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THE MANTRA PROMISE
Why Choose Mantra Payments?
Mantra Payments provides an effective and powerful way to manage your business’s credit card processing. We know that small business owners already have so much on their plate, so let us take care of your credit card processing and merchant services, stress-free.
When customers spend money on goods and services, they expect transactions to be quick, secure, and frictionless. Customers can pay by dipping, tapping, or swiping their credit or debit cards. When you use Mantra Payments as your merchant services provider, you can be confident that the information provided by your customers is safe and secure.
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On average, small business owners using Mantra Payments pay as little as 1.9% per transaction.
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For over 11 years, Mantra Payments has been certified as a level 1 PCI provider.
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We strive to process all transactions with security in mind.
Secure + Safe Data
We utilize advanced security measures and the latest encryption technologies to protect your clients' credit card information and provide you with peace of mind as you run your business.
24/7 Customer Support
We utilize advanced security measures and the latest encryption technologies to protect your clients' credit card information and provide you with peace of mind as you run your business.
100% Price Transparency
Our pricing is transparent and saves your business money with low transaction fees and no surprise hidden fees. We strive to offer the highest level of service to you and your business.
MARYLAND CREDIT CARD PROCESSING OVERVIEW
What Is Credit Card Processing?
Maryland credit card processing involves a multi-step process that allows the transfer of credit card information and payments between multiple organizations. Transactions may take place through a variety of channels in today's digital world, including in-person, online, over the phone, or by mail. Several distinct entities play an important part in the operation of this structure, which helps to guarantee that all processes run smoothly.
Credit card processing is a game-changing innovation that is automating and streamlining business payments worldwide. But what exactly does credit card processing entail and how does it work? Establishing a merchant account is the initial step. You can take credit card payments for products and services by opening a merchant account. Once that's done, you'll be able to process payments with minimal hassle.
Maryland Credit Card Processing Topics:
HOW IT WORKS
How Credit Card Processing Works
1. Credit card processing in Maryland starts with the consumer. The consumer (customer) submits a payment request using their credit card, and the small business (merchant) is provided with the relevant payment information.
2. The information regarding the payment can be accepted and collected by the merchant in one of two ways:
In person, which is referred to as a "card-present" transaction.
Online or over the phone, which is referred to as a "card-not-present" transaction.
3. After then, the information regarding the payment is transmitted to the credit card processor, who then transmits it to the card network.
4. The information on the payment is sent to the consumer's bank, which is known as the issuing bank.
Maryland Credit Card Processing Options:
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Virtual Terminal
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Email Invoicing
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Recurring Payments
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Online / Ecommerce
5. It is the duty of the consumer bank to check whether or not the cardholder possesses an adequate amount of available dollars or credit to finish the transaction. Additionally, the bank could conduct some security procedures to check if the purchase is authentic. The next step is for it to decide whether or not to accept the transaction, after which it will convey its verdict to the credit card processor. The three most typical explanations for why a transaction is refused are as follows:
There are insufficient monies in the account.
The credit limit has been reached by the consumer.
The purchase was made without permission (e.g. if the card used has been reported lost or stolen).
6. If the transaction is able to pass the verification processes of the consumer bank, then the monies are transferred from the merchant account of the consumer bank to the account of the merchant, and then the settlement process begins.
7. In the meantime, the notice is sent from the consumer bank to the point of origin of the sale. This, in turn, often results in a message being shown on the card reader or the virtual terminal that informs the merchant whether or not the transaction has been "authorized" or "declined."
8. Settlement is the final stage in the process, and depending on the card network that was involved in the transaction, it can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to complete. The term "settlement" refers to the formal transfer of the transaction amount, less any relevant processing costs, from the consumer bank to the merchant bank. Mantra Payment credit card processing can offer same day or next-day settlements upon request.
Benefits of Credit Card Processing in Maryland
There are a handful of perks that come along with being able and willing to accept the payment method that is most desired by your clients in Maryland. To begin, when consumers shop using a credit card rather than paying cash for their purchases, they have the ability to spend more money at your business. Second, you won't miss out on any sales opportunities with consumers who don't have cash on them.
COST AND FEES
How Much Does Credit Card Processing Cost?
Processing fees and costs per transaction are usually determined and assessed by each credit card processor. Fees are also regulated and monitored by the individual credit card networks like VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express in conjunction with the U.S. Congress. At Mantra Payments, we customize rates as low as 1.9% per transaction and guarantee each small business owner the most competitive and low-cost processing fees available in the industry.
Credit Card Processing Fees
When customers pay with credit cards, your business will typically be charged 3 types of fees, such as an interchange fee, an assessment or service fee, and a processing fee by the Maryland credit card processor of your choice. You could be required to pay additional fees, based on the pricing plan that your processor implements or platform fees based on the hardware you choose for your business.
