Merchant Accounts
Via Payment gateways SecureHosting and SagePay we support merchant accounts from most UK and some Irish banks. We also support RBS WorldPay accounts. An Internet merchant account from a bank is a great way to take payments online and often the easiest and preferred way for customers.
What is a Merchant Account?
A merchant account is a special account from a bank that lets you accept payments from debit/credit cards.
A Merchant account actually only accepts payments over the phone or in person. If you want to take payments online then you would need an Internet Merchant account.
Merchant and Internet Merchant accounts are obtained from a bank or PayPal. However on it's own an Internet Merchant account won't do the actual card processing - for this you need something called a payment gateway.
Often banks have their own payment gateways which they charge extra for or you can use an independent company for your payment gateway such as SecureHosting and SagePay. The online booking system links in to both SecureHosting and SagePay payment gateways as well as RBS WorldPay.
Getting started
The first step is aquiring an Internet Merchant Account. You may find your own business bank provides these but you can use another UK bank if you prefer - in fact it's always good to shop round for better rates.
Before you sign any agreements with a bank contact us and we'll advise if it'll integrate with the booking system.
You also need a payment gateway. We recommend using SecureHosting Ltd as they are reliable and cost effective. When you sign up for an Internet Merchant account make sure you let the bank know you'll be using a 3rd party payment gateway.
Contact us to find out more.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Merchant Accounts
The biggest advantage of a merchant account from a bank is ease of payment for your customers. It also means you get notified instantly of a payment.
Merchant accounts can also work out cheaper - especially if you have a number of properties. Transaction fees are generally slightly lower than using PayPal.
The disadvantages is there is no guarantee the bank will accept your application. Applications are also very complex and time consuming. You can also actually find rates are higher than PayPal - so it's worth shopping round for your merchant account.
Additionally, whereas with PayPal you get your money right away, many banks withhold money for a set period of time as security. The amounts and time with vary radically from bank to bank and between individual customers.
Our Currently Supported Merchant Options
SecureHosting Ltd
SecureHosting Ltd enable you to either process card payments online.
SecureHosting is easy to set up, easy to use and reliable and therefore our recommended method of card processing. Its also often the most cost effective option.
Additional charges apply - please contact us for details.
To offer you maximum security, SecureHosting are PCI Level 1 audited.
Contact us for more information.
SagePay Payment Gateway
We strongly recommend payment gateway SecureHosting Ltd as its much easier to set up and easier to use with your booking system account.
However if you are already tied in to SagePage then you can use it to take booking payments online.
We charge an additional fee for the SagePay module upgrade on the booking system. Please contact us for details
RBS WorldPay
Our systems link in to RBS WorldPay's online card processing systems.
For more information please see the WorldPay website.
We charge an additional fee for the WordPay module upgrade on the booking system. Please contact us for details
