Understanding the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Third-Party Payment Processor

What is a Third-Party Payment System?

A third-party payment processor is an entity that helps businesses to receive payments online from customers. Without a third-party payment processor, the business owner needs to set up a merchant account with a bank to receive payments.

A third-party payment processor saves you the time to sign up for an account, wait for approval, and handle things on your own. The rising demand for online payments is forcing every merchant to get a third-party payment processor on board to receive payments. It works for B2B, B2C, and C2C business models.

Advantages of a Third-Party Payment Processor

Every business is going after a third-party payment system to ensure a quick turnover of money at affordable pricing. If you are a small business, then you need a third-party payment processor to work with you. Don’t ponder too much, here are the few benefits of using the service that you cannot ignore.

  • Affordable Pricing. A merchant account can cost you a lot and if you are a new or small business then this can put a dent in your business. Third-party payment processing is affordable and cost-effective. You will not be charged immensely for monthly fees, registration fees, etc. by the third-party payment processor.
  • Easy Setup. Setting up a merchant account is not a piece of cake, but with third-party payment processors, it’s rather easy. All it takes is some verification and for you to fill out the application to start accepting the payments.
  • Flexible Contract. A third-party payment processor provides flexible contracts that are often not the option with the merchant accounts. So, if you are looking for a flexible option, you know who to contact.

Disadvantages of a Third-Party Payment Processor

With every advantage of service comes a disadvantage. For a big or growing business, the merchant usually prefers to have a merchant account with a payment gateway.

  • The third-party payment processor does not work well with the customization and controls the account. If you want to control and customize your account, then it’s best to get an independent sales organization (ISO) to work with you.
  • The third-party payment processor may not go well with your eCommerce platform. It is important to discuss your platform with the payment service provider to ensure that there will be no problem in payment transactions. You should discuss this before signing the contract.
  • Since you are using someone else’s merchant account, i.e. the service provider’s which puts you at the risk of fraud. You have to follow a set of terms and conditions to avoid any problems or you will be locked out of your account.

Several third-party payment processors can provide you with great services, but it’s up to you to do the research. If you have decided to get a third-party payment, then keep your options open.

Making a Decision on if a Third-Party Payment Processor is Right for You

Do You Need a Third-party Payment Processor?

Now that you have read all the advantages and disadvantages, you must be wondering if you need a third-party payment processor. Here is a clear answer for you.

If you are a small or new business, then you need a third-party payment processor to receive payments.

Setting up a merchant account can be quite expensive for you considering the registration fees along with the monthly charges. Although there will some expenses with the third-party payment processor too, there will be a huge difference between them and merchant account. It’s the best alternative for every business that is looking for an affordable way out of their online transactions problem. Here are some other reasons why you should opt for a third-party payment processing company.

Business Size

The size of your business matters the most and as mentioned above, if you are just starting in the market, then you should opt for a third-party payment system. This way you can save a lot of money spent on the monthly fees in a merchant account.

Online Transactions Volume

Do you have hundreds of transactions taking place in your account every month? If that’s not the case, then it’s best for the third-party payment processing company. Remember that you can control or customize these accounts as per your choice, so decide everything from the beginning to avoid any problems in the future.

Turn-Around Time

A merchant’s account setup can take a lot of time in registration and approval. The verification process is also pretty extensive that takes your credit history and business nature, etc. into consideration as well. There is no guarantee that your application will get accepted, hence, choosing a third-party processor is the best way to get started without any trouble.

If you are looking to avoid all these problems and research to choose a third-party payment processor, then choose Clarity Ventures for your business. We are in the business for a long time to meet customer’s requirements and needs. No matter what you need, we are here to provide you with it. With us on board, you can focus on other essential parts of the business. Our team of professionals can find you the best third-party payment processor to start receiving payments from customers. Get in touch with us to get further details about third-party payment processing and the right ones for your business.

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