Credit Card 101

Merchant Accounts

Setup a merchant account with us today and begin processing credit card payments in 24 hours or less. Our merchant accounts enable you to process a transaction from anyone, at any time from anywhere,safely and securely. This means that you’re open for business, for anyone at anytime, no matter what.

The type of transactions you will be processing will determine the risk and the rate the bank will charge you for the transaction. A transaction where the card was physically swiped offers less of a risk, than that of a transaction that was keyed in by one of your representatives. Swiping a customer's credit card will offer the lowest risk because you will have electronic proof that the card was present, plus you were also given the opportunity to verify the cardholder’s identification. When a card is not present during the transaction, the transaction is assessed as a higher risk, as it is very difficult for merchants to verify a customer’s identification.

With GET, you will be assigned a personal account manager who knows your business and will help you evaluate which services are best suited for your company. We are here to support your needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that you never miss a transaction. Our hassle-free service ensures that we will get you processing as quickly as possible, whether you have your Merchant ID number available or not.

Credit Card Processing

When a payment is being processed, there are six separate entities involved to insure the payment is processed, quickly and securely. These six entities are involved whether the transaction was initiated through a card swipe or through a transaction that was initiated through an online storefront:

1. The consumer
2. The merchant
3. GET
4. Card Association
5. The issuing bank.
6. The merchant bank

Retail Credit Card Authorization Process

Consumer initiates transaction (selects goods/services to purchase and goes to checkout)
Merchant begins to processes transaction by sending request to GET
GET receives requests and submits request to card association
Card association sends requests to Credit Card issuing bank
Issuing bank accepts or declines transaction and sends message to card association
Card association contacts GET with card authorization
Merchant sends GET “fulfillment notification to permit settlement” meaning the goods have been delivered or have been shipped to the consumer.

The capture of funds takes place when the credit card authorization is given to the issuing bank and the consumer’s credit card is charged for the goods, or services, requested or received by the consumer. **This entire process takes less than 16 seconds**

Finally, once the merchant settles their batch and collects funds from issuing bank, the funds are then delivered into the merchant's bank.

Internet Credit Card Authorization Process

Consumer initiates transaction (selects goods/services to purchase and goes to checkout)
Consumer enters credit card information into a secured form online and the encrypted data is sent to GET
GET receives data and sends it to card association, which in turns sends it to the request to issuing bank.
Issuing bank accepts or declines transaction and sends back message to the card association
Card association contacts GET with card authorization
Merchant sends GET “fulfillment notification to permit settlement” meaning the goods have been delivered or have been shipped to the consumer.

The capture of funds takes place when the credit card authorization is given to the issuing bank and the consumer’s credit card is charged for the goods, or services, requested or received by the consumer. **This entire process takes less than 16 seconds**

Credit Card Authorization

Credit card authorization happens when the bank that issued the credit card being used approves a transaction. An authorization number is issued to the merchant services account (GET) and payment of good/services is guaranteed so long as:

A valid card has been used by the authorized cardholder The cardholder has signed the credit card sales draft The credit card transaction is not disputed by the cardholder.

Credit Card Deposits

After a transaction is completed, a deposit will be made into your account and a debit to the cardholder’s credit line is applied. GET is here to ensure that you get your money in a timely fashion, and in most cases, the funds are transferred at the time of authorization, but can take up to 72 hours. If for some reason your transaction requires delivery of good/services at a later date, GET will conduct a separate deposit transaction.

Credit Card Sales

A credit card sales draft is a legal and binding contract that serves to protect you and provide proof of a transaction. A draft should be completed and imprinted for all credit sales, and should be kept in your records for a minimum of 180 days (the time a consumer can dispute a charge with MasterCard and Visa). If there are discrepancies, you will have physical evidence of the transaction. If you are an Internet or mail/telephone based company, your sales draft will be electronically produced; you should retain a record of these transactions as well.