Interchange Fees
There is one fixed cost associated with using a credit card, and that is the interchange fee, which is assessed by the issuing bank whenever a transaction is processed. These fees are non-negotiable and help cover the risks associated with completing the transaction. These risks include the payment being approved, the risk of fraud, and the risk of bad debt. The interchange charge is a percentage of the entire purchase amount in addition to a predetermined transaction cost that is specified by each card network. This fee is collected by the consumer's bank (the issuing bank). This charge, which constitutes the greatest portion of the overall cost of processing payments made through credit card, is generally affected by the particular credit card that is being used for the transaction. The interchange rate for credit cards in the United States is typically 1.9%, while the interchange rate for debit cards is roughly 0.3%.
Assessment or Service Fees
Another expense charged to merchants is the assessment charge, often known as the service fee. These fees are a small percentage based on the transaction volume and the risk level of each transaction assessed by the card networks individually.
Processing Fees
Each credit card processor charges their own fees. This is known as the markup fee that covers the costs to use the payment processor's services. At Mantra Payments these fees are determined based on the type of industry and transaction volume per month.
Our Payment Processing Pricing Model
It can be a bit time-consuming when deciding which specific processor and plan is right for you and your business. It all depends on the type and size of your business, your cash flow, level of reinvestment, payroll, expenses, and other outflows. However, at Mantra Payments we help tailor the right Maryland credit card processing services and hardware that will work best for your small business. At Mantra Payments, we give your business the most transparent and cost-effective way to process credit cards by using Interchange-Plus Pricing.
Interchange-Plus Pricing
In order to maintain affordability while simultaneously lowering per transaction prices, Mantra Payments has decided to adopt pricing based on interchange plus. Our motto has always been transparency and low cost to the merchant.
INDUSTRIES WE SERVE
What Types of Industries Do We Serve in Maryland?
At Mantra Payments, we provide customized credit card processing and merchant services to businesses in all types of industries. Some of the most common industries we serve in Maryland include:
STATE INFORMATION
Maryland Business Resources
The State of Maryland
The official website for Maryland.
Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Advice, research, and resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Comptroller of Maryland
Manage filing business entities and documents.
Maryland Secretary of State
File business documents and find other business services.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs About Maryland Credit Card Processing
Is Credit Card Processing Secure?
As the owner of a small business, it is imperative that you remain vigilant against credit card fraud. Even though the majority of news stories focus on data breaches that have occurred at large retail chains, smaller businesses are just as susceptible to these types of attacks. There are two things that smaller businesses can do to strengthen the security measures of their credit card processing:
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Make sure that the credit card processor you choose is compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard known as PCI DSS compliant. At Mantra Payments we make sure to be up to date with our PCI DSS certification.
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Make sure to always use hardware that is up to industry standards and able to accept EMV chip cards. Since credit cards typically have a chip embedded in one end of the card, having the technology to read it makes the transaction significantly more secure. This is due to the fact that chips are much more difficult to forge than the conventional magnetic strips that are found on credit cards.
What Is a Good Rate for Credit Card Processing?
The fees associated with processing credit card transactions typically range from 2% to 3.5% of the total transaction amount. For example, for every $100 a small business makes in sales, the credit card processing fees could range anywhere from $2.00 to $3.50. These fees may represent a sizable outlay of money for a small business.
At Mantra Payments we make sure to understand each small business individually and recommend a cheaper alternative that can lower the fee costs to 1.9% or cheaper per transaction overall.
What Equipment Is Needed to Accept Credit Card Payments?
Think about how you manage your small business, and the different forms of payments that you might accept to run it smoothly. In the modern world we live in today, it's not enough to only accept credit cards in person; other payment methods must also be taken into account. Consumers anticipate having the option to pay in person, over the phone, or online using a credit card, debit card, or mobile payment service (such as Apple Pay®, Google PayTM, or Samsung Pay), among other options. At Mantra Payments we offer a variety of credit card processing equipment options tailored to meet your business’s needs. Our most up-to-date point-of-sale systems offer reliability, security, and the all-in-one software and hardware needed to perform and accept payments.
POS Systems We Offer:
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Virtual and online ecommerce terminals
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Payment terminals such as Clover Flex, Clover Mini, Clover Solo or DUO POS Systems
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Mobile payment services and credit/debit card reader such as Clover Go
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QR Codes
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Clover Tap
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Receipt and kitchen printers
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Cash drawers
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Barcode scanners
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Business tools such as sales tracking, reporting, and inventory management
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Employee management tools such as payroll integrations
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Customer reward and loyalty programs
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Gift card programs
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And many more
What Additional Services Are Provided By Mantra Payments?
Mantra Payments provides a number of additional services to help your business grow. We offer the following:
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Business lines of credit, small business loans, term loans, or merchant cash advances
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Website & Hosting Services
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Digital Marketing - SEO, PPC, Social Media Management
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Customer engagement and loyalty reward programs
