Three Easy Steps to Reduce Your Credit Card Processing Expenses:

1. Knowledge
2. Transparency
3. Action


Necessary Expense, UNNECESSARY COST
Accepting credit cards used to give wineries a competitive advantage over competing brands in the "direct to consumer" marketplace. This is no longer the case. Now accepting credit cards simply allows a winery to not be at a competitive disadvantage. For many wineries, the cost associated with accepting credit cards can be extraneous. While we can probably all agree that credit card processing fees are a necessary expense, many wineries are still realizing UNNECESSARY COSTS associated with these fees. If minimizing your credit card processing expenses is your primary objective, then this section of WinePayments.com will benefit you the most.



Knowledge
The first step in minimizing your bankcard processing expenses is educating yourself on the credit card processing industry and its driving forces. Understanding the different entities involved and how they make money WILL give you a competitive advantage now and in the future. The KNOWLEDGE = SAVINGS section of WinePayments.com will provide you with the foundation you need to tackle the "Knowledge" requirement.



Transparency
The second step in minimizing your credit card processing fees is obtaining transparent pricing and reporting from your merchant services provider. Once you have become educated on the credit card processing industry (Step 1) you will require (demand) such transparency. The Transparency section of WinePayments.com will help you apply what you have learned directly to your current or future merchant services relationship.



Action
There is no amount of knowledge or transparent pricing and reporting that can benefit your organization unless it is put to work for you. Taking action to lower your credit card processing rates and fees sounds easy enough, yet many organizations still struggle with this step. While Payment Logistics would love to earn your winery's business, we are firm believers that you should only do business with a company you have confidence in. With that said, we suggest you take some preliminary steps in evaluating our company and any of our competitors.

1. Obtain a written proposal detailing all of the rates and fees you can expect to see on your merchant account statement.
2. Obtain references from wineries currently using the service provider.
3. Evaluate and compare the legitimacy of the proposal and the references.
   Examples: Does the proposal compare the proposed rates and fees to what you currently pay? If so, is all of the math shown in a straightforward manner so you can calculate your existing fees the same way they did? Was the proposal created professionally or was it handwritten? Are the references well known and respected in your industry? Does the offer sound to good to be true?
4. Click on this link to insure that you avoid making some common mistakes when selecting a credit card processing service provider.
5. Discuss a timeline for setting up your merchant account and who will be responsible for each aspect of it.