A manual imprinter should be used if:
• Merchant has to manually punch in the credit card number, expiration date, etc
• Merchant does not have a credit card printer


The following should be on all credit card sales drafts:
• Last four digits of the Credit Card Number
• Credit Card Authorization and Reference Number
• Customer Signature
• Expiration Date
• Date of Credit Card Sale
• Amount of Credit Card Sale
• Description of Goods and Services

Description and Explanation of Discount Rates, Transaction Fees and Other Fees
The discount rate is the percentage that is charged for the services that are rendered to you by GET. Rates can vary, depending on the assessed risk of the proposed transactions. Swipe rates are lower because you as a merchant are given the opportunity to verify the identity of the cardholder, and thus are considered a lower risk when compared to a transaction that was initiated through an online purchase. If you, as a merchant, decide to accept credit card transactions through the mail, telephone or online, you increase the way in which your customer can send you a payment. With more payment options, your risk of unauthorized transactions will increase. With these types of transactions, you are not given the same type of opportunity to verify the cardholder’s identification, and thus the discount rates for these types of transactions are slightly higher.

Over the years GET has seen remarkable technological advancements that have made credit card acceptance more efficient and less susceptible to fraud. As a result of such advancements, we are able to offer you the lowest rates possible for your industry.

The reason for the difference in rates is because the merchant services account receives payment from the credit card processing company before they receive anything. The credit card processor is taking a risk, trusting that the merchant will provide the goods and services that were promised when the credit card transaction took place.

A merchant account’s discount rate can be negotiable if the volume of credit card transactions warrants special attention. Also, please be aware that a lower or higher discount rate is not a good indicator of the quality of service from a credit card processor. Always investigate all aspects of a credit card processing company, and never go with someone just because they have low rates.

The transaction fee is a separate charge from the discount rate and will be added to each transaction.

Credit Card Processing Equipment and Credit Card Processing Software

Once your merchant services account is approved, your credit card equipment will be programmed and shipped within 24-48 hours. All credit card equipment will be shipped ground unless the merchant makes other arrangements. Software will be made available within 24 hours by email.

Customer service on credit card processing equipment and credit card processing software is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Terminal replacement will be subject to the manufacturer’s warranty.

Credit Card 101

Merchant Accounts

Setup a merchant account with us today and begin processing credit card payments in 24 hours or less. Our merchant accounts enable you to process a transaction from anyone, at any time from anywhere,safely and securely. This means that you’re open for business, for anyone at anytime, no matter what.

The type of transactions you will be processing will determine the risk and the rate the bank will charge you for the transaction. A transaction where the card was physically swiped offers less of a risk, than that of a transaction that was keyed in by one of your representatives. Swiping a customer's credit card will offer the lowest risk because you will have electronic proof that the card was present, plus you were also given the opportunity to verify the cardholder’s identification. When a card is not present during the transaction, the transaction is assessed as a higher risk, as it is very difficult for merchants to verify a customer’s identification.

With GET, you will be assigned a personal account manager who knows your business and will help you evaluate which services are best suited for your company. We are here to support your needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that you never miss a transaction. Our hassle-free service ensures that we will get you processing as quickly as possible, whether you have your Merchant ID number available or not.

Credit Card Processing

When a payment is being processed, there are six separate entities involved to insure the payment is processed, quickly and securely. These six entities are involved whether the transaction was initiated through a card swipe or through a transaction that was initiated through an online storefront:

1. The consumer
2. The merchant
3. GET
4. Card Association
5. The issuing bank.
6. The merchant bank

Retail Credit Card Authorization Process

Consumer initiates transaction (selects goods/services to purchase and goes to checkout)
Merchant begins to processes transaction by sending request to GET
GET receives requests and submits request to card association
Card association sends requests to Credit Card issuing bank
Issuing bank accepts or declines transaction and sends message to card association
Card association contacts GET with card authorization
Merchant sends GET “fulfillment notification to permit settlement” meaning the goods have been delivered or have been shipped to the consumer.

The capture of funds takes place when the credit card authorization is given to the issuing bank and the consumer’s credit card is charged for the goods, or services, requested or received by the consumer. **This entire process takes less than 16 seconds**

Finally, once the merchant settles their batch and collects funds from issuing bank, the funds are then delivered into the merchant's bank.

