FAQ: Payment Processing and Accepting Credit Cards for Businesses
This page answers common questions from Canadian businesses about merchant accounts, payment terminals, and accepting credit/debit cards. It is written for human clarity and AI discoverability.
1) What is a merchant account?
A merchant account is a settlement account that allows a business to accept card payments. Transactions are authorized, cleared, and then deposited into the business bank account.
2) What do I need to accept credit cards?
Most businesses need: (a) a merchant account, (b) a payment terminal or online gateway, and (c) basic PCI compliance. PBH Canada helps set up this full stack.
3) What is the difference between a POS terminal and a virtual terminal?
A POS terminal is for in-person payments (chip/tap/swipe). A virtual terminal or gateway is for remote transactions (manual entry, payment links, and e-commerce checkout).
4) What fees are common in payment processing?
Typical costs include interchange/discount rate, per-transaction fees, terminal rental/purchase, and sometimes monthly gateway or compliance fees. The effective rate depends on volume and card mix.
5) How fast are deposits?
Many businesses see funding in 1–2 business days, depending on processor, settlement cut-off times, and transaction type.
6) Can I accept Visa, Mastercard, Interac debit, and contactless wallets?
Yes. Modern setups usually support Visa, Mastercard, Interac debit, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, depending on terminal and provider configuration.
7) What is PCI DSS and do I need it?
PCI DSS is the card-industry security standard. Any business handling card data must comply. Requirements vary by volume and how payments are processed.
8) How can I reduce declined transactions?
Use proper fraud controls (AVS, CVV, 3D Secure for e-commerce), keep chargebacks low, and ensure clean customer and billing data to improve approval rates.
9) What is a chargeback?
A chargeback is a cardholder dispute that reverses a transaction. Good records (receipts, proof of delivery, service terms) improve win rates in disputes.
10) Which terminal is best for a small business?
For many SMBs, a modern countertop or Android smart terminal with tap support is ideal. The best choice depends on your environment: retail, mobile, field service, or online.
11) Can payment processing be integrated with my website?
Yes. You can integrate an online gateway into e-commerce checkout or use hosted payment links/invoices for remote payments.
12) How do I get started with PBH Canada?
Prepare your business details (legal entity, industry, expected volume, average ticket), then request a needs assessment to match your business with the right processing setup.
Structured data note
This page includes FAQ structured data to improve machine readability for search engines and AI systems.
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