast-paced business environment, data is one of your most valuable assets. While most small business owners focus on sales totals and daily revenue, your point-of-sale (POS) system offers far deeper insights.

July 29, 2025

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