Internet Credit Card Authorization Process

Consumer initiates transaction (selects goods/services to purchase and goes to checkout)
Consumer enters credit card information into a secured form online and the encrypted data is sent to GET
GET receives data and sends it to card association, which in turns sends it to the request to issuing bank.
Issuing bank accepts or declines transaction and sends back message to the card association
Card association contacts GET with card authorization
Merchant sends GET “fulfillment notification to permit settlement” meaning the goods have been delivered or have been shipped to the consumer.

The capture of funds takes place when the credit card authorization is given to the issuing bank and the consumer’s credit card is charged for the goods, or services, requested or received by the consumer. **This entire process takes less than 16 seconds**

Credit Card Authorization

Credit card authorization happens when the bank that issued the credit card being used approves a transaction. An authorization number is issued to the merchant services account (GET) and payment of good/services is guaranteed so long as:

A valid card has been used by the authorized cardholder The cardholder has signed the credit card sales draft The credit card transaction is not disputed by the cardholder.

Credit Card Deposits

After a transaction is completed, a deposit will be made into your account and a debit to the cardholder’s credit line is applied. GET is here to ensure that you get your money in a timely fashion, and in most cases, the funds are transferred at the time of authorization, but can take up to 72 hours. If for some reason your transaction requires delivery of good/services at a later date, GET will conduct a separate deposit transaction.

Credit Card Sales

A credit card sales draft is a legal and binding contract that serves to protect you and provide proof of a transaction. A draft should be completed and imprinted for all credit sales, and should be kept in your records for a minimum of 180 days (the time a consumer can dispute a charge with MasterCard and Visa). If there are discrepancies, you will have physical evidence of the transaction. If you are an Internet or mail/telephone based company, your sales draft will be electronically produced; you should retain a record of these transactions as well.

A manual imprinter should be used if:
• Merchant has to manually punch in the credit card number, expiration date, etc
• Merchant does not have a credit card printer


The following should be on all credit card sales drafts:
• Last four digits of the Credit Card Number
• Credit Card Authorization and Reference Number
• Customer Signature
• Expiration Date
• Date of Credit Card Sale
• Amount of Credit Card Sale
• Description of Goods and Services

Description and Explanation of Discount Rates, Transaction Fees and Other Fees
The discount rate is the percentage that is charged for the services that are rendered to you by GET. Rates can vary, depending on the assessed risk of the proposed transactions. Swipe rates are lower because you as a merchant are given the opportunity to verify the identity of the cardholder, and thus are considered a lower risk when compared to a transaction that was initiated through an online purchase. If you, as a merchant, decide to accept credit card transactions through the mail, telephone or online, you increase the way in which your customer can send you a payment. With more payment options, your risk of unauthorized transactions will increase. With these types of transactions, you are not given the same type of opportunity to verify the cardholder’s identification, and thus the discount rates for these types of transactions are slightly higher.

Over the years GET has seen remarkable technological advancements that have made credit card acceptance more efficient and less susceptible to fraud. As a result of such advancements, we are able to offer you the lowest rates possible for your industry.

The reason for the difference in rates is because the merchant services account receives payment from the credit card processing company before they receive anything. The credit card processor is taking a risk, trusting that the merchant will provide the goods and services that were promised when the credit card transaction took place.

A merchant account’s discount rate can be negotiable if the volume of credit card transactions warrants special attention. Also, please be aware that a lower or higher discount rate is not a good indicator of the quality of service from a credit card processor. Always investigate all aspects of a credit card processing company, and never go with someone just because they have low rates.

The transaction fee is a separate charge from the discount rate and will be added to each transaction.

Credit Card Processing Equipment and Credit Card Processing Software

Once your merchant services account is approved, your credit card equipment will be programmed and shipped within 24-48 hours. All credit card equipment will be shipped ground unless the merchant makes other arrangements. Software will be made available within 24 hours by email.

Customer service on credit card processing equipment and credit card processing software is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Terminal replacement will be subject to the manufacturer’s warranty.